Developed by Neople and published by Nexon, ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’ just might inspire as much intrigue and excitement as its anime counterpart. But then again, maybe not, as little was stated about the game before its release.
In case someone out there doesn’t know it yet (and yes, it isn’t probable that anyone could not know; but hey, stranger things have happened), the video game ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’ was inspired and developed after the popular and famous anime of the same name.
This is a multiplayer online video game, and of course, falls under the “action adventure” genre. It is a multiplayer shooting game and is supposed to be as intense as the anime. What with the concept of human and technology integrated into cyborg in a world set in the future, where one can “plug in” your brain and actually download them (!), this game could very well be as hauntingly breath-taking (from gasping, that is) as the Japanese animation series.
The Background and Game World of ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’
This multiplayer action game is a third person shooter game. And the game follows the same “cyber-punk” theme, style, design and aesthetic that was used in the anime. The world within the video game is set in the year 2030. And it is a dire time when technology has reached unfathomable heights, and has in turn inspire a whole new level of criminal activities that make use of this incredible technology – It is a time when cyber espionage, cyber crime, and cyber terrorism run rampant.
Sector 9, a government organization, exists to counter this level of crime and the rising threats. And working in this sector is the trusted and main player character Major Motoko Kusanagi. She is one of the best officers there is in Sector 9 and her reputation is well-established. This time, however (that is, in this video game), her focus of investigation lies mainly on uncovering the mysteries and suspicious occurrences that are happening around a case that is simply (and only) known as T.A.R.
The Gameplay of ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’
This is a multiplayer, shooter-based game that is played from the third person perspective. The player characters in the ‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’ video game are Motoko Kusanagi and Batou. There are two parallel cases – or rather, narratives – that are occurring within the game as part of Sector 9: Some sections follow Motoko Kusanagi on the case, and some other sections follow Batou on the case. All the levels of the video game are separated into respectively parallel parts which follow either storyline. Motoko Kusanagi’s and Batou’s journeys through the game also wind back to the point where the main plot actually originated from.
With a third person perspective, the gameplay provides for several kinds of weapons and abilities. And this includes the capability to “ghost hack” your opponents within the game in order to move forward.
Motoko Kusanagi’s levels in the game will incline towards needing the gamer to make use of her agility and speed to move forward; and that too, to a much higher intensity than the player will have to use for Batou. Batou’s levels, on the other hand, prefer to use more fire power (and are heavy on that fire power factor too).
‘Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex’, on its release (in 2014) received major positive reception for its eye-catching visuals, gorgeous graphics and action-oriented gameplay. However, players did find the controls a little stilted to manage. And a lot of the potential packed in such a game was left untapped.