If you’re in the mood for more after playing System Shock, it’s easier said than done. System Shock arguably pioneered the immersive sim genre with a blend of obscure puzzle solving, survival horror, and first-person shooter elements that’s hard to find in modern games.
While no game is exactly like System Shock, we still have plenty of excellent recommendations for you if you want a game that comes close.
Survival games like System Shock
In every entry on this list, you have to survive a terrifying existential threat. Some of our chosen games lean into the survival horror elements of System Shock, while others lean more into the combat and exploration.
Dead Space Remake
System Shock and Dead Space almost feel like opposite sides of sci-fi horror. Where System Shock is highly stylized and has a retro aesthetic pastiche, Dead Space is dark and oppressive. Like System Shock, you can play Dead Space three times and still jump at its scarier moments—the atmosphere is just that terrifying.
Dishonored 1 and 2
The Dishonored series has similar immersive sim elements to System Shock, alongside stealth and puzzle-solving. But the combat is far deeper, and you’ll use magical abilities to traverse the map and assassinate your targets. Dishonored is ideal for players who like to carefully plan their strategies to slip past—or eliminate—dozens of enemies without them noticing. It’s the least scary on this list, but definitely worth playing for System Shock fans.
Bioshock 1 and 2
It shouldn’t be a surprise to see Bioshock on this list. The FPS series is a spiritual successor to 1994’s System Shock. Bioshock trades cyberpunk for steampunk but retains similar combat and the resource-scavenging elements of System Shock. There are lots of arguments between fans about which is superior, so the only way to find out is to try both for yourself.
Prey (2017)
Like Bioshock, you can’t talk about System Shock without bringing up Prey (2017). It’s another game that’s considered a spiritual successor to System Shock. You’re trapped aboard an enormous, labyrinthine space station, like System Shock, and it similar puzzles and tough combat. It’s also probably the hardest game on this list, besides System Shock itself, so if you’re looking for a challenge, here it is.
Atomic Heart
Atomic Heart takes the idea of sci-fi socialist realism and runs with it. This definitely isn’t a horror game; it’s far closer to an action title, but some of the machines you fight are terrifying. Atomic Heart is worth playing for the art style alone. It’s very stylized with its Soviet aesthetic, polished to perfection. It has fairly complex combat, with various guns, melee weapons, and special abilities that give you plenty of freedom while fighting nightmarish robots. You’ll regularly want to tell the protagonist to shut up, but the story is a fascinating dive into an alternate, Soviet-dominated sci-fi future.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided
The Deus Ex series is perfect if you want a dystopian sci-fi experience in the same vein as System Shock while playing a guy who looks like Neo’s cousin. All the Deus Ex games give you multiple ways to build your character, and there are multiple ways to finish most missions, from stealth to combat to persuasion. Mankind Divided is the sixth game in the series, but it does a decent enough job of filling in the gaps that playing the prior entries isn’t necessary.
