Ghostbusters: The Video Game

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.

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

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.

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.

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.