Ghostbusters
Way back in the 80s Ghostbusters was somewhat of a phenomenon. The two classic movies saw four scientists catching ectoplasmic ghosts with fantastic equipment like proton guns while spitting out geeky jokes. Plans for a third movie were canned years ago, but for the 25th anniversary of the original Ghostbusters the third adventure has been turned into a video game.
Ghostbusters starts off with a bang. A paranormal phenomenon at the Museum swipes over New York, and ghosts start crawling out all over town. The Ghostbusters have to put in extra hours, and alongside them are you, their newest member who has been hired to test the newest and most dangerous gear.
While they try to uncover the reasons for the paranormal wave rattling New York, the Ghostbusters must capture a multitude of different ectoplasmic entities. This process is divided in two parts. First you have to catch the ghost with your squirmy proton stream and tire it until it's powerless enough to submit to a ghost trap lying on the floor. Aiming and catching a ghost can be marvelously tough. This leads to utter destruction of the surroundings.
I suppose you could call Ghostbusters a shooter, since you're aiming at moving ghosts with a gun. However, the child-like lightheartedness erases any hint of violence out of the game. Stylistically Ghostbusters falls somewhere in between a movie and an animation with its carricature characters and colourful surroundings. Thanks to its childish looks, it's hard to take the game very seriously, and Ghostbusters is at its best if you take it as a child-friendly movie.
Ghostbusters has no problems with bringing out familiar characters. The big baddies from the movies are back, and even the smaller spooks are old favorites. The array of apparitions includes green fan favorite Slimer, shushing old lady in the library and even the Stay Puft marshmallow man. The familiar characters make the game feel somewhat recycled, even though there are plenty of new tricks and creatures as well. On the other hand, the familiar elements as well as the original voice actors give the game a surprisingly genuine Ghostbusters feel.
The game is not without its faults, though. Finding the correct path forward can take way too long, as there's a lack of any guidance. Sometimes your friends can start a conversation and dash off while talking, leaving you to stand around and wonder where everyone went. The base mechanic is a bit too light, although the extra gear available for purchase brings varied tactics to ghostbusting. In the end all this doesn't really matter, though. Ghostbusters is a funny action adventure aimed at kids, and it should entertain the older fans as well. After all, the love for the franchise shines through very strong.
| Graphics: | 7 |
| Gameplay: | 6 |
| Sound: | 7 |
| Lasting appeal: | 5 |
| Our score: | 7/10 |
- System:PC, PS3, Xbox 360
- Genre:Action
- Developer:Terminal Reality
- Producer:Atari
- Offline players:1-2
- Online players:1-4
- Age limit:From 12 years
- Release date:18 June 2009
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- Ghostbusters PS2/Wii
- Kane & Lynch: Dead Men Multi
Which one of these upcoming Q1 releases are you most excited about?
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