Ghostbusters: The Video Game  

Yes, yes…we all know who we’re gonna call. 

Played on Playstation 3 

Review by Coxster 

Don’t quote me, but I think that Australia seems to be the only place in the world where this game is coming out on the Playstation 3 ahead of the Xbox 360 version. Although it seems to be distributed by Atari everywhere else, it seems that Sony pictures seem to have first dibs in this region, and since Sony take care of Sony first, it is of course logical that the Playstation 3 gets a launch ahead of the competition. I know it might seem unfair if you don’t have both systems (and not everyone does) so I’ll be interested to see when the 360 version finally does get on Australian shelves.  

First of all I have to be honest with you all and say that I am a huge Ghostbusters fanboy.  The original Ghostbusters movie is one of my all time favourites and I watch it every couple of months, hell I even like the sequel that everyone else seems to hate.  The thing that strikes me most about this game is that it is a completely new story that carries on sometime after the second movie during the early 90s.  You play as a voiceless and nameless rookie who is hired to test experimental ghostbusting equipment.  The reason why he stays nameless and doesn’t speak up is that the other Ghostbusters don’t want to get too attached to him due to the nature of his job (testing experimental equipment which could explode at any moment).  I know that sounds a bit corny but it’s a device that allows you to sit back and watch the other Ghostbusters interact with each other and listen to their banter, while still being able to partake in some of the action.  

Back off man, I'm a scientist

The best thing about this game is that it feels like an official Ghostbusters game, it has been written by Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis and stars the original cast, which is no easy feat considering the calibre of the stars here.   While Moranis and Weaver are absent, it can be forgiven when you have the four original Ghostbusters all lending their voices and likenesses toward the project, plus lets not forget that Walter Peck (the EPA villain we all love to hate) is back as well.   It’s quite obvious that the creators have gone to great lengths to make sure that this game does the movies justice, not only have they succeeded in that task, but I appreciate the effort as a huge fan.  If only more licensed games were so focused on providing such a close relationship with the source material.  

Gozer is back, Stay Puft is back, the Grey Lady is back, there are plenty of clear head nods to the movies and being able to face them all in a game has definitely been a dream come true for me.   Hell you even have to recapture Slimer at the Sedgwick again, I wonder who will get slimed this time?  The fan-service is at an all time high and makes Ghostbusters stand heads and shoulders above other movie related games.

Next time someone asks if you are a god, you say YES!

Luckily the gameplay is just as good as the fan service and trapping ghosts is an absolute blast!  They have nailed the look of the proton pack and in dead space fashion, they have put all the gauges and information onto the pack itself so that a HUD wasn’t needed.   God I like that.  The way that beam throws out, the sound of it, how it performs with the controls, it’s all one hundred percent authentic and the experience isn’t lost on me.   Not all ghosts have to be captured and some just require a decent amount of blasting to get rid of them, luckily the act of capturing ghosts never gets old.  

The voice acting is pretty good for the most part, although some of the voices don’t always show the enthusiasm that they should.   The script is funny and light on logic, which has always been a drawcard for the Ghostbusters series, and even though the are not many changes in terms of gameplay, it’s still a blast to play through.   

You can upgrade your equipment by spending cash you collect from capturing ghosts and although you’ll get most of the upgrades about halfway through your first playthrough, there is enough fun to be had to keep you coming back for more.  It isn’t the longest game but coming in at about 8 hours, it’s enough to not overstay it’s welcome.   If you’re looking for more to play, Ghostbusters comes with a great multiplayer game included. 

Doe, ray...EGON!

You can do co-op jobs with your friends that are separate from the main campaign, you can also compete for cash in a ‘who can catch the most ghosts’ mode.  Getting cash for your player is addictive as it shows on the leaderboards.   I did have some problem with lag and actually finding a game at certain times of the day, but when it all got up and running, it was a pretty fun and solid experience.  

Ghostbusters is definitely worth checking out.  The fanboy in me wants to give this game full marks but in all honesty it sits around a 4 out of 5.  It doesn’t promise the world, but what you get is some of the best licensed action on the market.  Definitely grab a copy if you like the busters, give it a look if you like action games.