On-screen weapon stats and skill trees only serve as a barrier between player and playground.
But Microsoft said no.
VGChartz's Paul Broussard: "Ultimately, I come away from my return trip to Citadel Station feeling very whelmed. It’s very clear that this is a remake primarily for people who feel like the original title has aged like a fine wine (barring its older aesthetics). Unfortunately, it’s tough for me to feel that same level of appreciation. I appreciate System Shock for laying the groundwork for future immersive titles, but it definitely feels dated now, and the few changes made in the remake are a mixed bag that don’t do enough to fix its problems, while also adding new ones of their own. If you’re looking for a chance to experience a significant portion of gaming history, or are part of the group that feels the general design of System Shock has aged well, then this is likely worth a serious look. For anyone else, consider waiting for a sale or skipping it altogether."
System Shock is unapologetically old-school, keeping the core of a nearly thirty-year-old game while mainly focusing on visual and presentation upgrades with a few quality-of-life additions around the edges.
"I like this and if you don't then you're the problem."
When did we start hating on immersive sims though? The industry just moved away from it in favour of fluffing out their linear action/adventure games with shoehorned rpg mechanics.
Immersive sim is the new buzzword. To even suggest that someone is wrong for not liking a certain type of game completely invalidates your being a real journalist. You belong with the kind of funny guys who wear their fanboyism on their sleeves.