EFMS: History of BioShock / System Shock

I really enjoyed the Bioshock series, particularly Bioshock Infinate. But I also remember where the origins of it came from, and as a PC gamer in my teens I played the likes of Deus Ex and System Shock 2, sadly I was too young to really enjoy System Shock the original. I did really enjoy the idea of first-person exploration, but with RPG elements like collectible logs, and finding out more of what happened on the space station, and the world in Deus Ex. This is just as prominent in more modern games like Fallout, Skyrim, and pretty much all RPG themed games. As for the original Bioshock, I adored it, but I can understand Danny in when he talks about Bioshock 2 being pretty much just a rehash of the original, and the mystery of rapture was gone.

No longer were you exploring to understand things, or delve deeper into what truly happened to Rapture. Plus it annoyed the hell out of me with certain glitches including one involving entering Rapture from the outside in the water, it was an impassible bug, and I've never got further than that point in any play-through I've attempted. But I've always come back to the the original Bioshock, as it did have some bugs but the quest to discover Rapture and it's secrets made me play it over and over again, just like Fallout 3, New Vegas, Skyrim, Oblivion, Dragon Age, the whole lot of them. Good reporting Danny, do more of these episodes on RPG games. FYI also, I did like your dig at the English, as a Scotsman it was enjoyable.  

Good show

Definitely anxious for the next one. Any change you could maybe do an episode on the Civilization series or maybe Everquest? Would be fun to see those.

Hi Danny. Great show. Watched every episode. When is the next coming out? I like the idea of a Lucasarts show, but you already made two of them (Point'n Click and Star Wars). So, what is it going to be about?

Cheers

What happened to no more breaks?  Is Danny sick or something?  Brain being devoured by a horde of skags?  I hope EFMS comes back soon, because it's by far the best show on Gamespot! 

Best EFMS ever.

DANNY! You must must must must make an escape from mount stupid about Lucasarts!!!!! Like this if you agree!!!

i do believe this may have been the first episode without a comment crying about resident evil 6 in some way.  but ya great show keep it up.. 

Give me your voice, would you kindly?

Danny, kickass use of Arrested Development clips!

"Beads????!!!!"

what happened to "Falling in love with Lara"? I want to see you playing Chivalry again :p

Great show. I never knew all that. Very interesting. Thanks Danneh.

I am also so super glad to see this show again. I was just wondering if it was gone. Glad you're well and back Danny. Missed ya on random Encaounter too.

so glad EFMS is back! :)

GLad I started watching this show again; please keep having more episodes...

Escape from Mount Stupid always has most of the hilarious references I see on Gamespot! xD Danny, you're AWESOME!!!

In Bioshock Infinite, you kill people. <- Spoiler! :O

Bioshock 1 had so many fun ways to kill enemies, just not enough enemies(even on hard mode). However the game had a great setting and atmosphere.

Bees!?  (great reference)

Not to be a troll but for those of you hoping for a System Shock 3, just think about all the games recently that have come out as sequels to our beloved classics.... Duke Nukem Forver, Syndicate, even the new Deus Ex which holds very little in comparison to the original. Do we want a new System Shock or do we want them to leave it be and remain a glorious memory? I'm not sure....

Bioshock was such a great experience.  It's a shame that COD 4 came out around the same time and drove me into the COD addiction.  After BO 2 I am proud to say, I am done with those games.  I look forward to replaying Bioshock 1, picking up Bioshock 2, and of course getting Infinite.

for some reason I feel I shouldn't post any spoilers...

Loved Bioshock 1 and 2. The atmosphere, combat and scavenging was just simply brilliant.

Enemies aswell tho, I can't handle creeps in FPS games - As in spiders, bugs and insects jumping in my face, gros me out. (only managed to get through skyrim due to mods removing the spiders) Splicers were quite fun, and the big daddys (and big sisters) proved a challenging battle every once a while. The little sisters were brilliant aswell. 

All in all, a big kudos to 2k and Irritional from me. Can't wait to try Infinite.

Other developers - Would you kindly stop adding spiders etc. in your RPG games :(

Oh god I laughed so much at the Irish/English joke :') (As a brit im allowed ;P)

I bought System Shock 2 when it was new.  I thought it dragged a bit too much so I eventually gave up on it, and very stupidly sold it to Gamestop (when they actually bought PC games) with a bunch of other games I didn't want at the time.  Back then I guess I liked playing through a game quickly, and anything that hindered me from that I'd get bored of  real fast.  Skip ahead a few years I'm feeling the regret of basically giving that game away.  Finally got it back and working on Windows 7 a year ago, and have just recently finished playing it about 2 or 3 weeks ago.  Spectacular game. Even for how old it is and how dated the graphics are, the gameplay and the atmosphere just makes all of that irrelevant.   System Shock 2 was just a great game. I don't finish many games..I get bored really easily, System Shock 2 kept me immersed and entertained.  Here's to HOPING for the return of SHODAN.

The 1st was and still is today a must play. Its true what they say about the 2nd but its still worth a playthrough imo. Wish i was playing it again for the 1st time.

Great episode! I really didnt know that system shock was related to bioshock, and that bioshock at first wasnt what it turned out to be and that the sequle wasnt made by irrational. Very informative indeed!

Great video, but like HellWolfHun said, many fans still hope for true SS3.

Bioshock series just can't beat the System Shock atmosphere. Not even the first Bioshock comes anywhere near it. Good games, but pretty far from System Shock 1 and 2, in my opinion. Shodan is charismatic villain and that world REALLY should be revisited. Ken Levine, Irrational Games, how about it?

I wish Sytem Shock 1 would get a release on GOG.com or Steam. I really want to play it!

Great episode! However, System Shock fans will never give up on SS3. I know I won't. :)

I never played System Shock but System Shock II is still the best game I have ever played. I last played it a few months ago and in terms of atmopshere and immersiveness its still extraordinary. Even the graphics are still credible despite its age. The only reason I'm still not playing is that it has simply aged beyond the point where any PC I currently own will run it. I like the Bioshocks but why was SHODAN never resurrected?

I absolutely loved the Thief and Deus Ex franchises.  And to this day, I am kicking myself for never playing the System Shock games.  How did I miss those??!!  Anyway, I agree completely - the original Bioshock was a work of art and exercise in innovation and pioneering gameplay.  Bioshock 2....ehhhh....yeah.  I can't wait to play Infinite tomorrow!  Ken Levine is an artist!

Oh.....and.....     EA...ruining game studios, tainting otherwise great games, and bullying developers since 1995!  Yay.

My brother just started playing these games for the first time a couple of days ago. He hasn't reached the point where you meet Andrew Ryan.  He just told me that he had expected the game to be a bit more "open" than it is and that it instead felt like something was pushing or leading him through the corridors of Rapture? I really wanted to spoil it and tell him why :-)

I LOVE his accent.

yeah the quip about bioshock two was spot on. It was necessarily good, but its there for people who werent ready to leave the city of rapture. I just didnt get my fill of it in bioshock 1, i needed more. MORE!

Great show Danny!