is a 1997 third-person shooter video game developed by Exact and published by Sony Computer Entertainment for the PlayStation. A part of the larger Ghost in the Shell media franchise, it utilizes the same English voice cast as the feature film of the same name, although the two do not share a story continuity. The game was released in July 1997 in Japan, December 1997 by THQ in North America and July 1998 in Europe. Soundtrack albums, an artbook and a guidebook were produced to accompany the game.
The game's story and art design were written and illustrated by Masamune Shirow, the author of the original manga. Ghost in the Shells plot revolves around a recruit of Public Security Section 9 as he investigates and combats the Human Liberation Front. The player controls a Fuchikoma, a robotic fighting vehicle capable of traversing walls and ceilings.
The game received mainly positive reviews. It was praised for its graphics, animation, music and unusual wall-climbing mechanics. However, it received criticism for its tedious and repetitive gameplay and low difficulty. Fifteen years after its release, Game Informer listed Ghost in the Shell as one of the best manga and anime-based games.
Gameplay
thumb|left|The player's Fuchikoma robot scaling a skyscraper and attacking an enemy
The player controls a spider-shaped think tank robot, known as Fuchikoma, that is able to jump, thrust forward, strafe to the side, climb walls, and hang upside-down from ceilings. The camera auto-adjusts its position when scaling walls and ceilings for easy maneuvering, Enemies vary from humanoid robots to helicopters and sport an array of firearms and explosives.
The concept for the Fuchikoma came from one climactic scene of the film: the battle between Motoko Kusanagi and the big spider-like tank in the museum of paleontology. Based on this tank design, mecha creators Shōji Kawamori and Atsushi Takeuchi made a smaller version, designed for one person, that would be used by the police. Thus, the player becomes the pilot of one of these combat machines. The scenes are a combination of traditional animation and backgrounds that were rendered in three dimensions to ensure smooth transitions for the camera movement. Adobe Photoshop was used to add the finishing details to the scenes.
The Japanese voicing of the game was done by a different cast than the film's: Motoko Kusanagi was played by Hiromi Tsuru, Batou by Shinji Ogawa, Chief Aramaki by Soichi Ito, Ishikawa by Kiyoshi Kobayashi, Togusa by Hirotaka Suzuoki, Saito by Nobuyuki Hiyama, and the Fuchikoma were voiced by Katsue Miwa. A Japanese demo disc was also released with the first mission playable.
The first edition of Official U.S. PlayStation Magazine was published in October 1997 and featured the game on its cover. Having acquired the North American license to publish Ghost in the Shell video games in mid-1996, THQ released the game in North America on December 2, 1997. It was released in Europe by Sony Computer Entertainment on July 1, 1998. THQ's producer Don Nauert said that aside from dubbing and changing the button configuration, the English localization of the game was not modified nor censored. Two versions of the albums were released by Sony Music Entertainment Japan on July 17, 1997: Megatech Body CD., a standard single disc; and Megatech Body CD., Ltd., a limited two-disc edition. Megatech Vinyl. Ltd. was a limited two LP record set scheduled to be released.
| total_length = 63:30 <!-- with fractions of second -->
| title1 = Ghost in the Shell
| writer1 = Takkyu Ishino
| length1 = 6:44
| title2 = Firecracker
| writer2 = Mijk van Dijk
| length2 = 5:25
| title3 = Ishikawa Surfs The System
| writer3 = Brother From Another Planet
| length3 = 3:58
| title4 = Spook & Spell (Fast Version)
| writer4 = Hardfloor
| length4 = 5:53
| title5 = Featherhall
| writer5 = Westbam
| length5 = 6:42
| title6 = The Vertical
| writer6 = Joey Beltram
| length6 = 6:28
| title7 = Blinding Waves
| writer7 = Scan X
| length7 = 4:44
| title8 = The Searcher Part II
| writer8 = The Advent
| length8 = 3:27
| title9 = Spectre
| writer9 = BCJ
| length9 = 5:46
| title10 = Can U Dig It
| writer10 = Dave Angel
| length10 = 7:17
| title11 = To Be or Not To Be (Off the Cuff Mix)
| writer11 = Derrick May
| length11 = 7:01
Related media
Kodansha released three books and one video about the game. was published on July 4, 1997; the artbook contains concept designs, scenes and commentary. Two guidebooks were published: on July 17, 1997, and on August 29, 1997. The video, , features interviews with the animation staff; it was released on VHS on April 22, 1998. A LaserDisc was also released in 1998 that included interviews on side A and the in-game cutscenes on side B.