System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is free on the Epic Games Store through October 8, according to Kotaku. The game normally costs $30, and the offer is for PC players with a DirectX 11-compatible GPU; accessing it requires downloading Epic’s storefront.

That makes this a handy chance to try a landmark sci-fi horror RPG without paying the usual entry fee. The original System Shock 2 came out in 1999, and its remaster arrived in summer 2025 after a six-year wait.

A classic space-horror RPG, given a modern edition

Many players regard the remaster as the definitive edition of the original game. Its appeal is not just historical homework: the story strands a soldier with amnesia aboard the Von Braun, where the crew has been infected by a strange virus and the AI SHODAN has gone rogue.

The game builds on the mechanics of the original System Shock, but moves away from a heavier focus on action toward a moodier blend of immersive-sim elements. That shift gives the Von Braun plenty of room to feel like more than a corridor full of targets. The crew’s infection and SHODAN’s betrayal make for an unsettling backdrop to the player’s attempts to survive.

There is a clear reason the game still comes up in conversations about BioShock: Kotaku describes the latter as a spiritual successor and recommends System Shock 2 especially to its fans. Players interested in the longer lineage of sci-fi games can also find echoes of that fascination with hostile space settings in Alien Breed’s return. And while remasters can vary wildly in what they change, the game’s arrival gives another older classic a route to modern players, much like The Witcher 3’s remastered edition.

The Epic Games Store offer at a glance Offer detail What to know Game System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Store Epic Games Store Price during offer Free Regular price $30 Offer ends October 8 PC requirement DirectX 11-compatible GPU

The practical details are refreshingly straightforward: the promotion applies to the PC version on Epic’s store and runs through October 8. A compatible GPU is required, and players need to download the storefront to access the offer.

Epic Games Store logo

For anyone curious about the roots of BioShock or simply in the mood for a grim tour of a compromised spaceship, this is a low-risk way in. Just don’t expect the Von Braun to offer much in the way of hospitality.

The post BioShock Fans Can Claim System Shock 2 Remaster on Epic appeared first on The Escapist.