There’s nary a single true child of
the 80s who has not seen the seminal comedy film that is Ghostbusters. Filled
with great dialogue, hilarious actors and tons of action-packed sequences, the
original Ghostbusters film is one of the most popular ever committed to
celluloid, and stands just as loved today as it did back in 1984 when it was
released. Therefore, many gamers are approaching the newly released game based
on the universe with equal parts giddiness and cautious optimism. Would the game
be a great extension of the fantastic franchise or just a sad footnote in its
storied history?
Luckily, as a gamer (and huge
Ghostbusters fan), I’ve spent a substantial amount of time with the game and I
can safely say that it lives up to the loftiest of expectations. The game is
extremely true to the Ghostbusters universe, and succeeds in being not only a
truly great Ghostbusters game, but also a great experience in its own right.
Ghostbusters does a fair amount of fan service, really putting you into the
Ghostbusters universe like nothing else has before it, and is an action-packed
good time as any gamer would want. Simply put, Ghostbusters rocks.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game works
as a spiritual sequel (no pun intended) to the films, taking place in 1991 after
the events of the two films. As the Ghostbusters have now received quite a bit
of political support from the newly elected mayor, they now have enough money to
hire on a new member of the team. As you are said Rookie (your official title is
“Experimental Equipment Technician” which means that you have to test all of
Egon’s newfangled devices). However, as soon as you’re hired, stuff really hits
the fan, as a new influx of ghosts and beasties appear in tandem with a newly
opened Gozer exhibit at the Museum of Natural History.
Ghostbusters hits the nail on the
head when giving you various weapons and items to aid you in your ghost
catching. You’ll have the standard Proton Pack, which allows you to weaken and
capture ghostly apparitions (or as Ray puts it, “Zap ‘em, Cap ‘em, and Trap ‘em”),
a shotty-like Dark Matter Generator, a Slime Cannon, and a Meson Collider (which
basically works as a machine gun). Each weapon has a secondary function, as
well, which can aide in bringing down ghosts or solving certain puzzles
throughout the campaign. As you earn money, you’ll also be able to upgrade your
equipment easily through the menu, making them stronger and more efficient.
Aside from your weaponry, you’ll be
able to use your PKE meter to search for special artifacts or clues, as well as
scan and learn about the various ghosts that you capture. The game has no Heads
Up Display, requiring you to look at your proton pack and PKE meter on your belt
in order to determine when you need to vent your pack or pull out your meter and
do some investigating.
As team dynamic is an important
element of the films, it also is very important in the game. While you don’t
play as the four members of the Ghostbusters crew from the film (Egon, Ray,
Peter, Winston), you’ll still often be working in tandem with them in both
combat and investigation. Their AI is very well done, and they’ll exploit an
enemy’s weakness as well as you can, and help you out should you fall in battle
(you’ll often have to revive them as well should they need it).
The game’s environments are also
very well done. Each level is huge and the game will take you to some familiar
areas, including the Sedgewick Hotel and The New York Public Library, as well as
some brand new areas, including parallel ghost dimensions. The game’s stages are
very long and filled with a bunch of details, and enterprising gamers can even
explore certain areas to solve mini-mysteries for achievements.
Still, there are a few nagging
problems that keep the experience from true excellence. There are times when
moving your character around feels a bit on the clunky side, especially when
particularly fast ghosts knock you over, at which point your character gets up
very slowly (but I guess you would too if you had a positron glider strapped to
your back). Additionally, the load times after you die are very long,
disrupting the overall pace.
Graphically, the game is solid, with
great looking environments and enemies that stay true to the franchise’s
artistic direction. The character models are great representations of their
on-screen counterparts, avoiding the “creepy realism” that many games have and
looking a little bit cartoony without being too over-the-top. The only real
problem with the graphics is the framerates, which generally stay solid, but
frequently dip down during action sequences.
Both the sound and the music are
spot on. The soundtrack has some new score elements to it, but generally sticks
to Elmer Bernstein’s great work on the films. The voice work is done by the
majority of the film’s cast, including Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, Bill Murray
and Ernie Hudson doing the four main Ghostbusters, and Annie Potts voicing their
secretary Janine, and William Atherton as the group’s nemesis, Walter Peck.
Alyssa Milano is also on hand, voicing Dr. Illyssa Selwyn, curator of the Gozer
exhibit, as well Brian Doyle-Murray as the mayor.
For Ghostbusters fans, this game is
a real treat. The action is furious and intense, and the story is great and adds
some new elements to the film franchise. If you’re at all a fan of the movies,
then you definitely need to try this one out.
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Gameplay: 8.5
A solid 10-hour campaign with a great mix of action and exploration keeps
the pace very solid throughout, and the ghostbusting mechanic never feels old.
While the experience is pretty linear, there’s still plenty of incentive for
fans of the movies to hit the campaign a second time. There are some times that
the controls feel a little clunky, and the long (and frequent) load times after
you die are a drag.
Graphics: 8.5
The game’s art direction is fantastic, recreating the film series’ style and
flair and adding a whole new element in the ethereal stages. The character
designs are also spot on, but not to the point of being too creepily realistic.
The only problem is the framerates, which take hits very often.
Sound: 9.5
The gang’s all here, with only series regulars Sigourney Weaver and Rick
Moranis opting not to return (newcomer Alyssa Milano takes their place). The
music features some new score material as well as faithful reproductions of
Elmer Bernstein’s timeless soundtrack.
Difficulty: Medium
Concept: 9.0
Featuring some fine writing on behalf of Aykroyd and Ramis, Ghostbusters
features a great story and tons of elements that make it a faithful experience
while still feeling very fresh.
Multiplayer: 9.0
The game features a great blend of co-op missions that are each variations
of survival modes from other titles, and feel great with the game’s mechanics.
If only you could do the campaign cooperatively…
Overall: 8.5
While a full-on co-op campaign would’ve been awesome, there’s still plenty
to love here for Ghostbusters fans. The game was made with a definite sense of
appreciation for the original films, and stands well against any other action
game out there, even without its license. Sure, it’s got some problems, but it’s
still everything a true fan could hope for.
