System Shock Remake Switch 2 Review

System Shock Remake (Switch 2)

Developed By: Night Dive

Published By: Atari

Date of Release: December 18, 2025

Price: $39.99

Back in the mid 90's when I was still quite young my grandparents took me to Walmart to pick out some PC games for my birthday, as they had a massive bin of clearance titles. I ended up with quite a haul... Final Doom, Electro Man, Ultima Underworld 1&2, Syndicate Plus, and this one game with a rather creepy looking cyborg on the front... "System Shock". The other games ended up being pretty good, but none sucked me in quite as much as Looking Glass's sci-fi magnum opus. Now here we are in the year 2025, and System Shock has at last been remastered and ported to the Nintendo Switch 2.

The gaming industry has seen its fair share of remakes and remasters over the years, but few titles have generated as much anticipation and excitement as the remake of System Shock. With it's original release in 1994, System Shock was a groundbreaking game that blended elements of first-person shooters and dungeon crawling RPGs, pretty much birthing the immersive sim genre. Now, Nightdive Studios has undertaken the ambitious task of revitalizing this beloved classic. In this review, we delve into the intricacies of the System Shock remake to see how it measures up to the original and whether it successfully captures the essence of, and lives up to the reputation of the iconic cyberpunk adventure.

Jumping right in you'll notice that one of the most noticeable improvements in the System Shock remake is its visually stunning presentation. The developers have transformed the dated graphics of the original into a modern, immersive experience. The updated environments are rich in detail, featuring intricate textures (with a glorious retro pixel aesthetic baked in), dynamic lighting, and impressive special effects. The revamped Citadel Station now feels that much more alive and foreboding, effectively creating a sense of isolation and dread. Furthermore, the developers have paid great attention to enhancing the dark and atmospheric tone that made the original so memorable. From the flickering lights and haunting audio cues to the eerie sound design, the remake expertly captures the unsettling ambiance of the original game. Exploring the station's twisted corridors and encountering its horrifying inhabitants is an intense and chilling experience, just as it was in the original.

While the remake remains faithful to the core gameplay mechanics that defined the original, it also introduces several improvements and modernizations to enhance the overall experience. The controls have been revamped to provide more fluid and responsive movement, making combat and exploration feel more intuitive. The Switch 2 version also includes the addition of both gyro aiming and mouse controls for the Joycon 2 controllers. The inclusion of modern conveniences like quick-saving and an improved user interface and inventory system inspired by the sequel System Shock 2 also streamline the overall gameplay experience without sacrificing the challenge and depth of the original. Moreover, Nightdive Studios has taken the opportunity to refine certain gameplay elements. The combat mechanics have been reworked to provide a better balance between gunplay and melee combat, ensuring that players have viable options in dealing with the station's threats.

System Shock's narrative has always been one of its strongest aspects, told through the myriad of voice logs and data entries strewn throughout the station, and the remake manages to faithfully recreate the intricate and engrossing storyline. The game effortlessly weaves together elements of cyberpunk, horror, and science fiction to create a captivating and immersive world. The iconic antagonist, SHODAN, is as menacing and memorable as ever, and the remake successfully captures the sense of dread and unpredictability associated with this megalomaniacal AI. The voice acting and audio design deserve special praise, as they breathe new life into the game's cast of characters. The voice actors deliver convincing performances, adding depth and personality to the inhabitants of Citadel Station. Combined with the atmospheric soundtrack, the audio design serves to immerse players even further into the haunting world of System Shock.

When it comes right down to it, the System Shock remake is a labor of love that pays homage to a timeless classic while perfectly modernizing it for a new generation of players. Nightdive Studios has successfully captured the spirit of the original game, offering improved visuals, refined gameplay mechanics, and an immersive atmosphere. While some die-hard fans may have reservations about certain changes, overall, the remake stays true to the essence of System Shock, delivering a captivating and unforgettable experience. Whether you are a longtime fan or a newcomer to the franchise, the Switch 2 version of System Shock remake is an adventure that shouldn't be missed. I'm certainly glad I could be along for this wild ride.

Blood: Refreshed Supply Review

Blood: Refreshed Supply

Developed By: Nightdive Studios, Monolith Productions

Published By: Warner Bros. Games, Atari, Nightdive Studios

Date of Release: December 4, 2025

Price: $29.99

The first time I played Blood was way back in the summer of '97. I was 12 at the time, and well versed in the ways of the FPS. I had blasted my way through Wolfenstein 3D, the Dooms, Quake, Heretic, Duke Nukem 3D... I thought I had seen it all. Then along came Monolith to blow everything out of the water with it's own macabre brand of fun. Sure, it was the same Build Engine that powered Duke Nukem 3D, but gone were the colorful comic-book inspired locations and brightly lit urban environments. Gone were the hilarious one-liners and pop culture jokes. Gone were the invading alien bastards and their plans for enslaving earth. Taking their place were dark, dank and decrepit mortuaries, monasteries, and mausoleums, the aliens replaced with zombies and beasts and raving cultists. The morbid ambiance flowed sanguine like the fresh blood that would soon be spilled. It was time to paint the town red!

It only took me a level or two to realize that Blood had just as many snappy one-liners and wink wink, nudge nudge moments as Duke Nukem 3D, they were just a much more subtle and darker brand of humor. The references to classic horror abounded, oozing out of every crevice in the complex and brilliantly designed levels. The main character, Caleb, was decidedly a connoisseur of the arts as well, as he spouts wonderful references to classic films and Shakespearean plays, and if you let him idle for a while he'll start singing some improv showtunes. There's a brilliantly moody midi soundtrack that sets the tone wonderfully, but if you leave the game CD in the drive you'd be treated to a chillingly ambient soundtrack, with haunting choirs and chanting cultists. With Blood, the bar had been raised far over the precedents set by Duke Nukem 3D, and in my humble opinion serves as the epitome of what makes a Build game good.

So then 22 years later in 2019, Blood had been out for a while on Steam and GoG, but it was just the original DOS version running in DOSBox, very underwhelming in terms of presentation. But what if it could be MORE? Well Night Dive Studios certainly took that into consideration, as they had Samuel "Kaiser" Villarreal reverse engineer the entire game as best as possible at the time and port it to his amazing KEX engine, which is the backbone of many other Night Dive re-releases such as Turok 1+2, System Shock Enhanced, Forsaken, and Strife. The result was Blood: Fresh Supply, a smooth amalgamation of the classic DOS gameplay with a host of modern conveniences such as newer graphics API support, high resolutions, and so on. They ripped out the heart of what made Blood so good back in the day and resurrected it in a new body, so to speak. But still, it wasn't QUITE perfect enough.

Now 6 years later in 2025 Blood: Refreshed Supply is out not only on PC but consoles as well, and it proves that yes, you CAN teach an old Cerberus new tricks. Rebuilt on top of the original source code, we finally have a 1:1 remaster that feels JUST right. The gameplay physics feel just right, the graphics are presented properly at last with the right tonemapping, and on top of both the SC-55 and CD soundtrack we now have the OPL version also included. Night Dive also has had the original cinematics remade in full modern quality from scratch, no shitty AI upscaling here. The best part though is the fan campaign Marrow has also been included, with Death Wish coming in a future patch. And that's just the single player, the multiplayer has also been revamped with full crossplay as well between the PC and console releases. The vault feature that Night Dive has been adding into their games lately is there also with an absolute coffin-load of development artwork, behind the scenes info, and alpha levels.

Caleb truly lives again!

Dusk Xbox Review

DUSK (XBOX)

Developed By: New Blood Interactive

Published By: New Blood Interactive

Date of Release: 10/31/2025

Price: $19.99

So as you can already surmise by the name of this site, I absolutely LOVE the original Quake game from id software. The mixture of fast shooting, awesome level design and lovecraftian elements complete with an utterly atmospheric soundtrack by Trent Reznor has always kept me coming back for more. In 2018 New Blood Interactive decided to blow the world away with DUSK, an absolutely raunchy love letter to fans of all things Quake. With retro styled graphics, awesomely sprawling level design, badass enemies, bigass guns, and even badder enemies, plus a banger of a soundtrack by Andrew Hulshult, DUSK is a perfect example of what can go right with a retro FPS throwback.

And now that glorious experience has been ported to the Xbox. Normally it seems that ports make sacrifices to shoehorn an experience into another platform it was never designed for. Not DUSK though, it totally feels like it has transcended it's original medium. The Xbox version is most certainly an evolution, a tour de force, a magnum opus. Beating out my previous favorite version on the Nintendo Switch, it eschews the gyro controls in favor of raw performance. Running in 4k at 120 frames per second, it almost feels too hypersmooth to be real. It's a real frigging masterpiece, right down to the new Dusk Gulch map.

People usually will complain until they're blue in the face that games using the Unity engine are slow and janky, but DUSK is absolute proof that the engine can be used to craft incredibly fluid experiences. It absolutely plays as smooth as any other boomer shooter like Doom or Quake, and would completely feel at home on the PC in the 90s. The PC version was already frigging awesome, but the Xbox port running at 120fps goes just the extra mile and makes it in my opinion the definitive DUSK console experience.

11 Big John's out of 10!

Wizordum Nintendo Switch Review

Wizordum

Developed by: Emberheart Games

Published by: Atari

Date of Release: September 23, 2025

Price: $19.99

Back in the 90s I always was quite fond of a certain pair of games from Raven Software. Built on the Doom engine, Heretic and Hexen had a familiar FPS feel but with a lovely medieval twist. Of course before Doom there was Wolfenstein 3D, and before that there was the Catacomb series. Pretty much the first major FPS type game, these dungeon crawlers had a first person viewpoint and were a load of fun to explore. And then came Raven Entertainment soon after, forging their own RPG FPS goodness into the mighty Doom engine with Heretic and Hexen, adding massive gameplay renovations along the way. And now in 2025 Emberheart Games has released Wizordum, a game that is most certainly a spiritual successor to all these awesome dark fantasy adventures from the past.

The first thing I noticed about Wizordum is how very much it resembles the catacomb games visually, though with a much more lovely modern pixel count. The gameplay just screams 90s FPS RPG, and even though the level layouts are more like Wolfenstein 3D with mostly flat squared off environments that lack slopes and the like, the combat and puzzle solving are pure Heretic and Hexen. As for the soundtrack, it really fits the mood with a delightful mix of orchestral themes that really carry the action and feel true to the genre. The overall production values for this package are all there for sure.

The only thing that really feels missing from the Switch version at this point is the level editor from the pc version which lets you craft your own campaign levels and share them online. Though it does come with a "best of" selection of levels built in from a recent map jam, it doesn't seem clear if the Switch version will get the editor any time in the future or not. Despite this omission however, the Switch version feels really smooth to play in both docked and handheld modes. and the controls work perfectly, even if they are a bit on the basic side (no motion controls here). When it comes right down to it, if you like medieval retro fps action, then I seriously recommend giving Wizordum a go.

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Review

System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster

Developed By: LGS/Irrational Games, NightDive Studios

Published By: NightDive Studios

Date of Release: June 26, 2025

Price: $29.99

In September 1994 Looking Glass Studios shocked the PC gaming world. Famous for their work on Ultima Underworld, they had decided to branch out into the realm of science fiction, and so System Shock was born. Thought it was never commercially successful, its successful blend of sci-fi action and horror gained a massive cult following. In 1999 Looking Glass partnered with Irrational Games to produce a sequel, System Shock 2. It also fared about the same commercially as it's predecessor, quickly becoming a cult classic as well. To this day original copies are still highly sought out by collectors, often fetching exorbitantly high prices. Thankfully in 2013 NightDive re-released it with some much needed bugfixes on Steam and GoG. However we're living in 2025 now, and what a wonderfully shocking future this is, as NightDive has released System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Edition on PC and consoles.

                              
System Shock 2 takes place a full 42 years after the events of the original game. As the events on Citadel Station fade into memory, the Faster-Than Light starship Von Braun is on its maiden voyage, and you are a soldier assigned to the military vessel Rickenbacker to provide security during the Von Braun's shakedown run. Things however do not go as planned, and all hell breaks loose. You awaken with amnesia some time after everything has gone south, and it is up to you to try and find out what fate has befallen the two ships and their crews. The stunningly written narrative is presented to you by audio logs and emails left behind by crew members, and it serves as a chilling reminder of how alone you truly are out here in space.
                              
Gameplay-wise, System Shock 2 is quite similar to its predecessor, seemingly being a first person shooter at first glance. Once you get into the fray however, it quickly becomes apparent that LGS had managed to create a seamless blend of RPG and first-person survival horror. The controls in the original release were honestly clunky as hell, but with the remaster they have been cleaned up nicely, with lots of options to tailor them to your needs, as well as some amazing controller and gyro support.  With the RPG style upgrade system that System Shock 2 uses, you have near infinite possibilities to customize your character as the game progresses, and that adds a lot of replayability to the game.

The graphics in this remaster have been subtly enhanced, staying true to the originals while taking off a lot of the rough edges. The cinematics have been reworked from scratch as well, with no AI bullshit being used to "enhance" things. You can play the game in 4K144hz if your system supports it even, making it feel a lot smoother than the original release. All the little control, audio, graphical and other QOL fixes really come together to make the whole package feel quite modern. They've even managed to include full crossplay CO-OP, which is an impressive feat considering how complicated the gameplay systems are. There's also a full set of achievements to unlock. Having played through the remaster on both the PC and Nintendo Switch 2 I can honestly recommend it to anyone who is a fan of the series. Just be prepared for a decent challenge.

DOOM: The Dark Ages Review

DOOM: The Dark Ages

Developed by: id Software

Published by: Microsoft Game Studios

Date of Release: May 15, 2025

Price: $69.99    

In these modern times it seems that first person shooters are being released at a rapid-fire pace, with cookie-cutter Call of Duty games, Fortnite clones, shovelware asset-flip boomer shooter wannabes, and extraction shooters right out the arse. While they're not all bad, the utter deluge of sameyness is really starting to stagnate the market, which is why it's such a breath of fresh air whenever a new Doom game comes out. in 2016 we had the excellent semi-reboot of Doom, Doom eternal following on it's heels in 2020, and now here in 2025 we're taken back in time with the prequel Doom: The Dark Ages. Taking place well before the events of Doom 2016, it weaves a heavy-metal power fantasy of ripatorious glory.

    Plunking you into the iron-clad boots and fur cape of the Doomslayer, Doom: The Dark Ages tells a tale of an era when the Makyr-backed Night Sentinels still reigned supreme against the forces of hell, though things are never quite as simple as they seem. In this barbaric era the Maykrs saw fit to enslave the mighty Doomslayer out of fear for his nearly limitless godlike potential. Kept in line by an electrifying tether and driven by his mindless hatred of demonkind, he is used as a living weapon against their foes and launched with all the aplomb of a tactical nuke onto the battlefield. And this is where the game starts, as the Kreed Makyr's ship fires the Slayer from orbit like a railgun round onto the planet below.

    Starting out with an appetizing cinematic intro to set up the story, the Slayer heads to the kitchen equipped to tenderize hell's legions with his trusty combat shotgun and shield, the flavorful combat garnished with a sprinkling of tutorials to steep the player in the game's mechanics as you go along. Everything is well laid out, and nothing really takes you out of the action unlike the tutorial rooms of 2016. Parrying enemy attacks quickly becomes second nature, and the combat moves at a much nicer pace than that in Doom Eternal, relying less on mobility and glory kills, and more on just bringing the pain in whatever flavor you choose to dish it out. For myself a meaty shield tackle followed up with unloading both barrels of the super shotgun directly in my foe's faces was the preferred soup du jour. Unlike in Eternal you don't feel punished for not using certain weapons to season certain enemies, you can just rip and tear until it is well done. And for a Doom game that is how it should be served. Now I should stop the food puns before I get thrown out of the buffet...

    The visuals in Doom: TDA are absolutely breathtaking, with far-off vistas visible in the massive levels that are quite akin to the good old days of doom, with plenty of places to get lost in and secrets to be found in each one. The variety in every area is quite nice as well, with some impressive surprises near the endgame. And with the gameplay, there are some nice variations there as well. There are a few parts where you get to pilot a towering Atlan mech against titans from hell, and ariel dogfights on your trusty cyberdragon steed. Honestly I wished there had been more of those sections, but what was there is still quite satisfying. All in all the graphics as well as the performance were perfect IMO. I played through the game with a 4080 at 4k144 and never had so much as a hitch in the framerate.

    Then we get to the music. Hoo boy, does The Dark Ages have a banger of a soundtrack. Don't get me wrong though, it's not QUITE on the level of Mick Gordon, but it's almost there. Finishing Move Inc. handled the soundtrack, and did an incredible job of living up to the other games. Especially near the end, and in the final battles, this is a score to frigging RIP AND TEAR to. The cinematic score is also very fitting, with a dark forboding soundscape. My two favorite tracks have got to be Infernal Chasm and Between Hex and Flame. The Dark Ages' soundtrack feels much like the way the Slayer handles this time, beefy and tankier.

    At the end of the day, Doom: The Dark Ages manages to live up to the majesty of Doom 2016 and Eternal, combining the best of what made both great all while managing to do it's own thing. I had a frigging blast with it, and I can only hope the future DLC campaign will be more of the same awesomeness. I'm so glad they put out a fully single player experience this time rather than wasting effort on lackluster multiplayer. As it stands right now, Doom: The Dark Ages is my GOTY, and I doubt that will change unless a Quake reboot suddenly materializes from the aether.

RIP AND TEAR, UNTIL IT IS DONE.

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered Review

Tomb Raider IV-VI Remastered

Developed by: Aspyr, Crystal Dynamics

Published by: Aspyr

Date of Release: February 14, 2025

Price: $29.99

Well here we are yet again with a quality remaster from Aspyr who could have known? One year after the successful release of Tomb Raider I - III Remastered, we have this second package launching with The Last Revelation, Chronicles, and The Angel of Darkness. And just like last time this release makes playing these classic titles an absolute joy, even if one of them is not quite up to the quality of previous titles. I'm looking at you, Angel of Darkness. As with the previous collection, this new batch of remasters have had a fair amount of cut content restored and are by far the definitive way to play all three titles.

Just as with the first Tomb Raider collection, this second package has upgraded the visuals, though the visual updates to Angel of Darkness are very subtle at best. The Last Revelation and Chronicles by far received the most improvements, having gone from PlayStation era graphics to the modern style of the remaster.  Angel of darkness stays much closer to it's PS2 style of graphics, so much so that it's hard to keep track of which version you're playing until you look at fine details. Either way though it's really nice to once again be able to swap between the artstyles with the touch of a button. Not only that but you can play the retro mode in 60fps this time around rather than 30fps (it's a toggle in the menu), which would be a welcome addition to the original trilogy if Aspyr ever decides to update them.

Also matching the first remaster collection, the modern controls are a much needed improvement over the dated tank controls of the original. Of course if you're feeling like some nostalgic masochism you can switch back at any time to the old style of gameplay. Altogether this is a lovely collection and definitely worth playing, but it's just a shame that even with all the cut content restored to Tomb Raider: The Angel of Darkness it still falls flat. Also there are pretty much no graphical settings on the PC at all, simply defaulting to your monitor's native resolution, what is up with that? Despite that minor shortcoming I still highly recommend it. Now where is the 60fps patch for the first collection, Apsyr?