Preview Early System Shock 3 concept art revealed at Starbreeze event

[Infinitron]

Tags: OtherSide Entertainment; Starbreeze Studios; System Shock 3; Warren Spector

Back in March, we learned that OtherSide Entertainment's System Shock 3 was going to be published by Swedish publisher Starbreeze Studios. Today Warren Spector appeared at a livestreamed Starbreeze promotional event, appropriately called the StarStream, to talk about the game. The System Shock 3 segment of the stream was pretty short and apparently Warren didn't have much to say, but he did bring some early concept art with him. Polygon have written a brief summary of his appearance:

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System Shock fans were treated to a new look at the game’s long-awaited sequel today, with new concept art shown off during a livestream event hosted by publisher Starbreeze Studios.

Polygon’s got some additional peeks at System Shock 3’s world, courtesy of Starbreeze, developer Otherside Entertainment and the game’s returning designer, Warren Spector. Both are pieces of early concept art meant to set the tone for the cyperbunk action game, set on a lonely space station years in the future.

Spector’s return to the series comes more than 23 years after the original System Shock, hailed as an innovative action role-playing game at its time of release. Although he wasn’t involved with System Shock 2, Spector told Polygon that returning to the series after two-plus decades was an easy decision.

“I produced System Shock and played System Shock 2 so I’m pretty familiar with the universe,” Spector said. “And there were some fictional loose ends to explore and tie up. That sounded like fun. Also, SHODAN. You know what I mean?”

SHODAN, the A.I. being that terrorizes the player throughout every System Shock game, is absent from what we saw today. Yet she’ll again play a significant role in System Shock 3, just as Spector told us last August. The game picks up where System Shock 2 left off, when — spoiler alert for the 1999 RPG — SHODAN takes the form of a human woman.

As genre-defining as System Shock 2 and its predecessor were in the 1990s, the concept — “you alone on a space station,” as Spector called it — has come to feel commonplace these days, in the post-BioShock era. The recent release of Prey, which pays obvious homage to System Shock developer Looking Glass Studios in myriad ways, may further point to the genre’s mainstream familiarity.

Now that System Shock’s setting and storyline isn’t quite so unique, is Spector concerned about System Shock 3 failing to stand out among the pack?

“I think having more immersive simulation games out there is all to the good,” said Spector. “Based on what I’ve seen of Prey so far, there are some similarities but I assure you we’re doing stuff that team didn’t do, just as they did stuff we’re not. I’m not worried about people getting confused.”

System Shock 3 remains a ways ahead; it’s due out on PC and consoles, but no release window has been specified. Spector mentioned during the Starbreeze livestream that the team would be “transitioning into pre-production” soon. For more concept art, check out the gallery below.

In the meantime, a reboot of the original System Shock is coming sometime in 2018 from Nightdive Studios.
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Colorful! They're definitely going for a more System Shock 1 look there.

 

[Latro]

looks like the deus ex mankind divided artist trying to do cyberpunk-colored dead space

 

[Zep Zepo]

“I produced System Shock and played System Shock 2...

LOL!

Zep--

 

[The Vanished One]

Rather indistinct and abstract even for "concept art".
Also, I can't remember when "immersive sim" became a thing. Has it been a year, a few? I have the (possibly distorted) impression it's a buzzword for Bioshock-like action-adventure (so not a "sim" at all).

 

[Severian Silk]

2D concept art does have an SS1 "feel" to it. Not sure it will translate well when recreating the art in 3D.

 

[Excidium II]

Rather indistinct and abstract even for "concept art".
Also, I can't remember when "immersive sim" became a thing. Has it been a year, a few? I have the (possibly distorted) impression it's a buzzword for Bioshock-like action-adventure (so not a "sim" at all).

Warren Spector used the term over a billion years ago but it got revived recently.

 

[Nekot-The-Brave]

This might be a return to citadel station. Or at least it feels that way from the concept art.

 

[DraQ]

Also, I can't remember when "immersive sim" became a thing. Has it been a year, a few?

I'd say around the time of Midwinter (1989), even if it wasn't called that way.

Buzzwords are irrelevant, it's what they refer to that matters.

 

[thesheeep]

These concept aren't really telling much...

Edit: I mean... it's SciFi. There's neon. But what else? They are extremely vague.

 

[Paul_cz]

Rather indistinct and abstract even for "concept art".
Also, I can't remember when "immersive sim" became a thing. Has it been a year, a few? I have the (possibly distorted) impression it's a buzzword for Bioshock-like action-adventure (so not a "sim" at all).

Afaik the term immersive sim was coined by Doug Church back in the days of UU or System Shock 1. Personally I quite like it even if it is kinda stupid

 

[luj1]

Looks meh, too colorful. Just don't call it an "immersive sim" for the love of god.

 

[Irxy]

The game picks up where System Shock 2 left off, when — spoiler alert for the 1999 RPG — SHODAN takes the form of a human woman.

Romance is imminent!

 

[cvv]

2D concept art does have an SS1 "feel" to it.

Tru. Now let's hope the rest of the game will too - cool, adult, unique - and not SS2 which is mechanically great but as for the setting and atmosphere it's just a glorified zombie basher.