Editing System Shock 2 (section)

==Gameplay==
[[Image:Systemshock2 ingame final.jpg|left|thumbnail|alt=An in-game ''System Shock 2'' gameplay screenshot, showcasing the interaction menus. A hand is holding a silver pistol while the mouse is pointed at an unknown robotic being, while on top of the screen several minor objects are shown organized as in inventory.|The player, armed with a pistol, faces a protocol droid while in the interface mode. The inventory is at the top; health, psionic points, [[nanites]], and cyber modules are at the bottom left; and the cyber interface and weapon information are at the bottom right.]]

As in its predecessor, ''[[System Shock]]'', gameplay in ''System Shock 2'' is an amalgamation of the [[action role-playing game]] and [[survival horror]] genres.<ref name="SS2-LeagueTV">{{cite web |author1=Adi Robertson |title=System Shock 2 helped define survival horror — but it's still in a league of its own |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/11/20759434/system-shock-2-looking-glass-20th-anniversary-retrospective |website=[[The Verge]] |access-date=January 17, 2021 |date=August 11, 2019 |archive-date=January 17, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210117032511/https://www.theverge.com/2019/8/11/20759434/system-shock-2-looking-glass-20th-anniversary-retrospective/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="IGN SS2 review">{{cite news|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/21/system-shock-2-2|title=IGN ''System Shock 2'' Review|first=Trent|last=Ward|work=IGN|publisher=News Corporation|location=United States|date=1999-08-20|access-date=2008-02-15|archive-date=2012-09-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120918052809/http://www.ign.com/articles/1999/08/21/system-shock-2-2|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Williamson |first=Colin |url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18819 |title=System Shock 2 |work=Allgame |publisher=Rovi Corporation| location=United States |access-date=2012-02-09|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141210190610/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=18819|archive-date=2014-12-10|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="DoGRvst">{{cite web |author1=Aaron Birch |title=Revisiting System Shock 2 |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/revisiting-system-shock-2/ |website=[[Den of Geek]] |access-date=January 14, 2022 |date=February 22, 2013 |archive-date=January 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114124407/https://www.denofgeek.com/games/revisiting-system-shock-2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> The developers achieved this gameplay design by rendering the experience as a standard first-person shooter and adding a character customization and development system, which are considered signature role-playing elements.<ref name="IGN SS2 review"/> The player uses melee and projectile weapons to defeat enemies, while the [[Role-playing game system|role-playing system]] allows the development of useful abilities. Navigation is presented from a [[first-person (video games)|first-person view]] and complemented with a [[HUD (video games)|heads-up display]] that shows character and weapon information, a map, and a [[drag and drop]] inventory.<ref name="1UP ss2">{{cite news|url=http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3165915|title=Smart Bombs: Beloved games that flopped (page 2)|author=Mackey, Bob|work=[[1UP.com]]|publisher=IGN Entertainment|location=United States|date=2007-02-05|access-date=2008-04-07|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121108231211/http://www.1up.com/do/feature?pager.offset=1&cId=3165915|archive-date=2012-11-08}}</ref>

The [[backstory]] is explained progressively through the player's acquisition of audio logs and encounters with ghostly [[Apparitional experience|apparitions]].<ref name="IGN SS2 review"/> At the beginning of the game, the player chooses a career in a branch of the Unified National Nominate, a fictional military organization. Each branch of service gives the player a set of starting bonuses composed of certain skills, though may thereafter freely develop as the player chooses. The [[Marine (military)|Marine]] begins with bonuses to weaponry, the [[Navy]] officer is skilled in repairing and [[Hacker (computer security)|hacking]], and the OSA agent gets a starting set of [[Psionics|psionic]] powers.<ref name="gee">{{cite book|last=Gee|first=James Paul|title=What Video Games Have to Teach Us About Learning and Literacy|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BZIY7TGKySsC&pg=PA127|access-date=2011-08-27|year=2004|publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]]|isbn=1-4039-6538-2|pages=127–135}}</ref><ref name="SS2 Manual Character Generation">{{cite book|title=System Shock 2 instruction manual|publisher=Electronic Arts|date=1999-08-11|page=21}}</ref>

The player can upgrade their skills by using "cyber-modules" given as rewards for completing objectives such as searching the ship and spend them at devices called "cyber-upgrade units" to obtain enhanced skills.<ref name="gee"/><ref name="SS2 Manual Stations"/> Operating system (O/S) units allow one-time character upgrades to be made (e.g. permanent health enhancement). An in-game currency called "nanites" may be spent on items at vending machines, including ammunition supplies and health packs. "Quantum Bio-Reconstruction Machines" can be activated and reconstitute the player for 10 nanites if they die inside the area in which the machine resides. Otherwise, the game ends and progress must be resumed from a [[Saved game|save point]].<ref name="SS2 Manual Stations">{{cite book|title=System Shock 2 instruction manual|publisher=Electronic Arts|date=1999-08-11|page=24}}</ref> The player can hack devices, such as keypads to open alternate areas and vending machines to reduce prices. When a hack is attempted, a [[minigame]] begins that features a grid of green nodes; the player must connect three in a straight row to succeed. Optionally, electronic [[Lock picking|lock picks]], called "[[Intrusion Countermeasures Electronics|ICE]]-picks", can be found that will automatically hack a machine, regardless of its difficulty.<ref name="SS2 Manual Hack">{{cite book|title=System Shock 2 instruction manual|publisher=Electronic Arts|date=1999-08-11|page=13}}</ref>

Throughout the game, the player can procure various weapons, including melee weapons, pistols, shotguns, and alien weapons.<ref name="SS2 Manual Weapons">{{cite book|title=System Shock 2 instruction manual|publisher=Electronic Arts|date=1999-08-11|pages=25, 26}}</ref> Non-melee weapons degrade with use and will break if they are not regularly repaired with maintenance tools.<ref name="SS2 Manual Research">{{cite book|title=System Shock 2 instruction manual|publisher=Electronic Arts|date=1999-08-11|pages=14, 15}}</ref> There are a variety of ammunition types, each of which is most damaging to a specific enemy. For example, organic enemies are vulnerable to [[Anti-personnel weapon|anti-personnel rounds]], while mechanical foes are weak against [[Kinetic energy penetrator|armour-piercing rounds]]. Similarly, energy weapons cause the most damage against robots and cyborgs, and the annelid-made exotic weaponry is particularly harmful to organic targets. Because ammunition is scarce, to be effective the player must use it sparingly and carefully search rooms for supplies.<ref name="SS2 manual hints">{{cite book|title=System Shock 2 instruction manual|publisher=Electronic Arts|date=1999-08-11|pages=37, 38}}</ref>

The game includes a research function. When new objects are encountered in the game, especially enemies, their organs can be collected; when combined with chemicals found in storage rooms, the player can research the enemies and thus improve their damage against them. Similarly, some exotic weapons and items can only be used after being researched.<ref name="SS2 Manual Research"/> OSA agents effectively have a separate weapons tree available to them. Psionic powers, such as invisibility, fireballs, and teleportation, can be learned.<ref name="SS2 Manual Character Generation"/>