The System Shock remake is getting a massive patch with a revised ending, choice of female player character '8 years in the making', and a significant quality of life improvement

GamesFPSSystem ShockThe System Shock remake is getting a massive patch with a revised ending, choice of female player character ‘8 years in the making’, and a significant quality of life improvementWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Nightdive)

Female system shock hacker holding laser gun with cyborgs approaching from behind

Nightdive’s System Shock, our pick forbest remake of 2023, is getting its largest patch to date, including a revised ending sequence, choice of gender for the Hacker, optional waypoints, and more. The overhaul update is set to go live on April 11, so you might want to put off diving into a new run for a week.

Let’s start with the lady Hacker, as she actually seems to have been in the works the longest. “[Hacker gender choice] was a stretch goal for Kickstarter oh, seven, eight years in the making,” Nightdive founder Stephen Kick told me in an interview at the Game Developers Conference ahead of the announcement. “We knew we wanted to patch that in, it was just one of those things that we knew wouldn’t have any kind of immediate effect on gameplay, but just having that option kind of adds to the immersive quality of the game.”

Even though the change involves a complete model rework and new voiceover grunts, it’ll be a subtle difference in-game given that System Shock is entirely first person and the Hacker’s a silent protagonist: You only see them from afar in beginning and ending cutscenes, as well as an iconic, gruesome game over scene. Still, as Kick pointed out, this choice can add so much to immersion and roleplay. “It’s one of those early gaming staples, where it’s an everyman or everywoman kind of scenario.

“You could put yourself in the shoes of the character and kind of project yourself into the world as opposed to there being a preset personality that you’re playing as.”

Kick and Nightdive business development director Larry Kuperman were more tight-lipped about what the 1.2 update’s “Upgraded Ending” entails, but they both agreed that it’s “worth replaying.” Kick acknowledged that the move was in response to criticism of the game’s original final boss, a virtual reality puzzle/shooter section with different mechanics from both System Shock’s regular immersive sim gameplay, as well as the other VR sections throughout the campaign.

“A lot of the criticism that we received was: you spent this whole game collecting items, gearing yourself up for this big battle, and then all of your stuff was gone,” Kick said. “You’re left with just this one weapon to play what boils down to a minigame.

“It’s just been completely reworked.”

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

I’m curious what the update’s “Mutant Combat Enhancements” will entail, but to my eye, its last big ticket improvement is the “Easy Mode Waypoint System.” Now, Ilovedgetting lost in System Shock’s levels, and I’m pretty sure its backtracking annoyed me way less than any metroidvania I’ve ever played, but I do get it⁠—this game is a sequence of spaghetti tangle corridors with elevators that only serve part of the station, and sometimes you just want to know where the hell to go next.

In hisSystem Shock review, PCG news writer Joshua Wolens described “maximising the game’s map and just playing that, guiding the arrow denoting my character through long corridors toward what I desperately hoped was the right lift.” Me? I just took advantage of the remake’s faithfulness and consulted walkthroughs of the 1994 original when I got stuck. Even though the remake’s lack of handholding wassomething we on the team mostly praised, the added option for waypoints will only help more players ease into this game.

And we don’t have too much longer to wait: System Shock’s 1.2 update is coming to a PC near you on April 11.

More about fpsTeam Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40KThe most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’LatestSquare Enix launches new anti-harassment policy to protect its employees and partners from abusive fansSee more latest►

More about fps

Team Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40KThe most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’

A valuable TF2 hat shimmers in the moonlight.

Team Fortress 2 just had the single biggest trade in its history, with ‘the absolute best hat you can get’ going for around $40K

FBC: Firebreak

The most important tool in Remedy’s new co-op FPS is the shower: ‘Saving water is essential’

LatestSquare Enix launches new anti-harassment policy to protect its employees and partners from abusive fansSee more latest►

Latest

Square Enix launches new anti-harassment policy to protect its employees and partners from abusive fans

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth PC

Square Enix launches new anti-harassment policy to protect its employees and partners from abusive fans

See more latest►

Most PopularElden Ring: Nightreign is getting a closed network test, and I’m totally not fuming because PC players aren’t invited to the party, or anythingIf you’re a content creator and gamer looking for a CPU upgrade, this Ryzen 9 9900X deal will get you $90 offAMD is now reportedly making all-American Ryzen 9000 CPU dies at TSMC’s Arizona fabI tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at bayFinal Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their altsTikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ itMSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to affordThermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectorsAMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortageThis Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardwareHarrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

Most Popular

Elden Ring: Nightreign is getting a closed network test, and I’m totally not fuming because PC players aren’t invited to the party, or anything

If you’re a content creator and gamer looking for a CPU upgrade, this Ryzen 9 9900X deal will get you $90 off

AMD is now reportedly making all-American Ryzen 9000 CPU dies at TSMC’s Arizona fab

I tried a sim racing rig that generates ‘wind’ at CES 2025 and it’s claimed to help keep VR nausea at bay

Final Fantasy 14 communities panic as it turns out change to blacklisting, meant to help reduce stalking, also lets players use mods to track their alts

TikTok’s time in the US may be ticking to a close as it makes a last stand in the Supreme Court, though Trump now says he ‘opposes banning’ it

MSI intros cheaper ‘back connect’ Project Zero Intel motherboards for super-clean PC builds you might actually be able to afford

Thermaltake’s new 2000 W PSU is too powerful to be sold in the USA and comes with four PCIe 5.0 GPU power connectors

AMD accuses Intel’s Arrow Lake of being a ‘horrible’ product and implies a lack of options for consumers has caused the Ryzen 7 9800X3D shortage

This Jinx-inspired gaming PC is my favorite of CES 2025 and I’m head over heels for the hardware

Harrowing report alleges years of horrific abuse at Brandoville Studios, an Indonesian support studio that worked on Assassin’s Creed Shadows and The Last of Us Remake

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals