Ghostbusters: The Video Game

First of all thank you for taking the time to read this review. I am a child of the 80's and a massive fan of the Ghostbusters. I am also a massive gamer, these two traits should go hand in hand for a title like this.

However as much as I want to love this game, I just cannot.

The Graphics are as sumptous as you would expect from a high performance next gen console like the ps3 , there is nothing really innovative in the graphics here as opposed to any other third person 'over the shoulder' title for the ps3.

The controls are easy to get to grips with and will soon have you 'wrangling' those pesky ghosts to drop them into your traps. However sometimes it becomes a little too easy to loose the grip on your spook after slamming it into the ground a few times to soften it up.

The story: Any fan of the Ghostbusters saga will love the story, it has all the classic elements that are much loved by its fans, being voiced by the original cast as well as written by Dan… more »

First of all thank you for taking the time to read this review. I am a child of the 80's and a massive fan of the Ghostbusters. I am also a massive gamer, these two traits should go hand in hand for a title like this.

However as much as I want to love this game, I just cannot.

The Graphics are as sumptous as you would expect from a high performance next gen console like the ps3 , there is nothing really innovative in the graphics here as opposed to any other third person 'over the shoulder' title for the ps3.

The controls are easy to get to grips with and will soon have you 'wrangling' those pesky ghosts to drop them into your traps. However sometimes it becomes a little too easy to loose the grip on your spook after slamming it into the ground a few times to soften it up.

The story: Any fan of the Ghostbusters saga will love the story, it has all the classic elements that are much loved by its fans, being voiced by the original cast as well as written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis keeps it in tune with what lovers of the movies want to see.

How exactly does this game get a three star rating then from someone who loves Ghostbusters so much?

Unfortunately in this day of next gen games and consoles my expectations of games has changed. If I want to be rail-roaded along a story (all be it a wonderfully written story) I will in fact go to a cinema and pay £7 for a seat. Games such as Grand Theft Auto, Infamous and many others have shown the world that you can give a player the impression of freedom whilst at the same time providing a solid story. After waiting all these years for Ghostbusters to make its come back in any form what I really wanted to experience was a true feeling of being a ghostbuster.

An open ended sandbox game would have suited Ghostbusters perfectly. Have the main story plot flow through an open city environment. Where you play as a ghostbuster who gets to slide down that fire pole, jump into Ecto1 and drive yourself around the city capturing ghosts!

But you dont, instead all you can do is run around the firehouse (which serves no purpose other than to store the various spooky items collected during the various levels) and then run upto Ecto1 to start the next level.... No driving Ecto1?!?! are you kidding me? as any lover of Ghostbusters will tell you Ecto1 is one of the main characters.. that distinctive siren sound.. the lights.. everything about the car is awesome, Not allowing the player to drive it is a massive mistake.

This game arrived the day before the official release and I was hyped up about it so much I couldnt wait to play it. I started my game on the hardest level of playing difficulty to give myself a challenge. And found I had completed it 8 hours later.

There are a couple of little gems to be found after playing this game however. If yo go into Extras and look at the movies, there is a bunch of the unlocked cg movies from the game but at the end are some extras. Like an interview with Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson, plus a great piece on the restoration of Ecto1. But bonus videos do not make a game. And they are simply not enough to validate buying this title.
I want to love this game , I truly do. The humour is there, the colourful cast is there. It has all the right elements to be a massive game. But in the end it falls sadly too short of what next gen games can be in this day and age.

My honest opinion to all those out there who love the ghostbusters as much as I do:- Rent this title, enjoy the story but be content in the knowledge that once you have completed it you can send it back to your rental store and have not just burned £40.