Ghostbusters: The Video Game

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

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.

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.

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.

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.