Gamertell

Title: Ghostbusters the Video Game
Price: $59.99
System(s): *Xbox 360, PS3, PC, DS, Wii
Release Date: June, 16, 2009
Publisher (Developer): Atari (Terminal Reality)
ESRB Rating: "Teen" for comic mischief, mild language, and fantasy violence.
Pros: Original cast members, revisit characters and places from the movies. Nice graphics.
Cons: Can't personalize your character, controls take some getting use to, multiplayer is annoying (on Xbox 360).
Overall Score: Two thumbs up; 98/100; A; * * * * 1/2 out of five.

After waiting 10 long years, the Ghostbusters have returned to us in the form of Ghostbusters the Video Game. Sure, there have been other Ghostbusters games, such as the awesome The Real Ghostbusters game for NES, but this is one we have been waiting for. It includes the original Ghostbusters: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson. Annie Potts reprieves her role as the slightly annoying Janine too. They even bring back the prude Walter Peck and Mayor Mulligan with the original voice actors.



I Ain’t 'Fraid of No Ghost

As a new, un-named recruit, you join the Ghostbusters to help rid the town of evil and downright annoying ghosts and phantasms. Just be careful not to cross beams!

This game really feels more like a sequel to the second movie then just a standalone game. It starts with the always-hungry ghost, Slimer, escaping from his containment and making his way back to the Sedgewick Hotel (where they found him in the second movie). You also get a little tutorial of how to use the equipment from Ray which you will definitely need.

Each time you kill a ghost you earn money and you earn more money depending on how strong the ghost is. Throughout the game you also have a chance to scan for “ghostly” items and each item has a story behind it too. You can use the money you earn to buy upgrades and better weapons, which are very much needed. You can also completely destroy every room you are in, and sometimes have to get through an obstacle, and the city will pay for it all. Nice!

I love that Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis produced this because they truly retained the characters' personalities from the movies. It’s also great that they got all the original actors since it just wouldn’t be the same listening to impersonations.

The graphics are great too. The character design is spot on and the characters look just like the real actors. They also brought back some of the ghosts you loved in the movies including Slimer and Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

Another thing I like is that you can’t really die in the game, at least I wasn’t able too. If you or another Ghostbuster “fall” in the game, one of them will come and revive you and you can revive others as well. Also, your health heals overtime so if you are hurt really bad (the screen will be boarded in red) just avoid the ghosts until you are better.

No Crossed Streams
I don’t really have too much to complain about. At first the controls are occasionally annoying, such as when you are trying to pull a ghost in to the trapper and end up ramming into things and breaking the grip. This actually happened to me more times than I would like to recall. It’s also hard when you are grabbing hold of a ghost and no one else is helping you, because the ghost will most likely be too strong and escape. It's almost impossible to catch the ghost by yourself unless you upgrade your beam a ton, so it’s better to just help the others catch a ghost rather then try to trap one yourself.

It does annoy me that if you are using the Xbox 360, the only way to play multiplayer is through Xbox live. I just want to play with my friend sitting next to me, not some guy I hardly know on the internet. Let me clarify that, you can play with your friend sitting next to you but you have to log into Xbox Live to do it. That's ridiculous. Why pay extra (or acquire a free membership) just to use your second controller?

It’s nice to be “the new guy” but it would be cool if you could play as one of the original Ghostbusters, too. I would love to play as Peter or Egon. It would Also be nice if you could name your character or at least switch between male or female instead of the nameless male. Peter explains that he doesn’t want to know your name so they don’t become to attached to you, as if implying that something happened to the last recruit.



We Came, We Played, It Kicked Ass!

I have been looking forward to this game since it's planned release a year ago (just ask all my annoyed friends) and I am happy to say it is everything I was hoping for, minus the multiplayer thing.

The game play is pretty straightforward and the each level comes with new ghosts and new things to destroy. It is just like watching a third Ghostbusters movie and will definitely bring you back to your first experience watching the movies. You'll constantly say, “Hey! I remember that!”

The Wii version of the game is a bit different then the 360 and PS3 version. It offers a more cartoony element but the premise and game play are the same. It is also a bit easier in gameplay than the other version, so keep that in mind when choosing a system.

Site [Ghostbusters The Video Game] Read [IGN]