Is that you Cowee? If so, how you doing dude?!
Even if you're not, let me answer some of your points -
"It's frustrating and unforgiving. It's brutal and relentless. I feel so alone and I'm scared for my life. It messes with my mind so much that sometimes, I'm forced to turn it off and take a break."
Firstly, you need to understand that SS2 is categorized (primarily) as a "Survival Horror" game with the emphasis on
"Survival"!
Its meant to be brutal and relentless. Going by your reaction, it sounds like you're playing it pretty much the RIGHT way. All except for the "turn it off and take a break" bit of course.
As for "frustrating", my guess is you are either alluding to the weapon "degradation" problem (I recall that being REALLY annoying at times) or you made some less than ideal skill based choices which can result in poor character development and make the game frustrating from a certain POV. Again this is quite "normal" as its hard to know what skill choices are the "best" ones on your first play through. You would be very lucky if you did. IIRC, I too made some serious mistakes with my skill tree on my first play through. Note that I played it some 10+ years ago when I bought the Retail box version which BTW, I still have with me in absolutely -MINT- condition. I also bought it more recently on Steam some time back but I have still not played this "newer" version.
I recall abandoning the game initially when I played it more than a decade ago and restarting it as I made some poor choices myself. However I did this way before I had reached halfway. Having said that, SS2 is IMO, (fairly) re-playable and I would advise you to see the links I have posted below (absolute worst case scenario) and consider re-starting your game from scratch or simply use the info to "correct" some issues (if possible) though it may be too late considering you're halfway through already.
"I am NOT enjoying the experience. And yet, I can't seem to stop playing. I had no idea about what to expect, and I'd been spoiled by all the hand-holding in recent games."
I loved SS2 when I played it years ago. It was a really HARD game from a time when games were meant to be hard. No two ways about that. Its an "old school" game where hand holding beyond a point was simply not an option.
If hand holding is what you're looking for (and I doubt it is if you are really "cowee" and not someone else), then you need to look elsewhere, like maybe the Mass Effect series, Bioshock 1/2/Infinite or even the Dead Space series which are a walk in the park in comparison. Note that all the games I listed above are really great games. Its just that they happen to be typical modern "console ports" to PC and have all the associated hand holding and mollycoddling that "console only" gamers can't seem to get by without (Quake 3 Red Armour ON so "console only" gamers can flame me all they want for all the good it will do them
)
The lack of hand holding is actually what LIKED about SS2 and miss it sorely when compared to today's mind numbing, pathetically dumbed down, "turn, shoot, take cover behind wall/object, automatically recharge health without doing diddly squat, rinse, repeat" rubbish that's unfortunately the norm nowadays simply because most PC games today are "console ports". Therefore then tend to cater to "console gamers" who think a "mouse" is "that ancient, slow, difficult to control, 3 button point and click thingy on a PC that's used to start and run programs ...and stuff".
IMO, if anything, thats the most "frustrating" part about gaming these days IMO. Games today cocoon players in unrealistic ways that are at times so absurd that they actually break whatever little immersion they have to begin with.
"but I'm getting my shit kicked in. I should have read the damn manual. I think I'm about halfway into the game right now, but I'm extremely low on health and ammo. I don't have too many weapons at my disposal so I'm using the wrench for almost everything."
Normal and yes you should have read the manual. It's quite informative unlike manuals you find today, even more so considering SS2 is not your average sort of game. You can get the manul here -
http://cdn4.steampowered.com/Manuals/238210/System Shock 2 - Manual.pdf?t=1377362549
Low health and ammo can be quite "normal". Having just the wrench alone CAN happen but more and more I cant shake the feeling that perhaps you may have made some poor choices with regard to your skill tree. Also, being a "survival horror" game, head on assaults are quite often NOT the ideal choice. Often, tactical thinking can get you the result you want with far less risk involved.
Scary as shit, brutal & unforgiving and at times frustrating - that's SS2 summed up for you right there. In fact, after reading your post, I have decided to fire up and install SS2 myself and replay it again after all these years. Its a fantastic game.
Absolute LAST RESORT, and I would say avoid this like the plague unless you happen to come to a point where you just want to finish the game so you can shelve it rather than play it out the way the devs intended, have a look at these links.
One of the BEST SS2 guides is actually the official one by Prima. A "brand new" one will put you back a whopping $128 but a second hand one can be had for around $15.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-list...dition=used&me=&qid=1382885883&seller=&sr=8-1
Worst case scenario if you cant wait that long, search the *cough cough*, (excuse me I have a bad cough today), net and I'm pretty sure there are places where it can be had for less.
You can also look at this free guide here -
http://www.sshock2.com/ss2walk/
If you prefer video guides to books, well here are a couple of links that look decent enough -
However if you are the "cowee" I know (who basically taught me everything I know about Q3A) and not someone else, then you DO NOT need to see the above crutches. You're better than that. Just approach the game with a "survival" mindset rather than your usual Q3A "attacking" mindset and you will be good to go.
Worst comes to worst, load up SS2, Enter player name as "cowee" which will automatically grant you a permanent Q3A Red Armour and your personal "non-degradable" Rail Gun with unlimited ammo so can just OWN from then on!
It is me, and I'm seeing this post only now. I did restart the game and this time, I took it slowly - Things were much smoother. Enemies aren't one shotting me anymore and I'm actually taking them down with the wrench. It's far less scary now that I'm getting things done.
