Ghost In The Shell Game Sample - Playstation
41Just in time for the new release (or rather, "live action re-release, if you will) of "Ghost in the Shell" that will be in theaters (which stars Scarlett Johansson, among others), I thought it would be interesting if I made a video for the very first game related to GitS. "Exact" developed the game and Exact made the "cute-em-up" platformer known as "Jumping Flash", which was a decent early Playstation title...they also made the good (and lesser known) "Geograph Seal" which was released in Japan for the Sharp X68000. If you have played either game before playing this, the game definitely has a sort of FEEL like Exact's prior games, but if I had to say so, the game reminds me a little more of Geograph Seal than it does JF.
There is actually quite a lot to say about the game that I can't within YT text limitations, but for more information, check out:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_in_the_Shell_(video_game)
Production I.G and Masamune Shirow actually worked on this game as well, making an original story for it, as well as original animation, which is actually pretty cool. Visually...I don't know how to feel about it??? It looks pretty good; I don't have any qualms with it, but I would have to go back to a lot of games made in 1997 on the Playstation to compare, because if I were to go by memory, than I would be inclined to say that it looks "about right", for the year. However, the thing that I like that is pretty cool are certain "lesser" things...for example, the vanishing camouflage mode that the first boss enters when moving around the room. I also like how you can see the world from different angles due to the interesting "scale all walls" mechanic the game has in place. It really makes you feel like a spider. There is also the "night vision" mode on the second level.
Gameplay-wise, the game is pretty basic, with some strafing maneuvers and a dash, a basic machine-gun (with infinite ammo), lock-on missiles (press and hold the shoot button and lock-on to targets, release button to fire), and the powerful grenade, which does major damage to all within the proper radius. To try to combat the limited weapons and such, the 12 missions of the game try to have different objectives, such as diffusing/destroying bombs on one level, and playing "hide and seek" on another. It's fun enough while it lasts...though my one gripe would be with the "music" --- it isn't bad...it just isn't quite as good as I would have expected. Then again, I was spoiled by other Techno music from "Psykosonik" earlier...I guess I expected the music to be a little more intense or pulse-pounding than what I got, when I am coming from music like "Shock on the Wire" (the aforementioned SotW would make an awesome instrumental track on a more serious mission in the game, for example, or it could be mostly instruments except for the "chorus"). Actually, given the GitS' relationship with technology and such, I am a bit surprised they didn't do music for this game, lol --- though Psykosonik was said to be active right around 1997. It's good background music/sound, but I don't really remember it when I turn the game off. However, GitS is actually not so bad, as far as anime games go (and as far as games in general), particularly back in 1997 and earlier...
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