The System Shock remaster harkens back to the retro FPS games of the '90s. The unapologetic gameplay and lack of assistance mean you'll have to pay close attention to Audio Logs and journals that you pick up throughout the Citadel Station.

Related: System Shock: The Best Hardware Attachments

12 Access Cards can be found throughout the Citadel Space Station, and you will need to collect them to open up key areas. Without these cards, you won't be able to progress through the story and stop SHODAN's evil plot to destroy humanity. Moreover, Access Cards can relieve a lot of weight from your shoulders by unlocking rooms with shelves stocked with ammo, grenades, and patches.

Access Cards Found On Medical Level 1

System Shock: Medical Level 1

Access Card Name

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How To Acquire

Standard (STD) Access Card

System Shock: Standard STD Access Card

The Standard Access Card is the first card you will pick up in the starting Healing Suite area.


To acquire the Standard (STD) Access Card, press the green button on the wall that opens the left door revealing a small storage area containing a crate with the Standard (STD) Access Card, Multimedia Data Reader V1, and Navigation and Mapping Unit V1.


You can't progress to the next room without picking up the Standard Access Card.

Group-1 (GP1) Access Card

System Shock: Medical Delta Quadrant GRP 1 Access Card Morgue Room

There are two instances of the Group-1 (GP1) Access Card. The first can be picked up in the Medical Delta Quadrant morgue room.


To find the room, exit the Healing Suite into the corridor with the Junction Box and Blast Door on opposite sides, then use the STD Access Card to open the door immediately in front of you, baring west.


Inside will be a Cyborg Drone and a Serv Bot, easily killed by a couple of whacks with your Lead Pipe.


The Group-1 GP1 Access Card is found on the shelf facing south, along with the Mira Stackhouse Audio Log. You can use the GP1 Access Card to open the Storage Room south of the morgue room.

Group-1 (GP1) Access Card (Duplicate)

System Shock: Group-1 GP1 Access Card Briefcase

The second Group-1 (GP1) Access Card is found in the Medical Gamma Quadrant, in the room linked with the Transderm Dispenser and window area. You can access this area by solving the Junction Box puzzle and traveling through the Maintenance Tunnels.


You must kill a Repair Bot and several Humanoid Mutants in these areas. We recommend you equip a Berserk Patch to kill the Repair Bot and rush the Medical Gamma Quadrant.


Once you reach the southernmost room with the Transderm Dispenser, walk east and unlock the room facing north. You will find a Humanoid Mutant and a briefcase containing the Group-1 (GP1) Access Card.


You can use the Group-1 (GP1) Access Card in the Gamma Quadrant area to unlock a small area featuring an Audio Log and loot. You'll be in the right area if you see a food dispenser and the Gamma Quadrant Blast Door leading to the Central Hub.

Medical (MED) Access Card

System Shock: Medical MED Access Card

The Medical (MED) Access Card is found in the Medical Delta Quadrant northern room featuring the Cyberspace Terminal and next to the elevator that takes you to the L2 Research. The Medical (MED) Access Card is on the shelf opposite the Cyberspace Terminal.

Personal-1 (PER1) Access Card

System Shock: Personal-1 PER1 Access Card Nathan D'arcy's Office

The Personal-1 (PER1) Access Card is found in the Medical Central Hub and accessed by either following the route from the Medical Gamma Quadrant or using the elevator in the Central Hub.


You'll encounter your first Cyborg Assassins and Hoppers in the Central Hub. Be very careful not to step on the Cyborg Assassin's Proximity Mines, as one wrong step can cost you precious time running back.

Access Cards Found On Research Level 2

System Shock: Research Level 2 Cyborg

Access Card Name

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How To Acquire

Science (SCI) Access Card

System Shock: Science Access Card Admin Room

The Science (SCI) Access Card can be picked up at the desk inside the Admin Security Room in the Research Beta Quadrant area.


You will need to kill the Elite Cyborg Drone guarding the room and power up the Research Beta Quadrant area before you can access this area. To do this, flip the second switch to the left of the four power switches located in the Research Alpha Quadrant.

Group-3 (GP3) Access Card

System Shock: Group-3 (GP3) Access Card CPU Node Room in Research Level

The Group-3 (GP3) Access Card is located in the CPU Node Room within the Research Gamma Quadrant area. Acquire it before you destroy the CPU Nodes and trigger a Cyborg attack from SHODAN.


Crouch through the tunnel at the back of the room to get the vent and pick up the Group-3 (GP3) Access Card from the dead Citadel Station Employee.

Engineering (ENG) Access Card

System Shock: Engineering Access Card

The Engineering (ENG) Access Card is the final Access Card you can pick up at the Research Level. You'll find it by crawling through the vent unlocked by the Junction Box puzzle in Delta Quadrant, leading you to a small room in the Central Hub area.


The Engineering (ENG) Access Card is found on the dead Citadel Station Employee.


Once you've picked up the Engineering Card, you can open the door to exit and follow the path forward to a Weapon Mod Station and a Teleporter that leads you to the Experimental room in the Research Beta Quadrant.

Access Cards Found On Executive Level 6

System Shock: Executive Level 6

Access Card Name

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How To Acquire

Admin (ADM) Access Card

System Shock: Admin (ADM) Access Card Executive Level

The Admin (ADM) Access Card is in the Executive Delta Quadrant. You must travel to the Elevator that leads to the Flight Deck.


We recommend activating Restoration Bay, as powerful enemies such as Executive Bots and Cyborg Warrior are in the Delta Quadrant area.


EMP grenades effectively disable robot enemy types, so consider using them.


Walking down the long eastern corridor, you will get to a big dining room. There are countless dead bodies and items to Vaporize and sell.


You will find the Admin Access Card on the floor next to a body in the back right corner of the room.

Access Cards Found On System Engineering Level 7System Shock: System Engineering

Access Card Name

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How To Acquire

Engineering (ENG) Access Card (Duplicate)

System Shock_ System Engineering Engineering Card Duplicate

This Engineering Access Card is found in the air vents that create a mini loop back to the corridor in Alpha Quadrant.

Engineering (ENG) Access Card (Duplicate)

System Shock_ System Engineering Engineering Access Card Duplicate Alpha Quadrant

The second Engineering Access Card in the System Engineering Level is found on the dead body in Alpha Quadrant at the end of the corridor. Make sure to pick the nearby Audio Log up.

Access Cards Found On Security Level 8

System Shock: Top Floor of Security

Access Card Name

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How To Acquire

Group-B (GPB) Access Card

System Shock: Group-B Access Card found in Security

The Group-B Access Card is found on the dead employee in the Live Feed Room on the second floor. You can get to this area by using the blue lift to get to the Extraction area.


Once you have the Group-B Access Card you will be able to unlock a room in the corridor outside the Live Feed Room to pick up four Proximity Mines and a Battery.

Security (SEC) Access Card

System Shock: Security Access Card

The Security Level contains Mutated Cyborgs, Cyborg Enforcers, and flying Striker Bots, so make sure to stock up on ammunition. The Security (SEC) Access Card is found on the Third Floor of the Security Level.


To get to the Security Access Card, use the lift directly south of the Experimental Room on the Second Floor. Walk across the red light bridge and wrap around the following room to enter the small office facing north.


The Security Access Card can be found by opening the briefcase in Jaco Van Dyk's office make sure to pick up the Audio Log.

Personal-5 (PER5) Access Card

System Shock: Personal-5 (PER5) Access Card Dropped by Diego

The Personal-5 (PER5) Access Card is dropped by the Cyborg Diego boss, who will spawn on the Top Floor of the Security Level. To get to Diego, you must first acquire the Security Access Card.


Before you enter the final room on the Top Floor, take some time to recharge your Power, restore your health, and activate any consumable patches before challenging Cyborg Diego.


Diego has a great deal of firepower at his disposal and will fire missiles and energy projectiles at you. He can very easily kill you in a couple of barrages, so use the pillars on either side of the centre of the room to dodge his attacks.


Luckily, you can flank Diego by staying underneath the ledge. He will slowly walk towards you for a melee attack, so find the sweet spot where he disengages projectiles. If he walks too far to one side, you can lose your cover, so walk to the opposite side of the ledge.

Access Cards Found On The Bridge

System Shock_ SHODAN in the Bridge

Access Card Name

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How To Acquire

Command (CMD) Access Card

System Shock_ Command Access Card dropped by the Cortex Reaver

To acquire the Command (CMD) Access Card, you must defeat the Cortex Reaver mini boss at the end of the level.


Cortex Reavers are fast and deadly. They have a few weapons at their disposal, such as explosive missiles and energy blasts; however, their speed makes them tricky to kill. Proximity Mines and the Accelerator Rail Gun work a treat on this bot.


The room has a charging station, so let loose your energy weapons on the Cortex Reaver.


The Command Access Card is required to enter the final room to fight SHODAN.

Next: System Shock: What Happened To Citadel Station?