Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex

"METAL GEAR?! No, Not Quite."

You will either fall in love with this game, or get frustrated to the point where you want to break the disk in half. I took the former; this is one of those games that are just stunning from the start. Plus, there's Napalm.

Graphics: 9/10

These graphics are astounding for a game that came out such a long time ago. The textures are great, facial expressions, movements, everything. You'll find this is one of the better looking games from that time period; truly a gem.

Sound: 7/10

The sounds are fairly good. In some scenes though, the music is so loud that the voices are something short of muffled. Other than that, it has the same voices from the Anime and movies.

Replay value: 5/10

There's not much Replay Value, but still enough to go through the game a few more times. If you don't want to get the unlockables, then there's nothing else to do after your first time. But if you do, you may be at it for a while. After you start your second round, there are 120 Fans scattered throughout the game. Shoot all of them? You unlock the Napalm Launcher for Batou and the Major, and a giant Laser Gun for Batou. Plus, after you beat the game, you get three additional costumes for the two. Though, I was a bit disappointed, as it's only a change of color.

Gameplay: 9/10

Most people will tell you that the controls are lacking, I prefer to disagree with them. I personally like the controls; it made me feel as if I was actually in the game. Then again, that's just me. In total, they were good. The weapons weren't unbalanced (Well, unless you count the Laser Gun and Napalm Launcher.) and they had good aim. The Hit Detection was done fairly well and the melee system rocked. Though, you'll find yourself using melee 60% of the time, as not only does it look cool, but it's stronger than most guns.

Story: 7/10

It's Ghost in the Shell, expect a complex plot. The short version? The Major and Batou are investigating a crime syndicate when things get out of hand. Eventually, Major is forced to fight a giant, stealth-equipped behemoth tank. Throughout the entire battle, I was just telling myself. “DAMN THE PATRIOTS!” And just like in Metal Gear Solid, you use your most explosive weapon and just keep shooting. It's your classic Ghost in the Shell plot.

Overall: 7/10

For fans of the Anime, movies, and novels; a definite buy. You could probably find it for cheap now, too. For others, a rent at least, a gem like this can't be passed up.

Reviewer's Score: 7/10, Originally Posted: 09/05/06