Not excellent, but note worthy in the world of Anime video games...
The game play is quirky, to say the least. At sometimes I like, but other times it's just crazy. I like the concept of cracking into enemies' ghosts, but the execution is questionable at best. The regular run'n'gun action is fun, but lacks variety. The melee action shares the same flaw. The game is a little too challenging on hard, but way too easy on normal. There was no happy medium, unfortunately.
As has been said before and I will repeat it, this game is for fans only and does not bring non-fans into the fold. For the sake of being a Ghost in the Shell game, I would suggest that fans of the series rent this game, then make their own decisions. The controls are a bit cumbersome and even when you think you have them down can surprise you once in a while.
Maybe not a fan's wet dream, but pretty close to one.