Fleshy architecture has often intrigued game developers who want to evoke discomfort through unique level designs. However, one of the most shocking inspirations behind a level in System Shock 2 may cross the line into the bizarre. According to artist Nate Wells, the dev team at Looking Glass utilized images from a colonoscopy to create assets for the horror-themed game.
In a chat on Nightdive’s Deep Dive podcast, Wells explained the creation process behind the alien structures occupied by "The Many," a species in the game. He shared that while conceptualizing these structures, he began to seek images with a biological theme. During this quest, he was approached by producer Josh Randall, who offered footage from a colonoscopy he had undergone.
Wells used a still image taken from Randall’s colon as a foundational texture for the game’s notorious “sphincter doors.” He humorously remarked, "If you look at those doors, you’re seeing Josh Randall’s colon."
System Shock 2, which was released in 1999, received significant acclaim, even as players fought against worm-like creatures without knowing they were traversing a level modeled after human anatomy. The game’s 25th-anniversary remaster recently launched on PC and was released on consoles in July, following a challenging development where Nightdive Studios had to reverse-engineer the game due to limited access to the original source code.
Despite the unconventional inspiration behind some of its iconic elements, System Shock 2 leaves an enduring legacy in the gaming world.
