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System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster is the classic sci-fi game reported free to claim on the Epic Games Store through October 8, 2026. The same reported promotion includes Buried Stars, a separate mystery visual novel. Claim either title during the offer window to add it to your account; the reports do not specify an exact cutoff hour or confirm regional availability.
Which games are included in the October 8 offer?
Reports published October 1 and 2, 2026 identify System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster and Buried Stars as the two Epic Games Store giveaways available through October 8, 2026. The headline’s “classic sci-fi game” refers to System Shock 2, not both games. Digital Citizen’s October 1 report says a claimed title remains tied to the account after the claim period ends; Notebookcheck’s October 2 report also lists both titles in the promotion.
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The reports do not establish the offer’s precise ending time, checkout requirements, or availability in every region. Check the Epic Games Store listing for your region before relying on the deadline.
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Which game suits you?
| Game | Genre and play style | Premise |
|---|---|---|
| System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster | First-person sci-fi survival horror with shooting, RPG progression, and immersive-sim elements; Notebookcheck also reports cross-play cooperative multiplayer. | According to Notebookcheck, the player awakens from cryogenic sleep aboard the Von Braun in 2114, without memory, as mutants and robots overrun the ship and the rogue AI SHODAN appears to be in control. |
| Buried Stars | Dialogue-led mystery visual novel focused on investigation. | Digital Citizen describes contestants and crew trapped beneath a collapsed survival-audition-show studio, where a murder takes place. Players talk with characters, collect clues, and use a fictional social-media system. |
The descriptions above come from Notebookcheck and Digital Citizen; they are not hands-on assessments. If you want first-person exploration, combat, and character progression, System Shock 2 is the closer fit. For a story built around conversations and solving a murder, try Buried Stars.
#1 Best Overall
- System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster Key Features: Cross-Play Co-Op multiplayer. Choose from 3 branches of the Military; O.S.A, Marines or Navy and experiment with different play styles. Up to 120 FPS performance with ultra-widescreen support. 50 Trophies to unlock. Enhanced Characters, Weapon Models and Animations. Optimized Controller support. Quality of Life Improvements.
What is the remaster?
Notebookcheck describes the 25th Anniversary Remaster as an update to the 1999 game by Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios, released by Nightdive Studios in 2025. Its report identifies the blend of first-person shooting, RPG systems, and immersive-sim play as central to the experience. Those details are attributed to the report rather than independently verified technical specifications.
How to claim the games
- Open the Epic Games Store and find the listings for System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster and Buried Stars.
- Sign in to the account where you want each game kept, then follow the store’s claim or checkout flow for each title while the offer is active.
- Confirm the order or library entry for each game. Check the store listing in your region for the applicable deadline and terms; the coverage does not state an exact cutoff hour.
What does “100% free” mean here?
The October reports describe a limited-time claim offer, not a permanent change to the games’ prices. Notebookcheck reported regular prices of $29.99 for System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster and $39.99 for Buried Stars, or $69.98 combined, in its October 2, 2026 coverage. These are reported price figures, not verified universal Epic prices; prices can vary by storefront region. xGamerss says its USD price references are from Steam and may vary by region, so they should not be treated as confirmation of Epic pricing: xGamerss’s offer report.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- Cross-Play Co-Op multiplayer.
- Choose from 3 branches of the Military; O.S.A, Marines or Navy and experiment with different play styles.
- Up to 120 FPS performance with ultra-widescreen support.
- 50 Trophies to unlock.
- Enhanced Characters, Weapon Models and Animations. Optimized Controller support. Quality of Life improvements.
Rank #4
- System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster by Nightdive Studios brings to you the modernized remaster of the FPS/RPG classic, featuring Cross-Play Co-Op multiplayer and more.
- Its the year 2114 and as you awake from cryo sleep on the FTL ship Von Braun, you are unable to remember who or where you are and something has gone terribly wrong. Hybrid mutants and deadly robots roam the halls while the cries from the remaining crew reverberate through the cold hull of the ship. SHODAN, a rogue AI bent on the destruction of mankind has taken over and its up to you to stop her.
- Delve through the corridors of the derelict ship Von Braun and immerse yourself in the story rich atmosphere and environments. Explore deck by deck and unravel the horrifying fate of the Von Braun and her crew.
- System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster [Anniversary Edition] includes: Base Game - Booklet Deluxe Folding Box (with Shodan Lenticular Card inside) Soundtrack CD Double-Sided Poster
Rank #3
- System Shock 2: 25th Anniversary Remaster on a region-free physical cartridge
- Cross-Play Co-Op multiplayer.
- 50 Trophies to unlock
- Enhanced Characters, Weapon Models and Animations
- Optimized Controller support
Rank #2
- Cross-Play Co-Op multiplayer.
- Choose from 3 branches of the Military; O.S.A, Marines or Navy and experiment with different play styles.
- Up to 120 FPS performance with ultra-widescreen support.
- 50 Trophies to unlock.
- Enhanced Characters, Weapon Models and Animations. Optimized Controller support. Quality of Life improvements.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
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