I just loaded up SS2 for the umpteenth time and finished it on Impossible tonight, like I have many times before. What a great, outstanding game. I think System Shock 2 might just be my favourite game of all time. It's definitely the most satisfying and immersive game experience I've ever had. There is NOTHING I would change about the weapon degradation and ammo scarcity. In fact, I should mention that I think that weapon degradation becomes a complete non-issue starting around the OPS deck and onwards, because you find so many repair tools that even just having repair 2 is waaaay enough to make sure your weapons never break (and if you're getting Repair 4 for the Assault Rifle you're golden). I typically finish Impossible with about 15-18 unused repair tools in my stack despite using Standard and Heavy weapons and I never bother buying any. On the early levels, the whole fun comes from not being able to repair and therefore having to collect and carry multiple pistols/shotguns etc and having those fun "Oh S---!" moments when they jam. I don't mind the respawn at all, but that's only because I've played through the game so many times. The first time I played, I *did* find it very annoying. I don't think removing the respawn would take away from the immersiveness or the mood of the game at all, because entering new, scary areas is the real crux of the game anyways. Ironically though, these days I never play *without* the respawn - it's one of the unique game features that I've grown to enjoy! It does create a sense of tension which I can't find in any other game. But I admit that taking it out probably would have given the game a lot more commercial success, without impacting the great feel of the game too much. I think the biggest flaws with the game from a consumer standpoint were three-fold: - the graphics were high-suckage-bad. I bought the game on release day and even back then I thought they were very bad. Note that I'm not saying the visual style was bad - actually it was outstanding, just that the graphics engine (and of course the notoriously low-polygon enemy models) made the game look a lot worse than its contemporaries. - The Engineering level was *too hard* for casual gamers. Let me put it another way: all I need to say to a hardcore gamer, when we're arguing difficulty factor/reminiscing about tough games, is "Cargo Bays" and he/she knows exactly what I'm talking about :-). Engineering is by far the hardest level in the game on any of the difficulty settings due to its diabolically perfect convergence of several key factors: an onslaught of just a bit few too many enemies, that are just a little too tough, with just a bit too little ammo, with weapons that are just a little too damaged and scarce, and skills and stats that are still just a little too low. The fact that it's the first level where you truly face really tough robots (hell, even the protocol droids are "tough" without AP ammo) without any real way to deal with them outside of priceless AP ammo or dozens of Standard rounds makes it a real dealbreaker level for people who expect the challenge to ramp up only slightly. It also nerfs people who want to go PSI-pure - I've yet to really devise a satisfying way to do Engineering without pickup up a mandatory level in Standard or Energy weapons just to have a chance at killing turrets and maintenance droids with any efficiency. - The game didn't offer the opportunity to *turn off* or tweak things like respawn and weapon degradation, ensuring the game could still sell and be enjoyed by people who bought the game wanting/expecting a more traditional FPS experience (or who were humbled after getting their Quake-3 asses handed to them on MedSci ;-)). Anyways, just wanted to post here since I'm still on my yearly "SS2 high". Those Cyborg Midwives are still the most horrifying, brilliantly devised villains to ever haunt my dreams. Kudos to the sickos who thought of them, I have been scared off of childbirth forever! Last thing for those who haven't been following: Bioshock truly does look like the holy grail for SS2 fans wanting a new generation of SS2-game. I can't wait for it to come out. Peace ya'll.