Ghost in the Shell[ja 1] 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.

Ghost in the Shell's plot revolves around a recruit of Public Security Section 9 as he investigates and combats the Human Liberation Front.

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.

[2][3] The camera auto-adjusts its position when scaling walls and ceilings for easy maneuvering,[2] and automatically switches between first and third-person perspectives depending on the environment, although the player can stay in first-person view at will.

The twelve missions that compose the story take place in different environments, including a warehouse complex, a sewer, the city highways, and the enemy base inside of a skyscraper.

The plot follows the members of Public Security Section 9, mainly consisting of Major Motoko Kusanagi, Chief Aramaki, Batou, Togusa, Ishikawa, Saito, and a nameless male, the Rookie, controlled by the player.

After the terrorist organization known as the Human Liberation Front claims responsibility for blowing up the Megatech Body Corporation building, Section 9 is sent to resolve the situation.

Eventually, the Human Liberation Front's secret base is discovered in Aeropolis II tower by following the enemy supply line, along with the terrorists' intentions of using a nuclear reactor.

Ishikawa informs Aramaki that an official of the Energy Ministry named Sawamura has been in contact with Zebra and is connected to Megatech Body Corporation.

In order to shut it down, squad leader Motoko Kusanagi attempts to remove the protective barrier from an access point nearby, as the rest of the team search for the other building's control room.

The game was in development for one and a half years, and involved the work of several divisions, being Kenji Sawaguchi and Tetsuji Yamamoto the total director and producer respectively.

[10][11] The scenes are noticeably different when compared to the film namesake directed by Mamoru Oshii, because the game is colored using a full digital technique.

[9] Motoko was voiced by Mimi Woods, Batou by Richard Epcar, Aramaki by William Frederick, and Togusa by Christopher Joyce; the roles of Bob Papenbrook, Wendee Lee, Jimmy Krakor and Julie Maddalena are not reliably known.

The event featured the game's music artists Takkyu Ishino, Joey Beltram and Mijk van Dijk performing live, and a Fuchikoma robot appeared.

[5] 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.

Ghost in the Shell Official Art Book[ja 3] was published on July 4, 1997; the artbook contains concept designs, scenes and commentary.

[3] GameFan reviewers cited the game's unique wall-scaling mechanics and stated that it lives up to the name of the Ghost in the Shell series.

[8] NowGamer praised the gameplay mechanics but criticized the option to unlock, stating, "The tremendous feeling of agility you get from Ghost In The Shell and the slick weapons is where the fun comes from.