The main story begins in 2114, forty-two years after the events of the original System Shock. In a mid-game plot twist, players also witness the resurrection of the original System Shock's primary antagonist, the malevolent artificial intelligence known as SHODAN. Over the course of the game, the soldier uncovers the events leading to the catastrophe by battling his way through both ships and examining clues left behind by the crew, such as audio logs.

The campaign begins as the soldier is awakened from cryogenic stasis with no memory of the last several weeks, only to discover the Von Braun derelict and overrun by a host of hostile mutant creatures who refer to themselves collectively as ' The Many'.

Set in the early twenty-second century, players assume the role of a nameless soldier serving aboard the military space-faring vessel UNN Rickenbacker during its defensive escort for the maiden voyage of humanity's first faster-than-light starship, the Von Braun. System Shock 2 is the sequel to the 1994 first-person shooter/RPG hybrid System Shock.

System shock 2 engineering music