Music from System Shock

Without doubt System Shock, sometimes also called SShock, and its sequel System Shock 2 are great video games. In case you are not familiar with them - System Shock is a 3D shooter with role playing elements, also called a first person action adventure. It combines an elaborate plot in the virtual world of a deranged super computer with action and puzzle solving. Both games are from Looking Glass Studios, which does not exist any more, and belong to Electronic Arts.

Both games are my absolute favourites, in my opinion they are the best video games ever created. Especially the music is very cool. Here is a small collection of MP3s to download, containing some themes from System Shock and System Shock 2, which I downloaded from the net or recorded and remixed by myself. (But I assume that downloading is illegal if you do not own the games...) For more System Shock related stuff search www.sshock2.com or www.systemshock2.de.

Since I put these tunes up in 2002, more sites with SShock inspired music have appeared (or at least I discovered them): The TTLG Jukebox is online again and is a really great source for all kind of mixes. Further Chicajo offers all his remixes for download on his page.

System Shock

The original game was released 1995 by Looking Glass Studios and Origin Systems. The System Shock music was done by Greg Lo Piccolo and Tim Ries. "Intro Theme" and "End" were recorded from the original (x)midi files using a general midi device.

System Shock 2

The second part was released 1999 by Looking Glass Studios and Irrational Games. This time the System Shock 2 themes were made by Eric Brosius and were stored in the game archive in parts. I had to extract these parts and arrange them into the right order, which was very time consuming indeed. All themes are in original quality (22khz,16bit stereo) and have their names as shown in the game archive.

People have been asking me how I extracted the music from the game archive of System Shock 2. It has been some time, so I am not sure any more, but here are the things I still remember: