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Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Release Date: June 16, 2009 (North America), June 19, 2009 (Europe)
Reviewed On: PlayStation 3
Also Available On: PC, Xbox 360, Nintendo Wii, PlayStation 2, PSP
Developer: Terminal Reality (Single Player), Threewave Software (Multiplayer)
Publisher: Atari
ESRB Rating: Everyone 10+ - Comic Mischief, Fantasy Violence
PEGI Rating: 6+ - Violence, Fear
OFLC Rating: PG - Mild Themes
Intro:
The Ghostbusters are back, and it’s about time! I have always been a fan of the Ghostbusters franchise, and when the game was first announced by Sierra Entertainment a few years back, I could not wait to get my hands on it. I went into this game and review with a lot of high hopes for a great Ghostbusters game. Knowing that many movie franchises fail to succeed in the gaming realm, I knew what to expect. But by time the game’s credits were rolling and I had ranked up a few levels in the online multiplayer campaign, could you or I really say that “bustin makes me feel good?”
Graphics:
Developers Terminal Reality brought forth their newly designed Infernal Engine to develop the Ghostbusters game. The Infernal engine is able to pull of some great looking worlds. Character models look top notch and resemble the real life actors, well, the 1980’s look anyway. Many minor characters also carry the same high level detail as the Ghostbusters themselves do, which are a nice surprise considering most games just design a more basic model.
Egon, Complete With Big Hair.
Unfortunately where Ghostbusters contains its best visuals it also contains the worst: facial animations. Many of the characters depict odd head bobs and turns during many of the cut scenes that just do not feel natural and make the game seem just a bit too cartoony. Not much can be said for the atmosphere of the so-called New York City because you won’t see much of it, including any of its iconic structures. Some of the later levels do look quite nice, as odd as some may be, but they do look believable and are enjoyable to run around in and create some proton-based destruction. Not much was done with lighting effects to give Ghostbusters a crisper more polished feel, which could have done a lot to make the game look better overall. Luckily, the flames and explosions you leave in your path of destruction are just as pleasurable to look at as they are fun to create.
Story:
The great minds behind the script of the two Ghostbusters films, Dan Akroid and Harold Ramis, have returned to lend not just their voices and consulting talents but the whole written script as well. Any fan or occasional Ghostbusters onlooker should only expect the same great Sci-Fi comedy for what has been penned by the writers as the third chapter in the Ghostbusters universe. This much is expected and was promised but not delivered. You are introduced to the game as a new recruit and trainee to the Ghostbusters offices, brought on the team to help test out experimental new equipment. Your characters name is never revealed due to the team not wanting to become too attached to you for fear of your untimely death. Additionally your character never speaks, and does nothing more then the occasional head nod or optimistic facial expression when the other characters dialogues are directed towards him. Needless to say you won’t feel connected to your character.
Many story holes are also very apparent, like when did Winston get a doctorate degree? What happened to Danna Barrete and her child Oscar from the second film? And where did the Ghostbusters’s accountant/night school attorney go? The game supposedly takes place in 1991, so with not much time passing from the last films story in 1989 you would expect a bit more of a connection between the two. More of an association between the second film could have really helped to make the story all the more pleasing. The game relies strongly on the plot of the first film having the Ghostbusters fight many familiar foes such as The Destructor Form more commonly acknowledged as The Stay-Puff Marshmallow man and the Librarian ghost both make a return as do many familiar locations visited in the first film such as the Hotel Sedgwick. Overall the story is pleasing to play through and discover the whole new period of the Ghostbusters, but the story feels like it could have had a lot more back-story even if that means more cut scenes. It would have made for a much better game paying tribute to the many fans that have been waiting for something new from the Ghostbusters all these years.
Welcome Back To The New York Public Library
Gameplay:
“Light Em’ Up. Doe, Ray, EGON!” Putting on the proton pack and blasting the spooky specters never played out so immensely entertaining. Early in the game you are introduced to the classic proton pack that we all know and love from the first two films. Soon you will begin testing out Egon’s new additions to the big honking nuclear accelerator strapped to your backside. The new additional proton pack armaments conceptually mimic real world weapons like a shotgun, assault rifle, and rocket launcher. These new additions are a nice change of pace and play a major role as you fight a variety of ghostly foes.
Gameplay is broken up and slowed down way too often because of the required use of the PKE meter and accompanying goggles used for scanning traces of slime, discovering hidden objects, and identifying all the different ghosts and spooks. Luckily, a variety of physics puzzles and enemy types you encounter help to make the gameplay exciting in every mission. I was surprised with such a short campaign, but what is there can be very enjoyable. With the new weapon types and upgrades that can be purchased as well as destruction to be had throughout New York City, all of these new weapons and destruction makes the game fun to go all the way through.
Get Use To Seeing This Sight Way Too Much
Controls:
“Don’t cross the streams!” Be ready to hear this more than a few times as you attempt to wrangle up some pesky ghosts throughout the Ghostbusters game. As mentioned prior your character will as the game progresses become equipped with several new weapons all of which are easily able to switch to using the D-Pad on your controller, there is a slight delay between activating the weapon switch and the weapon actually becoming useable, but this is understandable as a gameplay mechanic. Each weapon comes with two ‘firing’ types that are easily able to be used and if you don’t watch out your pack will need to release pressure and heat causing you to lose precious seconds in those tough battles, so watch your packs indicator to know when to self release.
Every function in Ghostbusters is easily manageable inside the game and works as it should. The same cannot be said however for the various menus found outside of gameplay. Loading from one area to another can be slow, and your Career mode’s ‘continue story’ option is often not shown in the menu which can cause some serious headaches. By jumping from one menu area to another a few times your continue story option will reappear and you can continue your game in-progress. With no load save game data option this can make for a major headache to the unknowing gamer.
Audio:
To delight, many of the major actors have made a return to the Ghostbusters game with a few exceptions that did not return like Sigourney Weaver (Danna Barrett) and Rick Moranis (Louis Tully). The now older original Ghostbusters are still able to pull off that comedic dialogue without any dilemma and each stay true to the original character pulling off a movie quality performance. This cannot be said for every voice in Ghostbusters: Alyssa Milano takes on the role of Dr.Ilyssa Selwyn the new love interest of Dr.Venkman. While Ms.Milano does not bring a terrible performance to the game, her character is just not very deep and you will not care much for her even though the plot will revolve around her character in the later levels. Also making a return is Peck; you may remember him from the original Ghostbusters film. The actor behind Peck’s character William Atherton is now back and is once again another thorn in the Ghostbusters side. Also making an enjoyable return is the Ghostbusters trusty yet overworked underpaid receptionists Janine Melnitz voiced once again by Annie Potts. Another strange addition to the cast is Brian Doyle-Murray (Bill Murray’s Brother) who as some may remember played the part of the insane asylum doctor in the second film. The actor is back yet again for the game but this time playing the part of the new mayor of New York, Jock Mulligan. Since the character is a rendition of Mr.Murray it can make for some confusion as to if that is the same character of the second film or the writers and developers hoped that no one would remember this minor role in the second film.
Get Her! Get Her Ray? That Was Your Brilliant Idea?
Who You Gonna Call? ………… GHOSTBUSTERS! If you didn’t hear this Ray Parker Jr. song enough during all the trailers and promotions leading up to the release of the Ghostbusters game then you’re in luck because that is pretty much the whole soundtrack. You will probably grow tired of the very limited soundtrack that disappoints with just creepy filler ambiance music and the main menu music from the original film. Unlike the first film, the second contained a more varied soundtrack including Bobby Brown, Jackie Wilson, Oingo Boingo and Doug E. Fresh. No mega music hits of 1991 or prior is included and make for a major disappointment as you play through the game, this also makes the game’s timeline uninteresting.
Multiplayer:
Ghostbusters: The Video Game contains an enjoyable online experience if you are lucky enough to buy the PlayStation 3 or Xbox 360 version as these are the only two versions releasing with it. Every online mode in Ghostbusters is a cooperative game except for the slime dunk which pits you and three other Ghostbusters against one another trying to rack up the most money by capturing as many Slimers as you can in a short period of time. The other modes rely heavily on teamwork and are very enjoyable if you work together. In these modes you have to fend off waves and waves of ghosts or destroy artifacts that are spawning ghosts and another where you must defend precious artifacts that the ghosts are attempting to steal.
You'll Need To Work Together Online To Beat The Toughest Spooks
A few large problems and downsides are found in the online functions which is the result of the differences in the North American and European versions that cause the inability to play with anyone from the other region giving a “wrong map version” error. With the PlayStation versions releasing first in Europe and Australia, PlayStation 3 owners will quickly become frustrated when they are booted from a game or part of your team is removed due to this major error.
With the addition of the new Ghostbuster in the singleplayer campaign that accounts for five people, but the online multiplayer only allows for up to four players to connect. You are able to select which character you want to portray in the matches as well as what type of weapon your character wields; however only the standard proton pack stream is unlimited and any other selections will run out quickly forcing you to find power ups throughout the online levels. In the online mode one of the power ups that can be found is the positively charged pink slime that was created during the second film that if sprayed on ghosts will turn them good for a short duration helping you to fend off other attackers. Online modes are fun but it becomes a very frustrating challenge to find a full game with three other players throughout.
Summary:
Ghostbusters: The Video Game is an enjoyable experience; unfortunately many problems plague the game with the storyline holes taking the forefront. If you want a fun to play Ghostbusters experience then look no further than this game. Fans of the film will be both excited and disappointed in this gaming rendition of two great 1980’s classics, but it passes off well on its own merits as something worth picking up for anyone somewhat interested in the franchise.
Total Gaming Network Rating: 7.5/10
*While this game was released on multiple platforms this review only reflects the contents of the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC versions. The PC version of the game contains no online multiplayer component.*
~Kieran Manzi