This was a hard decision for me, while on one hand the story, atmosphere, graphics and even sound design is just amazing, the gameplay is can be pretty stale at times and repetitive unfortunetly. I also wished we would play as Motoko, as in just herself and not in the Fuchikoma, maybe something reminiscent of Max Payne but what we got is still fine.
The gameplay of Ghost in the Shell is a mix of third-person shooting, platforming and puzzle-solving. You technically play as Major, or Motoko Kusanagi for those who don't know, but you're actually just controlling a Fuchikoma the entire game which is less interesting in my opinion. Gripe aside, in this game you'll navigate through various missions in a world filled with political intrigue and technological marvels. The game featured varying mission types, such as rescue missions, stealth infiltration and somewhat annoying but intense combat encounters. One of the most innovative and fun aspects of the game was the ability to hack into enemy cyberspace networks. This mechanic not only allows you to control security cameras and disable traps, but it even allows you to manipulate enemy robots to turn against themselves. It added a small layer of strategy to the game, as you'd have to balance between difficult combat and stealthy hacking.
For the time Ghost in the Shell boasted graphics that really captured the gritty, futuristic aesthetic from the source material. The enviroments are detailed and atmospheric, from neon-lit cityscapes to dark, industrial complexes. The character models are obviously blocky compared to your Last of Us and Hellblade, but the designs were faithful to the anime's distinctive style at least. The game also featured a fitting soundtrack that complemented the cyberpunk setting, which is again fitting of the anime since that music was absolutely perfect in my opinion. Like the anime the music ranged from moody, ambient tracks to adrenaline-pumping techno beats, enhancing the immersive experience of navigating through this dystopian world.
I think this game successfully captured the dark, philosophical themes of the anime. Just like the anime the game's story delved into complex issues surrounding identity, consciousness, and the nature of humanity in a world where techonolgy blurs the line between man and machine. The story, setting and atmosphere is what I love Ghost in the Shell for, unfortunetly the story here took a backseat sometimes to instead focus on action. But I imagine this was just done to not bore the average player, especially nowadays.
As said the atmosphere is something that I adore Ghost in the Shell for, so luckily the atmosphere was undoubtedly one of the game's strongest aspects. The game recreated the oppressive, cyberpunk ambiance of the anime, which fully immersed me in a world of high-tech espionage and political intrigue. From the rain-soaked streets of New Port City to the towering skyscrapers of the city's corporate districts, every location felt like a believable part of the anime's dystopian universe.
Despite it's flaws, Ghost in the Shell is in my opinion a great fucking game, but mostly only for fans of the franchise. I don't think this game is a fitting introduction for anyone wanting to get into the series, but that does not mean the game is bad, I just think it's not for everyone. For people like me on the other hand, this is a great entry in the series and a must-play for fans.
8/10
The gameplay of Ghost in the Shell is a mix of third-person shooting, platforming and puzzle-solving. You technically play as Major, or Motoko Kusanagi for those who don't know, but you're actually just controlling a Fuchikoma the entire game which is less interesting in my opinion. Gripe aside, in this game you'll navigate through various missions in a world filled with political intrigue and technological marvels. The game featured varying mission types, such as rescue missions, stealth infiltration and somewhat annoying but intense combat encounters. One of the most innovative and fun aspects of the game was the ability to hack into enemy cyberspace networks. This mechanic not only allows you to control security cameras and disable traps, but it even allows you to manipulate enemy robots to turn against themselves. It added a small layer of strategy to the game, as you'd have to balance between difficult combat and stealthy hacking.
For the time Ghost in the Shell boasted graphics that really captured the gritty, futuristic aesthetic from the source material. The enviroments are detailed and atmospheric, from neon-lit cityscapes to dark, industrial complexes. The character models are obviously blocky compared to your Last of Us and Hellblade, but the designs were faithful to the anime's distinctive style at least. The game also featured a fitting soundtrack that complemented the cyberpunk setting, which is again fitting of the anime since that music was absolutely perfect in my opinion. Like the anime the music ranged from moody, ambient tracks to adrenaline-pumping techno beats, enhancing the immersive experience of navigating through this dystopian world.
I think this game successfully captured the dark, philosophical themes of the anime. Just like the anime the game's story delved into complex issues surrounding identity, consciousness, and the nature of humanity in a world where techonolgy blurs the line between man and machine. The story, setting and atmosphere is what I love Ghost in the Shell for, unfortunetly the story here took a backseat sometimes to instead focus on action. But I imagine this was just done to not bore the average player, especially nowadays.
As said the atmosphere is something that I adore Ghost in the Shell for, so luckily the atmosphere was undoubtedly one of the game's strongest aspects. The game recreated the oppressive, cyberpunk ambiance of the anime, which fully immersed me in a world of high-tech espionage and political intrigue. From the rain-soaked streets of New Port City to the towering skyscrapers of the city's corporate districts, every location felt like a believable part of the anime's dystopian universe.
Despite it's flaws, Ghost in the Shell is in my opinion a great fucking game, but mostly only for fans of the franchise. I don't think this game is a fitting introduction for anyone wanting to get into the series, but that does not mean the game is bad, I just think it's not for everyone. For people like me on the other hand, this is a great entry in the series and a must-play for fans.
8/10