Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2004 video game)
{{short description|PS2 video game}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=October 2024}}{{For|the PlayStation Portable game|Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (2005 video game)}}
{{Infobox video game
| title = Ghost in the Shell:
Stand Alone Complex
| image = Ghost in the Shell SAC Coverart.jpg
| caption = PAL cover art
| developer = Cavia{{efn|Additional work by Sony Computer Entertainment Japan.{{cite web |year=2021 |title=JAPANスタジオ作品一覧 2005年～2003年 |trans-title=List of Japan Studio works 2005–2003 |url=https://www.playstation.com/ja-jp/corporate/playstation-studios/japan-studio/history-2003-2005/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210225205012/https://www.playstation.com/ja-jp/corporate/playstation-studios/japan-studio/history-2003-2005/ |archive-date=25 February 2021 |access-date=1 March 2021 |publisher=Sony Interactive Entertainment |language=ja}}}}
| publisher = Sony Computer Entertainment{{vgrelease|NA/EU|Bandai}}
| series = Ghost in the Shell
| producer = Takuya Iwasaki
Takayasu Yanagihara
| director = Yōichi Take
Yuji Shimomura
| writer = Dai Satō
Yoshiki Sakurai
Midori Goto
| designer = Tadayuki Hoshino
Naoshige Kamamoto
| artist = Makoto Shimomura
Masayuki Suzuki
Shinobu Tsuneki
| programmer = Masashi Kobayashi
Shinya Abe
Katsumi Murata
| composer = Nobuyoshi Sano
| engine =
| platforms = PlayStation 2
| released = {{vgrelease|JP|March 4, 2004|NA|November 8, 2004|PAL|May 6, 2005}}
| genre = Shooter
| modes = Single-player multiplayer
}}
{{Nihongo foot|Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex|攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX|Kōkaku Kidōtai Sutando Arōn Konpurekkusu|group=lower-alpha|lead=yes}} is a third-person shooter video game developed by Cavia and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation 2. It is based on the cyberpunk anime of the same name. The game was released from March 2004 to May 2005, with the game having its own original soundtrack album released 1 day before its Japanese release. It was Sony's second video game based on the franchise, with a previous game for the PlayStation being the first.
Gameplay
The game's playable characters include Motoko Kusanagi and Batou. Levels are separated along with the two parallel parts of the Section 9 investigation that forms the basis of the storyline, with some sections following Batou's experiences and others recounting Kusanagi's solo journey to the region where the plot appears to originate from. Gameplay uses a third-person perspective, and players use a variety of weapons, including the ability to ghost-hack opponents, in order to progress. Kusanagi's levels tend to require the player to use her agility to progress to a much greater degree than Batou's levels, which tend to feature a focus on more heavy firepower. Media response was generally positive, but reserved, citing the high-quality graphics and enjoyable, action-packed gameplay but noting the slightly awkward controls, lack of any real innovation and the failure to use the license to its full potential, for example not using hacking as a more advanced, useful or integral gameplay feature.
Plot
The games take place in the year 2030, between the stories told in Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex and Ghost in the Shell: S.A.C. 2nd GIG. In the year 2030, cybercrime, espionage and terrorism plague a society lost between humanity and technology. As one of the trusted members of the government organization known as Section 9, Major Motoko Kusanagi must uncover the truth behind a mysterious case known only as T.A.R.
After Section 9 seized the black market of surplus weaponry of the Japan Self-Defense Force in Nihama Port, the suspect died from an unknown reason. During Batou's investigation, he found out the suspect was doing a transport work of a batch of micromachine rice. And then Section 9 traced the track to the old military research complex called "Tohoku Autonomous Region". Therefore, Batou and Motoko infiltrate the facility to reveal the conspiracy behind those rice.
Development and release
The game was developed by Cavia. A total of 50 developers worked on the game. The game's story was written in 6 months and took 15 months to develop. Masamune Shirow assisted in the conceptual stages of the game. Cavia wanted the game to be faithful to the original TV series, but also chose a design that allowed them to enhance the personalities of Motoko Kusanagi and Batou. Music was produced by Cavia with sound effects from the Stand Alone Complex anime having been used in collaboration with Production I.G.{{cite magazine |last=Halverson |first=Dave |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex - Man Machine Interface |url=https://archive.org/details/Play_034_Oct_04/page/n23?q=Ghost+in+the+Shell |magazine=Play US |issue=34 |date=October 2004 |pages=22–29 |access-date=August 2, 2019}}
Reception
{{Video game reviews
| align = left
| MC = 66/100{{cite web |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Critic Reviews for PlayStation 2 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/ghost-in-the-shell-stand-alone-complex-2004/critic-reviews/?platform=playstation-2 |website=Metacritic |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=August 2, 2019 |archive-date=October 16, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016074809/https://www.metacritic.com/game/playstation-2/ghost-in-the-shell-stand-alone-complex-2004/critic-reviews |url-status=live }}
| Fam = 29/40{{cite magazine |title=攻殻機動隊 STAND ALONE COMPLEX (PS2) |language=ja |magazine=Famitsu |publisher=Enterbrain |volume=795 |date=March 12, 2004}}
| GI = 7.25/10{{cite magazine |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2) |magazine=Game Informer |publisher=GameStop |issue=140 |date=December 2004 |page=175}}
| GSpot = 6.1/10{{cite web |last=Wolpaw |first=Erik |date=November 19, 2004 |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Review (PS2) |url=https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ghost-in-the-shell-stand-alone-complex-review/1900-6113654/ |website=GameSpot |publisher=CBS Interactive |access-date=May 25, 2020 |archive-date=February 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227224557/https://www.gamespot.com/reviews/ghost-in-the-shell-stand-alone-complex-review/1900-6113654/ |url-status=live }}
| IGN = 7/10{{cite web |last=Lewis |first=Ed |date=November 5, 2004 |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2) |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/06/ghost-in-the-shell-stand-alone-complex-2 |website=IGN |publisher=Ziff Davis |access-date=May 25, 2020 |archive-date=May 21, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190521064019/https://www.ign.com/articles/2004/11/06/ghost-in-the-shell-stand-alone-complex-2 |url-status=live }}
| JXV = 11/20{{cite web |author=Logan |date=April 18, 2005 |title=Test: Ghost In The Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2) |url=http://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00005286_test.htm |language=fr |website=Jeuxvideo.com |publisher=Webedia |access-date=May 25, 2020 |archive-date=April 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210430193157/https://www.jeuxvideo.com/articles/0000/00005286_test.htm |url-status=live }}
| OPMUK = 4/10{{cite magazine |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2) |magazine=Official UK PlayStation 2 Magazine |publisher=Future plc |issue=60 |date=June 2005}}
| OPM = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2) |magazine=Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine |publisher=Ziff Davis |issue=87 |date=December 2004 |page=102}}
| PSM = 7/10{{cite magazine |title=Review: Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex (PS2) |magazine=PSM |publisher=Imagine Media |date=December 25, 2004 |page=73}}
| XPlay = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite web |last=Sewart |first=Greg |date=February 14, 2005 |title=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Review (PS2) |url=http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/features/51048/Ghost_in_the_Shell_Stand_Alone_Complex_Review.html |website=X-Play |publisher=G4TV |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308020256/http://www.g4tv.com/xplay/features/51048/Ghost_in_the_Shell_Stand_Alone_Complex_Review.html |archive-date=March 8, 2005 |access-date=May 25, 2020}}
| rev1 = The Sydney Morning Herald
| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite news |last=Wilcox |first=Mike |date=June 18, 2005 |title=Turn turtle |url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/turn-turtle-20050618-gdliph.html |newspaper=The Sydney Morning Herald |publisher=Fairfax Media |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170617163236/http://www.smh.com.au/news/Games/Turn-turtle/2005/06/15/1118645849566.html |archive-date=June 17, 2017 |url-status=live |access-date=May 25, 2020}}
}}
The game received "average" reviews according to the review aggregation website Metacritic. In Japan, Famitsu gave it a score of two sevens, one eight, and one seven for a total of 29 out of 40. It sold 45,528 copies a week after its release in Japan.{{cite magazine |title=集計期間:2004年3月8日〜2004年3月14日 |url=http://www.famitsu.com/game/rank/top30/2004/03/22/120,1079962302,22932,0,0.html |language=ja |magazine=Famitsu |publisher=Enterbrain |access-date=January 7, 2013}}
{{clear}}
Notes
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20080628105439/http://www.jp.playstation.com/scej/title/kokaku-s/ Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. page]
- NAMCO BANDAI Games America Inc. page: [https://web.archive.org/web/20060208091526/http://www.bandaigames.com/games/gits_sac.html Playstation 2]
- {{MusicBrainz release group|id=5dd0c639-184b-3218-8398-a44a63285b3d|name=Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex Music Archive Sound Files}}
- {{IMDb title|qid=Q2256897}}
- {{moby game|id=/ps2/ghost-in-the-shell-stand-alone-complex}}
{{Ghost in the Shell}}
{{Masamune Shirow}}
Category:Cavia (company) games
Category:Ghost in the Shell video games
Category:Multiplayer and single-player video games
Category:PlayStation 2-only games
Category:Sony Interactive Entertainment games
Category:Video games about terrorism
Category:Video games about police officers
Category:Video games developed in Japan
Category:Video games featuring female protagonists