Reactor - System Shock [2023] Guide - IGN (2024)

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Callum Williams,Angie Harvey,+2 more

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Now we've conquered Medical, Research, Maintenance, Storage and Flight Deck, it's time to make our way back down to Citadel Station's lowest level: Reactor. Here, we'll accomplish one of System Shock's main objectives, disabling the mining laser and putting a stop to one of Shodan's most sinister plans.

The walkthrough below will guide you through this process, showing you how to use Isotope X-22 to disable the laser. Although you can reach this directly after leaving Research, we suggest you wait a bit to build your arsenal. This is a difficult level filled with brutal enemies and you'll need mid-game weapons and gear to take it on comfortably. Looking for a specific section of this walkthrough? Click between each of the main sections using the links below:

ReactorReactor - How to Solve the Medical Bay Junction Box PuzzleActivating the Radiation ShieldsActivating Safety Override
Disabling The Mining Laser

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Reactor

Before we get started, it's worth noting that you're going to need the Isotope X-22 we recovered in Research. It's key to completing this section. If you don't have it, refer to our Research walkthrough for help locating it.

When you arrive at Reactor, don't expect to get a minute to find your bearings. As soon as you leave the elevator, a Hopper will appear to your left. Take it down, then quickly head to the left. You'll find a Junction Box by the door next to you.

We're not heading this way, but let's solve this quickly so the path is open. Open the box and you'll find a tile puzzle. That'll open the door for you which will be helpful later. Now, return to the elevator and turn your attention to the door on your right.

Open it, and a small bot will charge you. Run or take it out, as it'll explode if it reaches you, inflicting huge damage. As soon as it's dead, a Cyborg Elite Drone will enter the room. Equip your Laser Rapier and charge him to take him out.

Proceed to the next room and you'll find yourself in a small dining area. Look for a door on the left-hand side. Using the Medical Access Card we found in Medical, you can unlock the door. Inside, you'll find two Cyborg Elite Drones. Kill them both then turn your attention to the Junction Box on the opposite side of the room.

Reactor - How to Solve the Medical Bay Junction Box Puzzle

Crack it open and you'll find a tile puzzle. Solving it will unlock the door to your left, providing you with access to a Regeneration Station, a Surgery Bed and a Cargo Lift.

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This room also contains a new medical apparatus: the Radiation Treatment Station. When you're highly irradiated, come here to eliminate the sickness instantly. Now that's settled, let's get down to business.

Next to the Radiation Treatment Station, you'll see a locked door. Luckily, we found the Group - 3 back in Research, and that's what we need to jimmy this bad boy open. Flash the card and we'll emerge in a giant corridor.

Activating the Radiation Shields

Let's take a left and follow the route back to where we opened the door via the Junction Box when leaving the elevator. There is an army of Hoppers patrolling this area, so be careful as you travel. Head to the point on the map shown above.

Here, we'll find the doorway to Radiation Shield Controls. Head inside and make you're way up to the large generators at the back of the room. You'll see a control box with a hazard sign on it. Next to it, is a chute you can turn around. Do it and then interact with the cylindrical slot that appears.

The Hacker will insert Isotope X-22, allowing you to pull the handle next to the machine and activate the Radiation Shields. With that, one of our main objectives down here is complete.

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Activating Safety Override

Now, the rest of this level is huge, sprawling and intimidating but there's actually very little of it that is crucial to our adventure. If anything, this really is a good place to stock up, which is surprising considering it houses two of the most important objectives of the game. As such, it's best to explore every room you find on the way to our next destination. Collect all the loot you can find.

As for where we're going, we'll want to head to the point on the map marked above. Here, we'll find a doorway with a large radiation sign above it. Enter the door and Shodan will start talking to you. As you can probably figure by now, that's never a good sign.

Two Hopper V2's will enter the area through locked doors. Equip the Laser Rapier and take them both out as quickly as possible. When they're dead, head to the doorway on the opposite side of the room. Inside, you'll find a Security Bot. Rush it and take it down.

In this room, you'll find a Gravity Lift on the floor below leading to a doorway labelled: Safety Override. That's our heading. Drop down, and walk forwards to find yourself on a long, metal path. There's a Sentry Bot down here, so eliminate it and turn your attention to the Gravity Lift behind it.

This will take you up to the Security Override keypad. Luckily, we already know the code, as we managed to unlock it while exploring the Cyberspace Terminal in the Library in Research.

Back then, we discovered the code by completing the terminal. For us, it was 250. Punch in your code to unlock the lever to your right. Pull it and the Safety Override will officially activate. With that done, our main objective here is complete.

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The rest of Reactor is largely optional, as there's little to really do here except collect loot. However, definitely keep looking around before you leave. There are some useful ammo piles and consumables dotted around that are worth picking up. When you're ready, we'll need to do a little more backtracking.

Disabling The Mining Laser

Our next objective is to return to the Research level. You can access it by heading back to the lift we used to get down here.

Hop on and ride it up to Research, then head to the point on the map marked above. You'll arrive at a set of doors leading to Central Control. We'll be able to open them using the Science Card we found while exploring the Library here in Research earlier.

Use the card to open the door and you'll find yourself in a small lab. When walking through the centre, four Virus Mutants will burst from test tubes.

Run back to the corridor we used to access Central Control, pull out a gun and wait for the mutants to chase you. Gun them down, making sure to avoid their radioactive projectiles. When they're all dead, return to Central Control and make your way to the end of the path.

You'll arrive in a room with a Humanoid Mutant and a control panel reading "Laser Charging". Kill the mutant and then activate the panel. It'll fire, but due to our tinkering down in the Reactor, it'll detonate the laser, destroying it and preventing one of Shodan's major plans.

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She'll get angry, but claim she has a backup, which is taking place further up Citadel Station in the Groves. Looks like we know what's next on the agenda. Let's make our way all the way back up to the Flight Deck and over to the Executive elevator we came across earlier.

Up Next: Executive

PreviousFlight DeckNextExecutive

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Reactor - System Shock [2023] Guide - IGN (1)

System Shock

NightDive Studios

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Reactor - System Shock [2023] Guide - IGN (2024)

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