The 2nd game to make use of the GITS license does so with superb style.
Visuals: 8.5
OK, so there are better looking 3rd person shooters on the PS2. But having said that, while parts of certain environments may tend to look a little bland, other futuristic environments look fantastic. The designers have really captured that futuristic sci-fi anime feel, and I doubt any GITS fan or PS2 owner was disappointed with these visuals, or how well they capture the feel of SAC. The playable characters Motoko & Batou look great and are well-detailed, the same can be said for enemies. Gunfire and explosions are particularly pretty. I guess in the end the thing really lacking here was a few more interesting environments for the action to take place in.
Audio: 8.5
I found most of the techno-ish music to be solid, and consistent with the overall futuristic concept. While there aren't any truly memorable tunes on offer, everything audible compliments the on-screen action. Sound FX are really well done, and everything that should sound good in a 3rd person action title does. The boom of an exploding grenade, the rapid-fire of the machine guns etc are crisp and loud. The voice acting is straight out of the SAC series, and so is spot-on. Kusanagi sounds smart and sexy, Batou sounds tough as nails and the dialogue, like that in the series, is smart and quick-paced. On par with the visuals.
Gameplay: 8
On your first pick up, SAC requires time to get used to the controls. Running, jumping, shooting, taking cover (all the 3rd person action basics) certainly require the player to spend a few hours getting used to the feel. The button selection is fairly unusual for a game in this genre, and I found that it wasn't until my 2nd play that I felt at home with the button arrangement and gameplay mechanics. However once you've taken the time to adjust, it's smooth going all the way. Controls are tight, responsive and let's face it: we love to shoot things. Most of the time, whether controlling either available cyborg, you'll be running around basting the crud out of enemies. This is more so the case with tough-guy Batou, who uses bigger guns and can take a beating. With sexy heroine Kusanagi, there is a bit more jumping, path-finding, and puzzle solving rquired, though nothing very taxing apart from the occasional need to time and position several successive jumps to perfection, probably for me the only frustrating aspect of the gameplay once I was used to the controls. Both heroes control equally well though. One last thing of note is the hacking ability, which allows the player to control an enemy for a short period. Gunning down fellow enemies much to their surprise provides some the funnest moments in the game.
Replay Value: 7.5
A mixed bag. Immediately after having completed the main mission, which wasn't too long, but very enjoyable, I felt the desire to go back and play through SAC in a higher difficulty. I did so for a while, before I became enthralled in some other game I was playing and lost interest. Months down the track, feeling like playing a 3rd person action title and having played the hell out of Metal Gear 2, I remembered SAC. I popped it in, but much to my dismay, after not having played it for 6 months or so, I just couldn't get used to the controls again. I couldn't be bothered spending the time necessary to re-adjust, so i shelved it permanently. So.. an enjoyable enough adventure for fans to want to play through more than once, for those willing to re-train themselves.
Overall: 8.5
In the end, despite controls that take time to get used to and a few uninteresting environments, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex has more than enough positives to make it a great experience for fans, and still a solid 3rd person action title for those less familiar with GITS.