Ghostbusters: The Video Game

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.