System Shock Remake revisits a 1994 classic. Classified as an immersive sim, the experience blends exploration with precise shooting, turning every corridor and console into a narrative step. The remake offers two endings: one bleak, one hopeful. This guide explains how to unlock both conclusions without changing the core story flow.
Heads up — spoilers lie ahead.
How to reach the secret (evil) ending in System Shock Remake
In recent titles, some finales let players side with the antagonists, turning the tide early in the game. In System Shock Remake, there is a path that lets the SHODAN supercomputer push a cruel outcome. Achieving this ending requires a handful of non-obvious actions that deviate from the most straightforward route.
Early in the campaign, players will explore the second-floor laboratories and come across a key card for the scientific department. This key card is essential to access the Control Room, which is marked on the in-game map. Grabbing it and using it to enter the Control Room is the first concrete step toward the clandestine ending.
Inside, players will encounter the console labeled “Laser Charging.” A nearby button must be pressed. Activating this control triggers a dramatic energy beam that impacts the planet below. When the beam fires, SHODAN contacts the protagonist with a sarcastic thank you. The moment is a turning point: the protagonist is ultimately captured and transformed into a cyborg who no longer governs their own choices. This sequence is the catalyst for the unseen, evil resolution within the remake’s narrative arc.
It is important to note that this variant is not treated as the canon ending by the game, and players can revert to a prior save after viewing the consequences. If the laser has not yet been activated, there remains an opportunity to backtrack and continue the journey from an earlier point without triggering the hostile outcome.
That said, players who pursue the evil ending should be mindful that progress can still be adjusted by reloading a save and choosing a different path. The game design rewards experimentation, and the choice at the console represents a deliberate pivot in the story rather than a guaranteed outcome.
How to achieve the normal (good) ending in System Shock Remake
The good ending reflects the standard resolution of System Shock Remake, attained by completing the main objectives and steering the narrative toward a favorable conclusion. This path rewards careful planning, decisive action, and successful management of alliances and in-game systems as the threat is neutralized or contained. Players who prefer a traditional finale should follow the recognized mission flow, ensuring that key objectives are completed in the intended order and that the protagonist maintains agency throughout the encounter with SHODAN and the deepening crisis on board the station.
Note: information presented here aligns with widely referenced guides and community walkthroughs that summarize gameplay sequences and endings (attribution considered for guide accuracy). The summary focuses on how choices influence outcomes, rather than on minute scene-by-scene detail, to help players plan their route through System Shock Remake.