Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone
9.3
10
4
4
A Keeper, for sure...
Sorry, I forgot to add the ratings for each category. Anyway, after all's said and done, this is a great game. A masterpiece that I'm sure will be even harder to find over the years. And, the price will definitely go up in value. If you ever get a change to own this game, keep it.
1/28/13
Ghost in the Shell
========
Story
========
Story wise the game is rather deep and involves stopping terrorists, but the game is a bit bogged down with in universe terminology. The story also suffers a bit from most of information being dumped via calls from members of section 9 while your engaged in combat, which can make listening to their dialogue rather difficult.
It is also up for debate how well this game fits into the Ghost in the Shell universe. Some fans say it is a very solid fit, while others are of mixed opinions. The general consensus seems to be rather positive though.
========
Gameplay
========
Gameplay wise the game is a bit mixed. The stages involving the major tend to involve precision platforming, but the controls are a bit weak in this area. I also find it a bit annoying that you have to hold the R1 button to cling onto a ledge or climb up or down a ladder. The combat portions of her stages are well handled though.
The other main playable character is Batou whose stages are largely run and gun in terms of style. I find these stages to be a lot easier to be honest since you don't need to perform precision jumping over death pits to advance.
The only addition to the combat outside of killing enemies with various weapons is hacking enemy units and using them to clear an area. On the downside this ability isn't utilized all that much. It makes the inclusion of the ability rather disappointing to be honest. The ability is useful, but feels superfluous for the most part. And, the AI hacking itself is completed by beating an annoying mini-game of lining up spinning circles by matching up their teeth. And, on the 3rd level of this mini-game it basically amounts to luck if you win. Though, that is rather meaningless since you can attempt to control an opponent as many times as you want until you succeed.
========
Graphics
========
Graphically the game is solid, but it isn't anything amazing. The enemy models are detailed decently enough, but the number of enemies is rather small.
========
Sound
========
The voice acting in the game is well handled with the voice actors from the show reprising their roles. On the other hand the sound track is rather mixed. A song or two helps add to the game, but most of the soundtrack is rather forgettable.
========
Lasting Appeal
========
This game does offers a decent amount of unlockables to maintain appeal. And these unlockables include unlimited ammo for weapons, unlocking new starting weapons, higher difficulty levels, and new costumes. Though, to be fair the costumes are just color palette swaps.
========
Score
========
Story: 9
Gameplay: 7
Graphics: 8
Sound: 7
Lasting Appeal: 8
Overall: 7.8
11/14/12
Ah, I remember this game like yesterday.
Ah, if I only had my Playstation 2 again. I'd be playing this, as well as my Metal Gear Solid collection. This game was so fun, especially the Tachikomas. Though, of all, no one kicks more but than Motoko. It's a shame, I never got to play the Battle Royale multiplayer mode. But, if you see it, don't hesitate to pick it up.
8/21/11
HOLY CRUD!
this game is but last so long it makes call of duty look like crud
1/6/11