Review: Ghostbusters: The Video Game

July 6, 2009

Developer: Terminal Reality
Publisher: Atari
Platforms: Xbox 360, PS3, PS2, Wii, DS, PC
Played on: Xbox 360
Rating: 8 out of 10
Rated: T (Teen)

The Deal:

Every so often there are certain games we just can't wait to get our grubby little hands on. When Ghostbusters: The Video Game was announced, we circled the release date on the calendar and started counting down the days like the geeks that we are. After all, it's been 25 years since the Ghostbusters movie hit the big screen and a reunion of any sort would be any fan's dream.

Set in 1991, two years after Ghostbusters II, the game lets players take the role of a new, no-name Ghostbuster recruit. Manhattan is overrun with ghosts and once again the Ghostbusters unit is called upon to rid the city of the menace. The gang is all here (Peter, Egon, Ray and Winston) and they've also added Alyssa Milano in the role of Peter's love interest, Dr. Illyssa Selwyn.

So does this game live up to the hype or does it get by based on the laurels of its movie license?

The Good...

-It doesn't get much better than this - the original Ghostbusters return and you're a part of their team. As you play the game, you'll interact with the cast members and feel like you're an actual Ghostbuster. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson all provide their voice acting talents and they do a good job. The one knock is that the lip synching is a little off during cut scenes and it becomes somewhat off-putting.

-For the most part, the story flows and is full of typical Ghostbusters humour. Apparently, the story was written by Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis specifically for the game, and includes parts that couldn't make the films. We found ourselves laughing out loud at quite a few of the comedic bits.

-Ultimately, trapping ghosts is the name of the game and the capturing mechanic works well and feels satisfying. Once ghosts are weakened and entangled within your proton stream, it‘s fun as you wrangle and battle to put the ghosts in your traps.

-The graphics look great. Your proton streams are colourful as you blast them at the ghosts. Fan favourites like Slimer illuminate beautifully in the dark and the Stay Puff Marshmellow Man looks large and intimidating. The only beef is that there's some minor slowdown in the framerate when things get heavy and hectic.

-Another surprising aspect we enjoy is that there are a few minor scares. At times, we'd be exploring a dark corridor with our PKE meter and something would jump out unexpectedly, scaring the crap out of us. It was something we didn't expect from a comedy-based game.

-Multiplayer options abound and are fun. Our favourite is the "Slime Dunk" challenge, which lets you compete against others to capture the most ghosts. It's a frantic competition that you can spend hours playing.

The Bad...

-Disappointingly, there isn't a co-op option. The bulk of the game usually involves you working with the original cast to catch ghosts. The game encourages a teamwork dynamic (you can heal fallen Ghostbuster comrades or vice versa), so it's a wonder why no co-op option was included.

Final Word: Strap on your proton pack: Ghostbusters: The Video Game is one hell of a nostalgic ride. Although it doesn't meet its pre-release hype, it's more than enough fun to satisfy a fan of the films.