System Shock 2 vs. Bioshock

[NeoZeedeater]

For those who have played both games, choose which one you like more.


For me...


System Shock 2's advantages -


- Character development choices feel more important as it doesn't let you have nearly everything on the first playthrough.

- Greater challenge. The resurrection chambers aren't flawed like Bioshock's which don't punish the player for dying.

- I like the inventory screen and being forced to limit the number of weapons and other items.

- SS2 succeeds more as a horror game. It's more desolate and the danger is much greater.

-I like how stealth is often needed. In Bioshock, fighting is usually always the best choice.

- I would have preferred if Bioshock at least had some system in it with the depth of SS2's researching.



Bioshock's advantages -


- The action is a lot more intense and holds up to the best in the genre. The plasmids are much cooler than SS2's psi powers.

- Better graphics and art direction.

- More intriguing setting and premise.

- No weapon breakage. I don't think the idea was bad in SS2 but it was way too frequent.

- Being able to hack turrets and cameras.

- Superior A.I.. The Little Sister/Big Daddy ecosystem is unique.


Both are fantastic games but System Shock 2's advantages slightly outweigh Bioshock's for me.

[raystorm]

My weapon in SS2 ALWAYS freakin broke the second those damn exploding robots got in my face. Drove me nuts especially with all the respawning.

I haven't played SS2 in a long time so I'll just say I love 'em both equally. I'm just happy there are no damn exploding robots in Bioshock.

[nameless_one]

I have hopes and dreams that someone will release a mod for the pc version of Bioshock which aligns it more in tune with that of ss2.

My list of features in no particular order:

- Weapons take damage and need repair.
- Weapon upgrades more customizable.
- I agree Neo with the inventory system in ss2.
- Ammo and Supplies less plentiful.
- Greater variety of enemies ( I think it would have been great if they left the zoo in the game. Splicer animals would have been an interesting foe.)

[James]

After dying four times in a Big Daddy encounter (I wasn't prepared for a real challenge seeing as every other fight had been so easy) I figured out that death has no meaning in Bioshock. I think it's an amazing game and all, but System Shock 2 is just better from a straight gameplay perspective.

James

[sethsez]

I'm one of the few people who doesn't give a shit about the Vita-chambers in Bioshock, I guess. Considering every FPS on the PC since... well, ever has had the ability to save anywhere, death has never been a big deal in them. People bitched about Bioshock and Prey trivializing death in FPS, but quicksave has been doing that for well over a decade now. Bioshock and Prey just give the nonsense some context.

That said, it's a bit too soon for me to choose. Bioshock still has that new game feel and System Shock 2 has a ton of nostalgia, so I'll have to let some time pass before choosing.

[g0zen]

BioShock, for the setting and story alone.

[bbobb]

System Shock 2 takes the win for two reasons already stated.

The fact that customization of your character meant something, since you couldn't just get everything in one run like you can in Bioshock. That gave System Shock to a hell of alot more reply.

And as mentioned the Vitachambers in Bioshock are busted.

[Opaque]

I think my problem is I played System Shock 2 a long time after it's release.

But yeah, I have to go with Bioshock on this one.

[bVork]

I'm going to have to go with BioShock. System Shock 2 does a lot of the peripheral things better, but the core of the gameplay - combat and exploration - is far superior in BioShock. If the Vita-Chambers came with an actual penalty (I think a fee of $50 plus an eve vial would be enough to make not dying a significant priority but not induce people to quickload constantly) then the game would beat even Deus Ex for best Spector-style FPS.

Speaking of which, Deus Ex should be on this poll - it simply does everything better than both System Shock 2 and BioShock. Combat and stealth are both viable options, the experience and augmentation systems mean that you have to make careful choices on what to improve, and the roleplaying is better than either SS2 or BioShock.

[Frogacuda]

- SS2 succeeds more as a horror game. It's more desolate and the danger is much greater.

Disagree with this point. I think Bioshock's sense of horror is more impactful because it more effectively conveys the human angle and a sense of tragedy. It's effective on a psychological level that is really chilling to the bone rather than just superficially scary.