I’ve been through basic and advanced training, spent my first few years doing tours of duty on IO and various other postings to beef up my technical and weapons skills, with a jot of psionics thrown in for good measure, and I’m a tough S.O.B. I’ve even been here, in this very situation before in another life but, wrench in hand, sirens warning of impending decompression, and with orders being barked at me, I still feel a shudder run down my spine as I step forth into the blood-stained corridors of the Von Braun.

It’s one of the most memorable game intros of all time for me, and what begins with a Informational intro video, ending with a chilling, interference-laced distress call, soon moves from the quiet calm of your formative, military years to the daunting and downright unnerving battle for survival on mankind’s very first faster than light vessel, the Von Braun, a ship that’s hit a lot more than an ice berg. Now overrun by strange, alien-human hybrids, you’re, seemingly, one of the last few survivors, trapped light years from home.

It’s a classic sci-fi horror setup, and Hollywood has seen its fair share of similar stories, many of which System Shock borrows directly from. But, with the then-unique blend of RPG, FPS and adventure, System Shock 2 was, and still is, far more immersive than even the best Hollywood offering.

The age old horror setup of isolation, constant, oppressive threat and the struggle to survive makes for an all-time classic video game, one that people can now enjoy again without having to dig out an old PC with a copy of Windows 98. And, you know what? It’s every bit as good now as it was back then. This is one of the finest examples of a title that’s aged, unlike the many weapons you use in the game, like a fine wine. Sure, visually, without the various mods that can address the issue, it looks very dated, but visuals are just a tiny part of what makes System Shock 2 so damn good.