There has been a paucity of quality first-person shooters released for the PSP since its introduction in 2005, but Ghost in the Shell does its part to solve that problem. You can choose to play as one of four Shell characters—the voluptuous (for a cartoon character) Major Motoku, the bearlike Batou, the humanesque Tosuga or the tech-savvy Saito—as you blast your way through six story chapters, each jam-packed with up to five missions, which in turn may be cleared by each of the four characters. The missions are a delightfully diverse lot. There's everything from dashing about to plant timed bombs, to rescuing hostages, to just gunning down gobs of bad guys. Additionally, a Tachikoma, which is a small (compact-car-sized) walking tank, accompanies the chosen character. Not only does the Tachikoma gleefully assist in gunning down the opposition, but it can also be ordered to scout specific map locations, hang back, hold its fire or take the lead. It's a nice tactical touch.

There's also some solid multiplayer action slapped on the UMD. You can deathmatch individually or in teams, with the characters or Tachikomas (but not both). There are eight maps over which you can battle, and although none will win any mapping awards, nor are they very big, they are just right for a quick multiplayer fix while sipping coffee in Starbucks.

Unbeatable atmosphere and action

To succeed, games need to transport the player from his workaday existence into the game's reality. Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex does that better than many bigger-budget, more-capable platform (i.e., PC, PS2 and Xbox) titles I've played. Many shooters make even the most adept players feel they are all thumbs, and so would it be with Shell if not for its "auto-lock" capability. A simple flick of the fingers will lock your chosen weapon on the nearest target within range and line of sight. With auto-lock you can focus on who you want to kill, how to avoid being killed and what's next in your mission. In other words, step into Major Motoko's world and fight her enemies, not the PSP's thumb stick.

Yet there is more to it than an auto-lock mechanism. The missions are engaging, varied and creative. What other game has you blasting an old M-48 tank in one mission, attempting to stun a runaway robot in another, quickly defusing bombs in the next and then gunning your way to a hostage? And all the blasting and gunning takes place in amazingly stylish (considering the PSP's limitations) environments. From the reddish hues and sidewalk shops of Old Town to the maze of harborfront crates, the levels not only feel like they were ripped right out of the pages of Shirow's manga, but suck you in as if they were an alternate reality.

But there's more ... the Tachikoma's humorous dialogue as they struggle with their self-awareness, the thumpingly good weapon audio, the ability to equip your characters and Tachikoma with an almost endless variety of weapons. This game is not only the best shooter I've played on the PSP but one of the best shooters I've ever played. The game's combination of atmosphere and action make it too good to put down.