When most people talk about Ghost in the Shell, they're referring to the classic anime movie. Some may talk about its follow-up series, Stand Alone Complex, or some may talk about the original manga.
Few, however, will ever mention the games based on the anime.
That's not to say that Ghost in the Shell games are bad, it's just that most have been forgotten. There were games on the original PlayStation, the PlayStation 2, even the PlayStation Portable — but none of them ever did well enough to be considered commercial successes. They weren't terrible, but they weren't all that great, either.
While previous games may have tried to adapt Ghost in the Shell's story into a recognizable gaming format, it seems like developer Nexon is taking the opposite route. Ghost in the Shell: First Assault is a brutal first-person shooter with a heavy emphasis on tactical play, upgradable skills and acrobatics — but it may be unrecognizable to longtime Ghost in the Shell fans.
Ghost in the Shell had plenty of action, sure, but it was its philosophical take on science fiction that makes the series what it is. There were plenty of violent gunfights, but they existed to serve the story — here, it looks as if most of the story has been stripped away in favor of ridiculously over-the-top action.
Not that First Assault looks bad by any means: while it's not necessarily on the cutting edge from a graphical standpoint, the brief gameplay trailer manages to show off a lot of what First Assault has to offer. While it's hard to say what the game will ultimately end up playing like, the trailer makes it look like a blend of Rainbow Six, Counter-Strike and Halo: the video may show nothing but explosions and blasting enemies through walls, but the developer promises a focus on team- and skill-based gameplay as well.
There's no word on when First Assault will launch, but Nexon is hosting a closed beta in the coming months — if you want to sign up, just head on over to the developer's official site.
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