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Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson in Ghostbusters: The Video Game (2009)

User reviews

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

18 reviews
8/10

Ready to be a Ghostbuster?

Note: I played the XBox 360 version. I don't know if there are any differences with the PC or PS3 version. I read that the Wii, PS2, DS, and PSP versions are a completely different experience so read another review to learn about those.

In the last year there were two franchise games that I feel really capture the feeling of being the character. The first is Spider-Man: Web of Shadows. The other is Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Although it's a third person "shooter" it doesn't feel like any other shooter. This feels like Ghostbusters. Whether you're blasting ghosts with the proton pack, sliming possessed people, searching for spirits with the PKE, or just running around you feel like a Ghostbuster.

The gameplay is entertaining in itself. None of the controls are complicated. The enemies are varied enough that you're never getting bored or repetitive. There are several problem-solving puzzles so the whole game isn't always point and shoot. It has its difficult parts without ever feeling impossible. And nothing's quite as fun as slam dunking a ghost into the trap.

The graphics are pretty good looking. The character models look real enough. The ghosts look like the movies where they're almost like a muppet. The environments are well done, it's worth several walks around the firehouse to notice all the details. The graphics aren't boundary pushing but they're still pretty good, just take a look at the Stay Puft level.

The atmosphere is really what makes it feel like Ghostbusters. There are times when it's laugh out loud hilarious. Others when it's edge of your seat scary. For example, in the library level Ray is great to listen to as he desperately hunts down the Library Ghost from the first movie. But there's one part where you approach a table in the corner and turn around to find yourself surrounded by book stacks. It creeps you out but Ray chimes in with some quip, you laugh, and move on. It captured that great Ghostbuster dark humor feeling.

The best part of the game is how authentic the game feels. First, all the actors return to voice their characters again. No Lorenzo Music or cheap sound alikes. This is the real deal. Everyone's back in perfect form, plus some great appearances by Alyssa Milano, Brian Doyle-Murray, and even Max von Sydow. It's a shame that Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis didn't return but the story works well without them. It really sounds like a movie. The environments are detailed enough. The firehouse is exactly like the films as are the hotel and the library.

The story is grand enough to be its own movie. It follows the usual film plot device of a powerful ghost trying to take over the world. However, it's not like Ghostbusters II where it's just the same plot over again. This time they added a mystery aspect. There's a question about just who the villain is and what he is doing, and in every mission you find clues to help solve it. The story itself builds off the first movie with respect towards the second.

My one and only problem with the game is that it is too short. It seems like once the story really got me hooked I was finishing it. It's not that the levels are too short or the story is lacking in any way, though it could have been expanded a bit. I finished the campaign in just three days. But maybe it was so entertaining I couldn't put it down until I was finished, and like the movies I enjoyed it so much I just wanted more. It is entertaining enough to warrant more than one play through.

This is a must for Ghostbusters fan. Whether you've watched everything Ghostbusters a hundred times over, love the first and refuse to acknowledge the second, or simply grew up on the cartoon show(s). It has everything you could want from another Ghostbusters film. Even non-Ghostbusters fans who are gamers of any level should check it out. It may not be the must-have game like Halo, Grand Theft Auto, or Call of Duty but is definitely worth a rent at the very least. Simply put: every gamer should play this game.
  • ARTaylor
  • Jul 13, 2009
  • Permalink
9/10

who ya gonna call?

I've been a fan of ghost busters since i was a kid. i saw the movies, watched the cartoon, i was even a ghost buster for halloween when i was 8 years old.

well i was looking through game demo's on xbox live and saw that there was a Ghost Busters video game. so i downloaded the demo and played it. at first i wasn't too impressed. catching the ghosts were fun and awesome but i felt the demo showed it as more of a puzzle game. well 2 years past since then and i was in the store looking for a cheap game to entertain me and i saw it on the shelf and it was pretty cheap. so i decided oh well i guess ill get it. it will entertain me for a while.

while playing it i actually got into it. the characters were just as i remembered. especially Bill Murray's character. and i got really excited to fight the Stay Puft marshmallow man lol.

well yea it is sort of a puzzle game and it seems even more ridiculous than the ghost busters movies but you got to remember Ghost Busters is not supposed to be a horror movie or game. its supposed to be a comedy and this team of misfits just gets into this kind of trouble while investigating and catching the paranormal.
  • cobra_freak_006
  • Sep 26, 2011
  • Permalink
8/10

Sure, it's easily the best Ghostbusters game, but it's so much more than that.

  • Mr-Fusion
  • Dec 30, 2014
  • Permalink
10/10

A dream come true...seriously

first off, i always thought the ghostbusters movies would make a good video game. a few years ago i thought this in my mind, just a passing thought that GB's would be a cool game to play. and low and behold, my little passing fancy became a reality. UN-believable. and let me tell you, its so worth it.

I notice some guys are saying that this game "sucks" if your a hardcore gamer. They couldn't be more wrong. The game has plenty of neat and fun challenges to accomplish, and just from a game point of view, it looks phenomenal, like a movie. But I do have to agree, the ones who really win here are the GB fans. But obviously most people love GB from what I can tell, so who wouldn't enjoy busting ghosts in full HD amazingly detailed environments and gadgets? Sure it is linear to a point, but its just a really fun trip that I have a hard to imagining anyone really getting bored here. Its just fun, and it has some great humor which is sorely missing in many games today.

whenever i see or think of ghostbusters, i get that warm and fuzzy feeling of back when i was a kid and loving to watch the movies, heck even the corny cartoon shows. but i always have fond memories of these movies. now, years later, to play a game and being able to hunt ghosts with the original cast in familiar locations, i mean it just brings back all those feelings i had when i was younger. its probably one of the funnest and funniest games out there right now. i loved both films, and personally i must admit i prefer the 2nd film, but this game seems to take a lot of its story from story elements from the first movie. however i did notice that there was also many references to the 2nd film, moments like going into a sewer where instead of a river of slime, its a "river" of flowing PK energy spirits. even ray mentions "does it feel familiar in here guys?". and of course all the slime and slime blowers are there, as well as vigo's painting in the firehouse that says funny things.

it follows the same formula of the last 2 films: there's disturbances, ghostbusters check them out and bust lots of ghosts, they find out who the big villain is, and they defeat him. its this same formula that has made the GB films so much fun and memorable, and the game follows this tradition. the graphics are STUNNING, i am truly amazed how life like they are able to get these characters nowadays. the gear itself is totally accurate and looks amazing in the game like the ecto goggles, PKE meter, and especially the proton pack, which you see change and alter throughout, with new upgrades that are fantastically wild but yet stay within the reality of the ghostbuster world. busting ghosts was never this fun, i mean its awesome to be able to shoot the proton pack for real in a game! i ALWAYS wanted to use them! all the cast is here, even Walter peck is back. heck, even that Murray brother who was in GB2 is in this one! its really a great treat for all GB fans everywhere and i throughly enjoyed it and plan to enjoy it for a long time. the game definitely has repeat value, I've played it so many times now and let me tell you, busting ghosts NEVER gets old. its so much fun, and the story is surprisingly complex and good. not good enough for a 3rd movie script (seriously, bringing back all the villains from the first movie can only work in a video game) but still a very interesting twist on the first movie's, and to an extent the 2nd movie's, ideas. totally worth all the bucks i paid, all 60 of them!

heres to hoping for a game sequel!
  • brownish33
  • Oct 20, 2009
  • Permalink
10/10

Excellent Graphics, Great Story, Short Game

  • BeastFromDaEast
  • Jun 17, 2009
  • Permalink
10/10

Busting makes me feel good.

Licensed video games have always been a hit or miss affair for me, from this beloved franchise to me there have only been two that were really good the Genesis game and the Arcade game from Data East. This game is number three on that list and I'm proud to say this is my favorite one.

The graphics are excellent, I really love the detail to New York as well as some of the dark enviorments which I find really creepy, the one that sticks out is the Lovecraftian castle structure. But most importantly the character models which are great, the Ghostbuters look just like the actors when they were that age in the 80's. However most impressive are the ghosts whom are all unique, memorable, and creepy. and each have different abilities, as well as a few of the bosses. Music was also great from the old tracks we know well along with a few new ones.

The story is excellent, it is well written and feels like this is the third and final sequel that never came to the silver screen; I love that the story adds more to the mythos of both the first and second films as well as has a bit more of a Lovecraftian feel.

The voice acting is spot on, I really love that most of the cast members from the first and second film got to do this and the dialog they deliver is excellent, there are actually a few jokes that are memorable and made me crack up. Though there are also a few new people like actor Max Von Zetow one of my favorite actors got to play the voice of Viego whom was the villain from the second film. I thought he voice fit like a glove for this role it was as creepy and menacing as ever and I love the fact in this story this villain is having a second go in his plight; Viego is a sorcerer after all, who is to say he didn't have a back up plan.

But most importantly the game play is excellent, it really made you feel like a Ghostbuster which is part of what a good licensed game should do. I really like that you get to use some of the famous gadgets that the Busters got to use like the PKE Meter, Googles, you name it. And the control is excellent along with the combat, really like that you get to fight against the Marshmellow Man that was a gratifying feel.

You have a variety of weapons from the regular streams, happy slime, blue beams, etc. Each of those weapons are effective against certain specific ghosts so prioritize. Also the weapons have a catch as you pack can overheat or charge is low depending on how long you fight or what is lacking in your pack, and you have to wait a certain amount of time before their on the right level again, so pick your shots carefully.

There is even RPG elements as each of the ghosts you capture you gain money and you can buy things to upgrade you weapons and strength of you character. But part of what makes the game stand out is in it's teamwork element, you really have to watch you buddies backs just as they watch yours. Like with the parties in RPG games, if one guy is down then you have to do your best to revive him, it's really important because the number of teammates functional are the only way the overwhelming outcome can be overcome.

The only bad thing about the game is that it was kinda short by my standards, I beat the game in about three days and personally wouldn't of minded if it was a bit longer, like in one level or two dealing with Sam Hein and his forces. But then again same could be said about a lot of other video games out there, the ride is short but a sweet ride.

Ghostbusters the Video Game is a busting good time.

Rating: 4 stars
  • hellraiser7
  • Dec 10, 2015
  • Permalink
9/10

This is a type of art that will live on forever and creates new audiences daily. Ghostbusters is truly a revolutionary film that you can't get enough of.

In the heart of Manhattan, Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Peter Venkman (Billy Murray) and Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) are scientists who careers are all falling as parapsychologists. After an idea that seems silly, this team creates their own company. Their idea involves a company stopping the ghosts of New York City and they are a team who eventually who's has to save the world. This is the movie Ghostbusters.

What first could be said about this 1984 film is that it definitely relies on the characters. Peter Venkman is the person in the group that could be called the James Belushi of the group. He's the type of guy who basically "slacked" his way to being a scientist and who spends most of his time trying to get at Dana Barrett (Sigourney Weaver) who's apartment was the first place Zuul, a creature wanting to take over the world was found. Egon is the smart guy who is not be messed with and it is his way or the highway. Ray is likely the most likable person of the group who seems to like everyone. Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) joins the ghostbusters group midway through their success but he's the least developed character of them all. Now retired actor Rick Moranis plays Louis Tully who's the nerdy neighbor of Dana who also trying to get Dana's interest and who eventually has his own encounter with Zuul. This is a cast that works so well together and are equally funny and energetic.

The movie takes this original idea of people fighting and eliminating ghosts and gives it quite a bit of depth. The movie is filled with great special effects that are ahead of it's time and the movie also has a cool 80's New York vibe. The plot is more convoluted then it needs to be at times this is the type of story that would only come around in the 80's but is filled with so many highlights that the flaws seem insignificant.

To find someone who doesn't know what Ghostsbusters is in our society, is hard to come by. This is a type of art that will live on forever and creates new audiences daily. Ghostbusters is truly a revolutionary film that you can't get enough of. It is one of those films you could watch ten times without getting tired of it and there aren't many films you can say that about. This movie is truly remarkable indeed.
  • alexcomputerkid
  • Jun 10, 2014
  • Permalink
10/10

The best Ghostbusters game ever!

Set in 1991, it seems New York's favorite paranormal eliminators known as the Ghostbusters are still catching ghosts since the events of 1989 when they went back in business. A new recruit joins our fellow men as a different kind of evil force is creating chaos from the Sedwick Hotel to all the way to Central park where the boys with the rookie must yet again vanquish the forces of evil.

An outstanding movie based game that proves not all movie tie-in games blow! i love how this game for the Xbox360, PS3 and other systems manages to be a sort of third movie but as a video game until we get the real GB 3 coming next year. The original cast such as Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Dan Ackroyd, Annie Potts, William Atherthorn and Harold Ramis return to reprise their characters as well as 2 new characters voiced by Brian Doyle Murray and Alyssa Milano are introduced, the graphics are surprisingly well done including the settings. The controls are very good especially when your catching ghosts as well as doing new tricks like Boison-Darts to the slime-shooting like in Ghostbusters 2 if you recall.

There is terrific voice acting as well as the script written by Dan and Harold who worked on the first 2 movies scripts is quite good for a game. It's a fairly simple if sometimes hard in a couple of levels kind of game that actually satisfies the Ghostbuster fan including myself and brings back some familiar characters such as Stay-Puft to Slimer, this one introduces the guy who made the Gozar worshipers in the old days and who is the one behind the river of slime from Ghostbusters 2. I also love how it uses the original movie's soundtrack by Elmer Bernstein as well as the famous song everyone knows.

One of the best games i've ever played for it is the best GB game since the Sega Genesis GB game and the Arcade Real GB game, however it is a BIG improvement over those horrible NES GB 1 & 2 games.
  • TalesfromTheCryptfan
  • Feb 19, 2011
  • Permalink
10/10

"We've Gote One...!"

  • dsdsmith91
  • Jun 30, 2009
  • Permalink
7/10

This busting makes me feel good.

The Ghostbusters franchise got its start with the classic comedic horror film of the same name in 1986. The success of that film allowed the creators to make a sequel, two cartoon series, and a number of video games. However, the franchise has been lying dormant since the cancellation of Extreme Ghostbusters in 1997. This new game brings the Ghostbusters back to life, complete with the original cast and a script written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game for the Xbox 360 takes place in 1991, the ghostbuster have practically become a household name and are looking to expand their business. They start by hiring a new recruit to mainly to do all the grunt work. The conveniently take places at the same time that there has been an explosion in the quantity of haunting in New York City, even defeated enemies are making a come back, such as Slimmer and Stay Puff.

You play as this new recruit as you fight a wide variety of ghost, spirits, and monsters as you and the Ghostbusters try to discover the source of the resurgence. Over the course of the game, you obtain three weapons in addition to the standard proton beam. These weapons include paralysis beams, rapid fire blots, and of course slime. All these weapons have strengths and weakness that can be used to defeat monsters and solve puzzles. Your weapons can also be upgraded with the money made by catching and scanning ghost. These purchases improve your equipment by mainly increasing its damage or duration. One problem about this system is that almost all of the upgrades can be purchased in just one play through. This leaves the game with little replay value.

The levels are pretty linear and only allow the player to venture where the game wants them to. The backgrounds can also be a tad repetitive, which can cause a player to lose their way. Fortunately, the game effectively employs the use of the PK meter which helps to point the player in the right direction and also to find ghost and hidden objects. Despite a little repetitiveness, the background and the environments of the game are fantastic. They are really creepy and sometimes downright scary. They are all very believable and really suck you into several well designed surroundings.

Between these levels, you can hangout at the station house and mess around with several interactive objects including some that you'll find hidden in certain areas of the game. While this is amusing for a short while, the novelty where off quite quickly. As even bigger problem caused by these little intermissions occurs when you turn off the console while at the station. Upon returning to the game, you'll find that you will be starting and the beginning of the next level rather than the station house. This causes you to miss the cutscenes that take place at the end, which usually provide key plot points.

However, the greatest thing about the game has to be seeing cast back together again. This could easily have been a simple check casher, but the writers and the actors put a lot of effort t into making the game as loyal to the original film as possible. The entire cast is completely in character the interaction and chemistry between them is as good as it was in the movies. The only thing could have been improved is the recruit. Even though he is has no lines, a little more interaction between him and the rest of the cast would have been nice. There are even some points in the story where a major event occurs and he is barely even seen.

Aside from these problems, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a ton of fun, but has a limited lifespan which may not be worth the games self price. Unless you are a hardcore fan of the series it may be better to take the rental route or wait to buy a used copy at a discount price. This game is said to be a precursor to an additional film which is to be released in the next couple years. If this game is a sign of how good the movie will be than I am indeed looking forward to it.
  • Jammer81386
  • Sep 15, 2009
  • Permalink
10/10

It's a great game all round!

It could be the greatest thing at the time of getting a Ghostbusters 3. Usually a script on Ghostbusters could go 140 pages of script. This game goes over 300. When this game was originally introduced I was very much excited for it: But to have that chance that relive my childhood, this game has a solid storyline backing it, and the greatest gift would be to have those original voices back the characters. As true fans, we wouldn't want anything else. It should be noted with this great game comes a remastered version. Hey, group behind the remaster try to make it 4K ready. Minor improvements on the multiplayer, after that good to go!
  • pinchasr
  • Jul 4, 2019
  • Permalink
6/10

Good Story, but bad survival tactics

This game has good story elements, but bad gameplay , as far as, the health and revive aspect. This game had been beaten by myself twice on ps3, but some missions seems close to impossible in the remastered version. For instance, it seems like I had the same problems with some other previous games that I played on my playstation. Well, right now, this is the best ghostbusters game available, besides The real ghostbusters the arcade game is easier and has a better gameplay. This game is fairly ok, compared to the one on ps3.
  • tabooksign
  • Aug 25, 2021
  • Permalink
4/10

Ghostbasta !

Again a disappointment!

This time I tried even hardly by getting trainers (that don't work!) but at the end, the boredom was more powerful than the fun.

In fact, my PC is from 2007 and it may be a bit slow for this monster: the installing and loading times were excruciating, action was sluggish and trapping even the gentle slimmer was at least very difficult. The aim mechanism is plagued by the same drunk effect than the Potter games.

The production was good maybe too good as Venkman, Spengler, Stantz looks like in the reality and that's maybe the problem: I don't expect a game to be like a movie but to entertain me. Here, the game is a sort of a real sequel and it's funny to notice that it has the same short-ends than GB2: they repeat over and over the story of GB1: slimmer, the first class hotel… So there isn't anything new but the lines are very funny!

What definitely kills the game for me was the saving system: we can't choose the time to save that is to say the time when the player wants to quit the game (as the designers don't seem to understand it!): so after playing 1 hour non stop trying to put slimmer in the bag, then trapping 2 more ghosts, I get a new assignment: run after a fishy ghost! When I tried to play again, I was back to the 2 lobby ghosts so bye, bye…

Finally, this game was the tombstone of any PC games for me as I understand now that consoles easily out-date those machines. With a console, you don't have to ask if your system has the necessary requirements: you put the game and you play: with a PC, it's a constant check-up: the video cards, the RAM, the game-pad, the desk-board, the sound card, the add-ons, patches and so on. Thus, you spend your time at configurations and when you can finally play, you discover that all your efforts were worthless as the game is actually crap.

So, no more high-tech PC games for me and ultimately I had more fun with my GB2 Gameboy game!
  • leplatypus
  • Jul 6, 2013
  • Permalink
10/10

An Honest Review

Hi, I'm from the 80s and I have played Ghostbusters games before.... none I really enjoyed to be totally honest.

This one I liked. I really didn't want to be "The New Guy" character the saves the day because that always felt a bit Mary Sue for movie based video games. I was sort of hoping to be Winston, at least, since he was the new guy in the first film. Or, switch off between the four.

I got the Mary Sue instead and... a little disappointing. But some of the expressions on his face are pretty priceless. So it was cool that they took the time to convey a sense of humor through facial expressions.

The story is pretty good, and the gameplay, well, don't play it on casual, there is ZERO challenge... and my wife is the gamer of the two of us. So, I figured if she was playing the medium level I should go down to a handicapped level.

And then we both upped it to the maximum difficulty because, the game is a bit too easy otherwise, and you end up just playing out the story.

But, once you find that happy OK this is a bit of a challenge setting (the most difficult one they offer) the game becomes a lot of fun. You really get the feeling that you are a Ghostbuster, and that you are hanging out with them. And really, that is all I wanted out of this.
  • generationofswine
  • Apr 5, 2022
  • Permalink
10/10

This is a horror game, plain and simple.

This game is excellent, it is an intriguing story, it has great gameplay, level design, puzzles, and so on.

But the point I want to talk about is the horror elements of the game, this game was terrifying as a kid, when I was 8 I played this at my grandma's house and I had nightmares for weeks, I only picked this game up a few years later, picking up where I left off, when you go to the libary, and it is still scary, especially the part in the libary where you go to the kid's reading room and you hear laughing children, when it is actually empty and dark.

In conclusion, this game is great, but it is a horror game and I don't get how anyone claims it isn't.
  • dorielmendez
  • Jun 4, 2025
  • Permalink
8/10

The best game based on a movie license

There have been many games in the past decades based on movies and there also have been a lot of movies based on games. Usually games based on a movie are just quickly thrown together cash grabs. For movies based on games the problem usually is that the writers either are unable to transfer the story properly to the screen or they ignore the game story completely and create something that only in name is related to a game.

Now when I look at this Ghostbusters video game though I can see a really solid game that first of all continues the story from the movies in a satisfying way with various characters from the movies.

In addition it delivers pretty good gameplay, sounds and visuals. It also is able to create the creepiness and mild horror style of the movies. There is a good variety in weapons as well as quite a bit of content for people interested in the lore of the Ghostbusters universe.

The game can be quite challenging as well btw.
  • nodlimax
  • Dec 30, 2021
  • Permalink
10/10

The Movie We Should of Got

You play as a Rookie Ghostbuster that helps the ghostbusters by testing out their new gear, thry get a call that something big is happening in ghost central.

To play along side the original ghostbusters and them reprising their roles including its receptionist minus Rick Moranis absence it's a major plus. This isn't a reboot or a remake it's a continuous sequel with new gadgets to play with new ghosts to find,relics to collect. Another highlight is the firehouse, during a down moment in the game you go back to the station and able to free roam inside with every detail as shown from the movie. You also get to see your collectibles scattered throughout the firehouse.

The game play is rather smooth (depending on what console you play it on) and you never have to worry on the team work if you go down a ghostbuster will pick you up. The story is refreshing, new with some of its past charm in the mix and familiar faces. There's never a dull moment playing each level and it's always fun blasting a proton stream giving added fun by destroying objects

This is a must have game for any fan of Ghostbusters it should be considered a third Ghostbusters film with its deep story and lore.

Even playing on line is descent with plenty of challenges you and your friends can conquer.
  • themovieraidshow
  • Aug 12, 2025
  • Permalink
7/10

Short but fun

Let me say up front you'll have the best time playing this on Casual (easy) difficulty. The game's strengths are in its storytelling and characters. Combat is sometimes confusing with random difficulty spikes, and can really detract from the pace. Once you've got the hang of things, the higher difficulties add some replay value.

Second, if you already own this game there's zero reason to buy the Remastered version. Without going into too much detail, the Remaster is a pretty shameless cash grab that looks and plays identically without adding any new content or even fixing some of the most annoying aspects of the original. They even stripped out a bit of content due to copyrights expiring - nothing major, but fans will notice.

With that out of the way, I rate this game as the third best Ghostbusters property, behind the first film and (for kids) the excellent cartoon series. Many fans consider this game the real "Ghostbusters 3" and I can get behind that. It feels very connected to the first two films and some of the ideas, like the "evil slime" from the second film, even work better in a video game.

This "feels" like a Ghostbusters game from head to toe. This is contrast to, for example, the awful Commodore 64 game, or generic mobile puzzle games that licensed the name. The start screen greets you with Elmer Bernstein's score and it's used throughout the game. Ray Parker Jr's classic hit is there, of course. All four main characters - Murray, Aykroyd, Ramis, and Hudson - supplied voice talent, as well as some of the supporting cast like Annie Potts (Janine) and William Atherton (Walter Peck). The firehouse looks exactly how you'd expect and includes various fan nods. Sadly missing are Dana (Sigourney Weaver) and Louis (Rick Moranis).

Gameplay is a mixed bag. Wearing down and capturing ghosts with the proton gun feels vague and a bit of a guessing game. The films give the impression the crew have to somewhat wrestle with them, as if wielding fire hoses, and while that's recreated very well in the game I'm not sure if makes for the most satisfying action. For some reason when drawing a ghost into a trap, it just seems to randomly escape. The "slam" ability feels hard to control and it's not clear if it's helping. The vagueness goes from being a bit annoying to downright aggravating when there are many ghosts to contend with and you're trying to trap one while being hit by other ghosts.

On top of the basic proton stream, several additional weapons are introduced, including the slime gun. The slime gun works fine and fits in the game's cannon, but two other weapons do not. One is a shotgun-like weapon and the other is a sort of machine gun. Both feel very underdeveloped. One has an alternate firing mode which is supposed to immobilize ghosts so that your teammates can concentrate their fire, but it seems to mostly do nothing. The other has a secondary fire which is supposed to be it's heavy-damage version, but is inferior to the heavy fire from the proton gun. So what was the point of it at all? Some of these guns and firing modes probably have uses in multiplayer, but in single player the only reason to use them is to exploit the occasional enemy weakness.

Ghostbusters is very linear. It progresses in chapters and there are no branching story lines or paths through levels. There's some very minor puzzling and exploration but you can't ever really stray from the main story. There are no side quests. This might disappointment some who want a bigger and more multilayered world to explore. The tradeoff is it keeps a tight narrative focus which makes it feel more film-like. I agree with that choice, however, it would have been fun to play a side quest as Janine or even Walter Peck! I also would have liked just a bit more depth and interactivity to the levels.

Graphically it holds up well for a 2009 game, occasionally looking terrific. There's no in-game option for anti-aliasing but you can enable AA via your GPU control panel and you'll definitely want to do that.

My one complaint is the design of your character, who has no name and is just referred to as "Rookie". The character model is jarringly bland in the company of such iconic characters as the Ghostbusters. As if they just stuck a random Ghostbusters fan's likeness in there (which is sort of the case - the character was modeled after one of the game designers). They would have done better to just never show his face and only show him from behind, in a similar "everyman" way the Half Life games do. Fortunately this is the case most of the time, but every time I saw my character in cut-scenes I couldn't help thinking "Why that guy?" every time. And just as confusing, if they were going with the nameless rookie, why not let us pick male or female?

I would have appreciated a bit more depth and some more interactive fan service, but this is a fun, quick (6 - 8 hours) game that feels nostalgic and doesn't overstay its welcome. Fans will absolutely love it.
  • gmaileatsyourlunch
  • Nov 19, 2023
  • Permalink

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