Ghostbusters The Video Game

"Aim for the flat top!"

Growing up, Ghostbusters was a huge part of my childhood. I watched both movies religiously, always watched the animated series, and had all the toys. Needless to say, the revival of the Ghostbusters series, which is headed off with this game, gives a welcome sense of nostalgia.

Story - 9/10
The story seems like it would come straight out of a Ghostbusters III film. It has several of the locations featured in both the films, and the firehouse base which is fully explorable. All your favorites are back, with the exception of Dana Barrett and Louis Tully, which is due to the actors not willing to reprise their roles. It would've been nice to see them, and Dana at least gets mentioned throughout the game (I would've killed to have had Dana's apartment building as a level). The story features a new recruit into the Ghostbusters world. While I was hesitant at first when I heard that the game doesn't allow the ability to choose between Ghostbusters as playable characters, the recruit grew on me and at the end of the game, I was quite fond of him. He certainly doesn't get as much spotlight as the four main Ghostbusters, but he has his own comedic scenes. I was disappointed that Janine does not do much in the game other than sit there and talk on the phone. It would've been nice if she had an active role with the Ghostbusters, similar to her Real Ghostbusters portrayal. The story does move quickly, and the game isn't very long, but it feels almost like you're watching a Ghostbusters film and participating in it. I also really enjoyed the amount of work put into expanding on the ghosts in the game. They use quite a few familiar faces, such as Slimer and the old woman ghost who scared the Librarian at the beginning of the first film, as well as new (and frightening) ghosts, leading to epic boss battles. And, of course, there's the Stay Puft marshmallow man.

Graphics - 10/10
The graphics feel cinematic as if you're watching the Ghostbusters on film. There was a lot of work put into each landscape and level. The firehouse looks identical to how it was in the film (though I kept looking for a dark room like they had in Ghostbusters II, with no luck). Sometimes the levels seem a little too dark, and it really increases the fright-factor. I know, people think it's ridiculous to think you can get scared over a Ghostbusters game, but the graphics, especially with the special goggles on and the eerie music and/or children whispering in the background, can really be terrifying. Each of the Ghostbusters look almost identical to the actors and how they looked in the two films. The designs of the new ghosts and monsters are also great, and there's a lot of diversity among the various ghosts you have to capture.

Sound - 9/10
All your favorite Ghostbusters actors are back to reprise their roles, which is great because that really makes them who they are. The music, also, is all from the movie series. That can actually get a bit annoying, and it's the only reason I didn't put a 10 for sound. Some of the background music is played just too much, and it can get repetitive. Still, that's the only thing I have to complain about the sound. I will say that the sound adds to the freak factor, especially when you constantly hear whispering. At one point, you're traveling alone without the other Ghostbusters, and you hear a child's voice whisper "Should we attack now?" It can really get inside your head if you're playing at 1 am like I do.

Gameplay - 9/10
I was shocked when I found out how difficult the game is. I was playing on "Experienced" difficulty, and I had a lot of trouble and would constantly die. The best part about the gameplay, however, is that it relies on teamwork. Unfortunately, the AI isn't the best in the world. But I actually didn't have too many problems with it. The hardest part is when you're alone and you don't have the other Ghostbusters to revive you if you get knocked out. You get used to shooting all the various weaponry at the ghosts, and in no time you're a pro. Beyond fighting ghosts, there's not much to do. You can slide down the fire pole and drink from water fountains, but that's about it. It would've been nice to be able to do a few other things, but that's a really minor complaint.

Replay Value - 6/10
There's not much to do after you beat the game other than go back and beat it again. It would've been nice to have had local multiplayer, but there is an online multiplayer mode which I have yet to try out. Beyond that, I can't really speak for the replayability other than if you're feeling a bit nostalgic and want to be a Ghostbuster again, you can always replay the game and try to do everything you missed out on and get all the achievements.

In the end, I definitely recommend this game for anyone who grew up with the Ghostbusters like I did, or even if you're just a fan of shooting games. You won't be disappointed with this game as it has it all: humor, action, fear, and fun.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/22/09

Game Release: Ghostbusters The Video Game (US, 06/16/09)