Author Topic: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game  (Read 3367 times)

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Offline setrataeso

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[Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« on: July 05, 2009, 06:19:39 PM »
Name: Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Terminal Reality
Genre: 3rd Person Shooter

Who you gonna call? Apparently the team at Atari and Terminal Reality. This game had a frightening development history. From being dropped by Activision (Satan's game company) to it's indefinite development hiatus, I was sure this game would never see the light of day. But when there's something strange in the neighborhood, Atari stepped in and handed the game over to the relatively unknown Terminal Reality. Even in being in development hell didn't stop this game from actually exceeding all expectations. So am I afraid of no ghosts? Read on...

Graphics
You play the nameless rookie on the squad of Ghostbusters, aptly given the name "rookie" by the rest of the team. The four other guys are all here as well as some other familiar faces from the films. You and your teammates are all rendered quite nicely. The movie cinematics look terrific, with exceptional detail put into the facial animations. Obviously the in-game cutscenes don't look quite as nice, but Terminal Reality didn't skimp out on the detail. The characters still look as they should, and the facial expressions still fit the funny vibe of the films. The actual gameplay looks pretty slick too. The ghosts all look ghoulishly spooky, and the effects from the proton pack and other guns really light up the screen. My only complaint is the slowdown. The game tends to chug a lot during particularly busy on-screen action, which is kind of a drag. Still I can forgive the game for that, simply due to the faithful recreation of the characters and effects from the movies.
1/1

Audio
I can appreciate a funny game when it comes along. Ghostbusters is a very funny game. If you liked the movies, then just listening the dialogue will bring back memories of the movies. The script was penned by Aykroyd and Ramis, who wrote the scripts for the two Ghostbusters movies, so you'll get the same sarcastic dialogue and clever quips from the four Ghostbusters in the game as well. The lip-synching is a bit off, but you don't really notice so much if you just listen to what they're saying. The music is nicely used too. The original themes return and are spread throughout the game. They never detract from the game, but often aren't noticable. The menu music is noticeable though, and it happens to the cute upbeat music that starts off the films. And of course the famous Ghostbusters theme song plays during the load times, making those long waits just a bir more enjoyable. The sound effects for the guns and ghosts are well done as well, and can really blast from your speakers if you decide to go nuts and destroy everything in the game.
1/1

AI
I appreciate the variety of ghosts they put into the game. On each of the 7 levels, you'll spot several new ghosts per stage. Some are familar ones from the films, such as Slimer or Stay-Puff Marshmallow (awesome boss fight, by the way), others are new to the game. All have different attacks, and have different weaknesses. Changing on the fly from the proton pack the dark matter gun can be challenging when you have differently weakened ghosts fighting you. The AI itself behaves like ghosts would; so very random and destructive. This goes well with your destructive weapons, making for an all-out break-everything fest. And because the game keeps throwing different ghosts at you, you'll never feel like you are doing the same thing. One room you're fighting a librarian who keeps shushing you, and the next you're fighting hobo ghosts. It's really entertaining.
1/1

Variety
You travel 7 levels over the course of the game, but a few of them are repeated. You actually get closer to 4-5 different stages, which is still fine, but all different levels would have been great. You get 4 different guns, each with an alternate fire, making for 8 different weapons for your character to use. That's pretty serviceable. You get dozens of different ghosts to trap, which makes the variety stand out more. The modes in single player only include the story missions, but in multiplayer you get several unique modes. The variety is focused on the little things, like the different bosses and upgrades. The game could have used more levels and more modes, but I am happy with what they had included.
1/1

Value
The game's 7 levels will last you about 7-8 hours, and you can experience them again after you're done. The achievements call for multiple playthroughs, so if you like gathering those then you'll need to do at least 2 runthroughs. The multiplayer will last you longer, with some unique modes here exclusive to the Ghostbusters game. My main complaint is just the length of the game. 8 hours is not really worth the $70 game. The multiplayer will be fun for Ghostbusters fanatics, but the single player leaves something to be desired.
0.5/1

Innovation
It's pretty easy to say there hasn't really been a game like Ghostbusters before. The license has appeared before in video games, dating back to the Atari 2600. However, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is the only good one. Ghostbusters is 3rd person shooter, in the vain of a Gears of War-style of gunplay. Ghostbusters does not feature any cover system, as it focuses on faster paced 3rd person gameplay. The proton pack is obviously unique to the Ghostbusters universe, and it uses the weapon so well, it becomes an unforgettable part of the game. The level design is nothing new, but the weapons and enemies are something I've never seen before. If anything, I would compare this to Luigi's Mansion for the Gamecube, as it features the same style of trapping ghosts. The multiplayer, as I said before, are not going to be found anywhere else.
1/1

Presentation
The story is very much in the style of the movies. The Ghostbusters discover that an evil force is unleashing all the ghosts in the city of New York at the same time. The Ghostbusters are sent to pinpoint the zones individually and destroy the bosses there. It's simple enough, but it's presented with lots of enthusiasm, and you can't help but love it. The story kind of dies at the end, and doesn't conclude in a very satisfying way. The load times are handled interestingly. Sometimes the levels will load during cutscenes, which is terrific and more game should do that. Other times, like when you respawn, you have to sit through a very long, very boring load screen. No fun. The game presents itself with guts, and I applaud that, but it stumbles in its ridiculous load times.
0.5/1

Difficulty
The game suffers from some bizarre difficulty curves. The game can go for long periods of really easy ghost encounters, and then spike with an impossible segment or two. There is at least 1 moment per level where you will die, suffer through the long screen, and respawn only to die again. It's all based on keeping your teammates alive, so they can help you up if you get hurt enough. But there are moments when you get separated, and these are usually the moments when you'll get really frustrated. The boss battles can vary greatly too. Some bosses are ball-breakers and with kick your ass over and over again. Other bosses will die if you just keep shooting them with the same gun. The final boss in particular is about as hard as Stay Puff himself. You just shoot him, shoot the things that heal him, then shoot him some more. The difficulty needed some work. It never gets too hard or too boring, but the progression could have been much smoother.
0.5/1

Gameplay
Ghostbusters, as I said, is a 3rd person shooter where you shoot ghosts with wacky weapons. The ghosts usually go down by either just shooting them until their health runs out, or until they are weak enough to trap. You can pull ghosts into traps you set with your proton pack, and getting your teammates to help you is always cool to watch. Nothing beats 4 proton pack streams wrangling a ghost into a trap. You can use your PKE meter to scan ghosts to find their weaknesses, and to find secret collectibles. Overall, the gameplay is really frantic and fun. It's fast paced, but thats where some of the problems lie. Aiming can be difficult, mainly because of the slow controls. Moving around or aiming your gun need to be easy to accomplish in a game like this, but the controls don't respond as well as you would like them to. Tweak the controls and we would have had a fun, fast game here. Because of the control quirks, its still fun and fast, but now also frustrating.
0.5/1

Fun
Here's what rocked:
+ faithful to the films
+ frantic and fun to blast ghosts
+ funny

Here's what was weak:
- load times
- short single player
- control and difficulty problems
1/1

First off, the game was fun. It was certainly more than I thought it would be. Judging simply by the history of movie tie-in games, and specifically the Ghostbusters games from the past, I expected a turn in a box. This game is far from that. It's fun, it's frantic, and very fast. Sure, it's short and has it's issues, but the return to form for this beloved series is enough for me to give it a good score. It's not going to light the world on fire, but it may just save the day if this is the kind of game you want.

8/10
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Setra, I think that is the best statement I have read on this forum.  Very well said.

Offline ZachyDou

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Re: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« Reply #1 on: July 06, 2009, 12:43:37 PM »
does it really cost $70?
why is it more expensive?

Offline setrataeso

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Re: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« Reply #2 on: July 17, 2009, 12:02:53 AM »
That's the regular price nowadays.
NEW REVIEW: Lady Gaga - Born This Way
https://www.dreamtheaterforums.org/boards/index.php?topic=25343.0

Setra, I think that is the best statement I have read on this forum.  Very well said.

Offline ZachyDou

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Re: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« Reply #3 on: July 23, 2009, 03:24:00 PM »
pffff no chu crazy

yea but no im almost done the story mode and i like it

Offline setrataeso

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Re: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« Reply #4 on: July 23, 2009, 06:15:46 PM »
Good.
I have to take all my games back next time I see you guys though.
NEW REVIEW: Lady Gaga - Born This Way
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Setra, I think that is the best statement I have read on this forum.  Very well said.

Offline Ouda

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Re: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2009, 03:52:41 PM »
Every review of yours that I've read, the final score has always been 8 outta 10. Must be a slightly above average season of video games.

Offline setrataeso

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Re: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2009, 09:06:48 PM »
Every review of yours that I've read, the final score has always been 8 outta 10. Must be a slightly above average season of video games.

Only Ghostbusters, Prototype and Red Faction have gotten 8s. But they are all recent reviews, so maybe thats why they stand out.
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Setra, I think that is the best statement I have read on this forum.  Very well said.

Offline Ouda

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Re: [Video Game] Ghostbusters: The Video Game
« Reply #7 on: August 02, 2009, 10:37:59 AM »
Yeah I think I only got onto these forums when you just did the prototype one.