System Shock 2: Source restoration mod abandoned, assets released to the public

If you've been playing PC games for a while, there are two things you take for granted:

Someone, somewhere, will be upgrading a classic late-90s game into a more modern, and mod friendly engine.
Most mods will, at some point in their life, be abandoned by their creator(s).

As such, it's hardly a surprise when these two likelihoods collide. That's what happened to SShock2Res - a Source engine remake of System Shock 2. But, while modder Mark Valentine is no longer planning to work on the project, he has released the complete asset work, giving others the chance to carry it on to completion.

Valentine states that the recent GOG rerelease has made SS2 archival less of a concern, saying that, along with a lack of time, is his reason for dropping the project. As for why he's releasing his work: "I'm releasing all my assets because I hate it when people make something cool and they just sit on their assets and all that work is lost forever," he writes . "I refuse to do that."

Two versions of the assets exist. The map files will let you wander about, browsing through Valentine's progress like a virtual archaeologist. If, however, you feel up to the task of repurposing Irrational's classic in Source, you'll be wanting to grab everything .

Alternatively, just watch last year's video of the mod's progress:

Thanks, PCGamesN .

Phil has been writing for PC Gamer for nearly a decade, starting out as a freelance writer covering everything from free games to MMOs. He eventually joined full-time as a news writer, before moving to the magazine to review immersive sims, RPGs and Hitman games. Now he leads PC Gamer's UK team, but still sometimes finds the time to write about his ongoing obsessions with Destiny 2, GTA Online and Apex Legends. When he's not levelling up battle passes, he's checking out the latest tactics game or dipping back into Guild Wars 2. He's largely responsible for the whole Tub Geralt thing, but still isn't sorry.