Citadel

About

The README credits "Looking Glass Studios and Origin Games for the original 1994 product" (System Shock), and also references System Shock: Enhanced Edition, a 2015 re-release. Citadel is an in-progress fan remake of System Shock that aims to recreate the original closely while replacing its 2D sprites with 3D models, adding 3D detail to the station, particle effects, and subtle new sound. It targets Windows, macOS, and Linux via Vulkan/Direct3D11/OpenGL; a project update from May 2025 describes it as in final testing and polishing, though the README's own disclaimer notes features may still be broken, missing, or unpolished.

How it differs from the original

Compared to the original, Citadel swaps System Shock's 2D sprite graphics for 3D models and adds extra 3D station detail, particle effects, and additional sound; after a playable release, the author plans to shift focus to mod and mapping tools, which the original didn't have.

Getting started

Players need a legal copy of System Shock (1994) or System Shock: Enhanced Edition (2015) installed, since Citadel reads audio data from that installation on first launch. After downloading and extracting the latest release, the game is started from its executable (or the compiled Linux binary).

History

Development originally began on 1/03/2013, per an author's note correcting an earlier-stated 2014 start date after finding an old hard drive with the original files.

Known issues & limitations

• general: Citadel is in-progress and features may be broken, missing, or not in a final state of polish.
• graphics: Grove ceilings might have misters present in non-grove areas such as antenna rooms on Level 7.

Media

Licensing & legal

• Citadel's code and all its assets are licensed MIT-0; this does not extend to System Shock content itself, and the project is not affiliated with or endorsed by Night Dive Studios, the current System Shock IP owner.