You'll receive help from others along the way, both in person as a fighting partner and also through the communication system. There is a great deal of voices used in Shogo. All communications are done via text on-screen and acted voices. All of this adds immensely to the game. Explosions ring out as do your shots as they are fired.
Background music varies depending on the circumstances in the game and is none too obtrusive.
I turn off the music in most games I play, but the thought never even occurred during Shogo. Many times you can pick off enemies one by one when the others should have been alerted to your presence by seeing their comrade fall by their side. Even as the game stands, I find it a welcome change to pop a few enemies without being bombarded by his friends. The other major fix in the point release will be the multiplayer lag. I have heard so much negative feedback about the multiplayer that I didn't even give it a try for this review.