REVIEW: Ghostbusters

Developer: Terminal Reality| Publisher: SCEE | Format: PS3

Reviewer: Craig Jay Gallagher Let’s be honest, when any film tie in is announced gamers around the world emit the same sad sigh. We all read the same tired press release announcing h ow so and so are proud to have acquired the rights to such a prestigious title only to discover a few months later that the end result is a putrid little game which appears to have been given all of 3 weeks worth of development. There is the odd exception to the rule, Wanted Weapons of Fate was an enjoyable shooter only suffering from the fact that it could be clocked in under 5 hours and the recent Wolverine game was enjoyable fun.there are a few truly fantastic games based on films and they all share one common trait. They all act as sequels or prequels. Perhaps the most famous of these being The Thing and Escape From Butcher Bat, we can finally add another title to this list. Ghostbusters is a bona fide classic.

Hard to believe that it’s been nearly 25 years since Ghostbusters first burst onto cinema screens. In the proceeding years not only has the film been fondly remembered by each new generation but it has also became a timeless classic, something that few comedies ever accomplish.

The game reunites pretty much all the original cast, Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver being the only no shows. With a script written by Dan Akroyd and Harold Ramis and the cast returning hopes were high that the game would be a nice homage to the film. Unexpectedly the game has gone beyond that and is can be classified as a direct sequel to the 2 films. Several years after the first film the Ghostbusters are recruiting and you take on the role of the “Rookie”. The game gets into full swing when in the middle of a proton pack tutorial the containment chamber housing everyone’s favourite gluttonous green slob Slimer and other nasties is accidentally opened.

The team must return to Slimer’s favoured haunting ground the Sedgwick Hotel where within minutes of arriving you find yourself against the iconic Staypuft Man. The story involves an ancient evil threatening the end of our world once more, to say any more would be a disservice as a large part of the joy of the game is watching as the story unfolds and familiar faces and places are used.

Now this reviewer know that everyone out there is eagerly awaiting one aspect of the game over all else. The weapons, yes for those of a certain age vivid memories remain of running around in their Ghostbusters boiler suit while waving a cheap piece of plastic with some foam jutting out. The game doesn’t disappoint and strapping an unregistered nuclear particle accelerator and hearing it power on is a joy. The entire game revolves around your proton pack. The game offers up four different packs each with it’s own unique power. Powers on offer include utilising slime to move objects, Boson Darts which are explosions of pure energy as well as the age old and treasured energy streams from the films.

The games only real negative aspect and perhaps the most frustrating aspect of any game ever is the simple fact that if you get knocked down by an enemy the only way you can get back up is if a team mate helps you. Now if the entire team is knocked down you have to suffer through a long loading screen, and believe me you’ll suffer this fate an awful lot. It’s a small complaint in a game offering so much.

Multi-player is fantastic, not only is it value for money but it’s amazingly fun. The six modes on offer are Containment, Destruction and Thief (their variation on capture-the-flag). Protection and Slime Dunk are the modes which will have you returning time and time again.

Ghostbusters is quite simply put a gaming classic and one which shows that licensed games can do so much that simply trade off an established name. While the game does have it’s negative aspects, they really take nothing form the game. This sort of sheer unashamed fun doesn’t some along too often so when it does we should appreciate just how good it is.