Ghost in the Shell [NTSC-U] ISO
[SLUS-00552]

Ghost in the Shell is a platform shooter in the spirit of the Japanese anime and manga of the same name.

The game begins with a prologue FMV (full motion video), laying the groundwork for the cyberpunk tale to come. Section 9, an elite counter-terrorist and cyber warfare organization, has been given the task to track down and neutralize the Human Liberation Front terrorist group, which recently leveled a Megatech Corp building. If you've ever viewed a Ghost in the Shell anime episode, you know the rest of the story will wind up being cerebral and far more complex than it first appears.

Enter the rookie. As the latest personnel acquisition to Section 9, your task is to train in the operation of the Fuchikoma, a sophisticated A.I. tank that resembles an arachnid for the upcoming missions. The versatile Fuchikoma tank is able to not only jump, slide, and sprint along the ground with ease, but like its spider brethren can also climb most walls, skitter along ceilings, and get crushed by giant newspapers. Its offensive armament consists of vulcan cannons, lock-on missiles, and a limited cache of grenades to terminate targets.

If that sounds like Fuchikomas might take a bit of practice to use effectively, you're probably right. The game thankfully has a training mode to acclimate new players to the handling of the machines. A fully explorable training ground is available for the aspiring tank pilot, complete with Hogan's Alley-like shooting dummies, obstacles, objectives, and timer. At the end of a session, the trainee will be rewarded with one of a number of short FMVs depending on how well they did. When you feel comfortable with your skills, it's time for the main game.

Each primary mission is preceded by a FMV unrolling more of the plot and laying out the level's objectives. Missions range from open area hunter-killer type excursions, to tracking through cramped tunnels of a sewer, to taking out explosives before countdown timers detonate their payloads and your budding career. Your spider tank will even see some oceanic action before long.

In the background a driving techno soundtrack keeps you company, though it never rose to a level beyond atmospheric for this trainee. The terrain also seemed to visually lack digital vitality, even for a PSOne title, painting a lifeless city-grey feel onto everything. With no weapon upgrades or other enhancements for the Fuchikoma to assimilate, the action began to feel a bit repetitive by the third stage (watch radar, dodge attack, counter, bake at 350, repeat!). Personally this operator felt like busting out of the tank once in a while to don some thermoptic camouflage, chase down a suspect on foot in the crowded city, then run around HQ shooting up the place until the major came and put an end to my fun. I guess those are privileges left to the seasoned veterans on the duty roster, however.

Conclusion? There is definitely some fun to be had in being able to crawl around on just about everything, especially with a nimble craft that feels responsive to control once you get the hang of it. With the freedom to explore the moderately sized areas as you wish, a detailed storyline backing up why you're there, and nice FMVs rewarding you for finishing a level set, this title is worth a look even for those who aren't fans of the Ghost universe. Rating: 3.5/5