Ghostbusters: The Video Game

aka: Ghostbusters 3, Los Cazafantasmas: El Videojuego, S.O.S. FantĂ´mes: Le Jeu VidĂŠo
Moby ID: 41225
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Are you troubled by strange noises in the middle of the night? Have you experienced feelings of dread in your basement or attic? Have you or any of your family ever seen a spook, specter or ghost? If the answer is yes then don't wait another minute, pick up the phone and call the professionals...GHOSTBUSTERS!!! Ghostbusters: The Video Game is the first game in almost 20 years based on the Ghostbusters universe and features the actual voices of the original cast: Bill Murray (Peter Venkman), Dan Aykroyd (Ray Stantz), Harold Ramis (Egon Spengler) and Ernie Hudson (Winston Zeddemore), as well as Annie Potts, who reprises her role as Janine Melnitz, and William Atherton, reprising his role as Walter Peck, the team's nemesis from the first film. It also features the soundtrack from the first two films, as composed by the late Elmer Bernstein.

The story (written by Aykroyd and Ramis) takes place in 1991, two years after the Ghostbusters vanquished Vigo and prevented him from taking over the world. Since then, the Ghostbusters have been overrun by the increasing number of spirits appearing in the city and has decided to add a fifth member to the team. This is where the player will step in, taking the place of the nameless "new cadet" of the Ghostbusters, hired to test Egon's new experimental equipment.

Just as the "new cadet" is being initiated into the Ghostbusters, all hell breaks loose in the city as a massive amount of spirit energy has threatened to tear New York apart and it is up to the player along with his new employers to stop a familiar menace. The player will follow the Ghostbusters as they travel through familiar locales and fight familiar enemies including Slimer and the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man using authentic equipment including the famous proton pack and spirit traps to catch the many ghosts swarming throughout the stages. To do so the player must use the proton beam to wear down the ghost and once it gets weak enough, the beam will automatically latch onto the spirit and the player must set out a trap and guide the ghost towards it and keep it from escaping.

There is also new equipment to be used that can be unlocked during later levels as well as being able to upgrade equipped items by acquiring money for catching and destroying ghosts (however money is also deducted for the amount of destruction the player causes on each level). The player can also use the P.K.E. meter to track spirits, as well as scan various objects, ghosts and residue left behind to fill in the Tobin Spirit Guide. The slime cannon from the second film is also present which is used to free possessed people, allowing the player to safely catch ghosts without harming the person.

The story is told through both pre-rendered and in-game cutscenes and differs from its Wii and PS2 iterations which features more of a cartoonish look and feel to the overall game. There are also online multiplayer modes that allow players to meet up with friends online and team up.

Spellings

  • 魔鬼剋星 - Taiwan spelling

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Screenshots

Promos

Credits (Windows version)

437 People (383 developers, 54 thanks) · View all

Starring
Written by
President
CTO
Studio Director
Creative Director
Art Director
Audio Director
Executive Producer
Lead Producer
Project Manager
Production Assistant
Principal Programmer
Lead Programmer
Programmers
[ full credits ]

Reviews

Critics

Average score: 77% (based on 109 ratings)

Players

Average score: 4.0 out of 5 (based on 46 ratings with 4 reviews)

The "game" is not why you should play this

The Good
Script and dialogue by original Ghostbusters creators Great performances by original Ghostbuster cast

The Bad
The actual game is very run-of-the-mill Not very interesting ghost designs

The Bottom Line
During the years there have been maybe 15-20 Ghostbusters games, and probably only two worthwhile ones. This is one of them.

There's two reasons why you would play this game - 1) the script by original Ghostbusters writers and cast Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. 2) The original cast - sadly lacking Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver - does a stellar job and this is one of the rare cases when the cutscenes are actually better than the game.

The game itself is passable - a very cookie-cutter late-00's third person shooter - never bad enough to get frustrating but neither really exciting. There are a couple of interesting weapons, but largely the "game" is forgettable. Interestingly there's no cover mechanic, but the game is probably better without it.

It was criticized at launched for it's short-ish length - around 5 to 7 hours depending on your thoroughness - but in this case it's actually a good thing. This let's you enjoy the script without the gameplay getting too boring.

Sadly the game is lacking in interesting visuals, the freakish ghost designs being one of the appeals of the original movies. The Mega Drive game did a better job of having interesting ghost- and environment designs.

Especially after the catastrophic Paul Feig-helmed movie remake, I would strongly recommend this game to any degree of Ghostbusters fan, despite the actual gameplay being largely uninteresting. It could probably have been even better if it was a movie and not a game, but with the death of Harold Ramis that won't happen. Play it and enjoy the ride, just don't expect the actual gameplay to be rememberable.

Windows · by lights out party (83279) · 2017

“Ray, when someone asks you if you are a God, you say yes!”

The Good
Some 25 years after the original film, Ghostbusters: The Video Game, hit’s the market. Not nearly the first game, to be based on the film or the cartoon on the 80’s, the one thing that may give this one an edge is, it is being written by Dan Akroyd, and Harold Ramis, and features the return of most of the original cast.

And being made by, Terminal Reality, of “Nocturne“, and “Blood Rayne” fame. It is a horror themed game, for the whole family.

You play, the newest recruit to the Ghostbuster team. A nameless and voiceless, fellow. Who will be in on what may be the biggest case yet for the busters.

There are many, references to the films, and fans will enjoy it, they even manage to tie in the disappointing Ghostbusters II, into the storyline. This time, the Lovecraftian, Gozer: The Destroyer, is trying to return. Once more he will assume the form of the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man. Aiding his return is a strange cult. To crack the case, you will travel all over New York, circa 1992, and revisit many of the same places from the films. Such as the Library, and the Sedgewick Hotel.

And all the main characters reprise there roles. Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson. The game is funny too, at parts, and in many ways is better than Ghostbusters II was.

The Gameplay is somewhere between Luigi’s Mansion, and Gears Of War. Yet, there is something more to it. It actually plays like you are a Ghostbuster, if that makes any sense. You must use your gun, to weaken enemies and then trap them. Not all enemies must be trapped. And there are a wide variety of ghosts to bust.

There are also new weapon types. Three others. The stasis gun, fires like a shot gun. The slime gun, fires slime, and there is an energy pulse weapon, not unlike a machine gun. And each gun has two fire modes. For traditional ghosts, you must weaken them, and then capture them, this done by moving the sticks in the opposite direction of the ghoul. It takes a slight learning curve, but after that you will be busting ghosts like a pro.

You also get to play with other Ghostbuster gadgets. Like the PKE meter. In this first person perspective, you can scan for hidden ghosts, as well as “cursed artifacts”. This is a side objective, and can be completely ignored. But it can earn you money and achievements, and the artifacts are then on display in the Ghostbuster HQ. It is worth doing for the extra cash. As cash allows you to upgrade your equipment. Cash is also earned for all the ghosts you capture.

There are also, some cool, creepy moments. Like exploring a desolate mansion, and hearing disembodied voices, say, “Get out”, and “You don’t belong here.” And one part in the library with children, talking and laughing.

The graphics are good, if not exactly “next-gen” quality. And oddly enough the game actually looks better in SD than in HD. Very strange. Even more so if you recall how great “Nocturne” looked for it’s time.

Most if not all, of the Ghostbusters score is recreated here. A bit of a stretch that a score for a 90 minute film, is used in a 20 hour game.

I thought that it was cool, that many of the achievements have names, from the films. Like: “Some one saw a cockroach on twelve.”

The Bad
This game has to have one of the worst save/load systems I have every seen. First of all there is not indication that your game has been saved. Also if you quit, in the Ghostbusters HQ, when you next load your game, it will skip any cut scenes, and take you directly to the next level. So you may miss something crucial.

Then, when you go to load a game, it asks you to pick, where to load it from, then says, loading a game, will replace it, want to proceed? WTF?

The online/multiplayer could have been implemented better. Why is there no on-screen co-op? Or no system link option? The multiplayer is online only. It’s fun, just to restrictive.

The graphics could be better, and what is the deal, with the SD looking better than HD?

Sometimes, Bill Murray, sounds like he is just phoning it in. It can be very strange.

Did they have to include Ghostbusters II? While I am on the subject, please do not make a Ghostbusters III. Can’t this game count as the third one instead? The game can rely to heavily on the films at times, even some of the lines are the same.

The Bottom Line
Ghostbuster fans, will love this one, for others, I can say, that it is much better than most licensed games, and worth checking out.

Xbox 360 · by MasterMegid (723) · 2009

The Best Way To Not Be Afraid of Ghosts.

The Good
Unlike a lot of licensed games, Ghostbusters completely captures the (pun intended) spirit of the films. Everything from the music, the hum of the proton blaster, the snide comments from Venkman, it's all here.

The game is total fan service, making loving homages to what was great about both films, and throwing in a few clever nods to the animated series as well. Ghostbuster wannabes can explore the firehouse to their heart's content, finding a treasure trove of relics and fun things to examine.

The story is incredible. It feels like the third movie, with all of the jokes and comments thrown in at just the right time. It's one of the few video games out there that understands the importance of delivery, and does it well. The story also provides a solid mystery for the Ghostbusters to figure out, and keeps players entertained until the end credits roll.

Dan Akroyd and Ernie Hudson pour their hearts into their characters. The others are good, but the level of "Ray Stanz" enthusiasm is infectious and so much fun. Egon deadpans, Peter smarms, Janine complains, and it all works perfectly. Kudos for bringing back almost the entire cast.

Ghostbusting itself.... It's perfect. I've waited for nearly 25 years to feel like a Ghostbuster, and this is my chance. From fighting to bust ghosts, to scanning with the PKE Meter, it all feels natural, and near giddy in execution. When you trap a ghost, you know you've earned it. When you get really good, you can do some amazing things with the weaponry to bring ghosts in ever faster. The feeling of discovery is remarkable.

What surprised me about the game is how genuinely creepy it is. Not just a little bit, but when normal environments start transforming into the supernatural, there is a chilling feeling of unease. There's even a few jumps in there. Again, they found the right FEELING for this game.

For the most part, the cut scenes are excellent, and feel like a movie.

Multi-player? Simple, to the point, and fun. You find a good team of online players, things get crazy. Not to mention the thrill of finding a "special" ghost, which takes on a Pokemon "Gotta catch 'em all" rush to trap the exclusive spook.

The Bad
There are, unfortunately a few minor problems with the game.

The lip-synching is way off. It's not too apparent sometimes, but it does pull one out of the realm of the game's world. Some animations are also a little too stiff, especially in walking animations.

The Meson Collider is useless. The other weapons are fantastic, traditional and inventive. Take this with a grain of salt, but the yellow blaster feels a little TOO video-gamey, as if it doesn't belong in the game's world.

Bill Murray's performance is hit and miss. There are lines he delivers with total conviction and personality of Peter Venkman. There are other lines where it sounds like he'd rather be a million miles away.

There are also times where the player spends most of its time saving the other team members than focusing on 'busting. The AI isn't "stupid" as a whole, but there are times that it makes really bad mistakes. There have also been times that the game has had to be restarted as team members don't move to the next checkpoint to trigger the next objective.

The Gamestop downloadable Ghostbusters 2 jumpsuit also has a glitch in the single player mode where the original logo overlaps the updated logo. It's a really sloppy move for what is supposed to be an exclusive and special download.

The Bottom Line
Considering all the trials and tribulations and delays and losses of publishers, it was questionable if Ghostbusters would ever come out, much less be a solid and enjoyable gaming experience. But it survived, and the extra few months undoubtedly made it a much better game.

Ghostbusters is truly a "one of a kind" experience. With the game reuniting the major cast, the writers, the music, the sounds, the characters, the none too subtle nods to the fans, and the feeling of bringing a childhood daydream to digital life, this is the first time that a "Summer blockbuster" doesn't make its debut in theaters, but on a person's television screen.

Every ghost you bust is a challenge that doesn't get repetitive. You feel like you're part of the team. The Rookie character is left undefined so that the player can take the part of the role and make it themselves with their imagination, and there is a gleeful rush of pride when you team up with the whole crew, looking the way they should, sounding the way they should, evokes a sense of "magic" that you simply don't find in a licensed game. You feel like you're actually part of the team, and that's something special in itself.

There are a few minor quirks that momentarily detract, but the whole of the experience is solid. Kudos to Atari for actually having the brains to pick this title up and making sure that we're "ready to believe" all over again.

Xbox 360 · by Guy Chapman (1748) · 2009

[ View all 4 player reviews ]

Trivia

Development

  • Sigourney Weaver was originally approached to reprise her role of Dana Barrett, but turned down the proposal. However, she later learned that Bill Murray was involved with the project and was interested, but by that time development was too far in that she couldn't be included. As a result, her character was written out of the script and instead replaced by another love interest voiced by Alyssa Milano.
  • Bill Murray agreed to reprise his role as Peter Venkman under the one condition that each Ghostbuster would receive equal screen time.

References

The game Q*Bert is one of the arcade games found in the Ghostbuster's rec room. Interacting with the game results in the Q*Bert theme being played. There is also a pinball machine, which appears to be based on Nocturne, another game by Terminal Reality. It features the main screen of the game, with the full moon, but it cannot be activated.

Awards

  • GameSpy
    • 2009 - The Reunited (and It Feels So Good) Award

Information also contributed by Guy Chapman and MasterMegic

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Contributors to this Entry

Game added by Big John WV.

Windows added by Sicarius.

Additional contributors: jaXen, LepricahnsGold, OFF, Picard, Paulus18950, Patrick Bregger, Starbuck the Third.

Game added June 28, 2009. Last modified January 27, 2024.