If System Shock 2 was going to use such a radically different energy mechanic anyway, why not remove recharge stations and just make energy weapons operate off of batteries that function exactly like conventional ammo? In System Shock 2, every energy-using item instead has its own separate internal battery supply, and the only connection to System Shock 1 is that there's recharge stations and those freely restore everything in your inventory in an approximation of System Shock 1 having recharge stations fully restore your global energy meter. the game does need some kind of mechanic to prevent energy weapons from breaking the intended design.Īlmost understandable, though, not actually understandable.įirst of all, System Shock 2 radically overhauls energy weapons: in the first game, you have a singular energy supply that all your energy-using things pull from. In conjunction with System Shock 2 following in the first game's footsteps as far as energy weapons using an energy supply instead of ammunition. System Shock 2 is very deliberate about the progression from hoarding limited resources to spending them relentlessly because nearly everything justifies them and you have plenty to spare, and it's actually one of the better-executed aspects of System Shock 2's experience. The latter case is almost understandable to me. The two most egregious examples: the leveling mechanic alongside the inventory system, and the limited ammo alongside the weapon durability system.

Raising the question of why have both systems at all?

One of the more frustrating aspects of System Shock 2's (mis)use of RPG elements is how there's multiple cases where multiple separate systems primarily serve to produce.

Vivec system shock 2 hybrid