Awe that last picture is sad. Bye bye Harold Ramis, I'll miss you.
I played the demo for this on Xbox and always wanted to pick it up. Thanks for reminding me. I really want to play it.
On 10/11/2014 at 01:07 AM by NSonic79 See More From This User » |
It’s time to revisit one of my old “classic” 1up.com blogs. Back in 2009 I added this game to my Halloween Gaming and only spoke about it in short detail when my original Top 11 format was just a single blog post. But ever since that time I’ve felt that the game deserved a little more than just a paragraph or two explaining why it got picked for 2009. In fact a good portion of my “single blog Top 11” entries could’ve used more expansion to them. So I figured this would be a good time to pick one of the prior games to reconsider for this year’s revamped and retooled Top 11 Octoberween Game Titles. This game deservers a revisit. I’ve been playing this title off and on throughout this year. And since my 2009 list on 1up.com is a bit harder to find given the sites instability. Plus it’s only proper to highlight this game in remembrance of Harold Ramis who passed away earlier this year. If you haven’t guessed already my #07 pick is Ghostbusters: The Video Game.
Long before we had reality TV shows about ghost hunters with specialized equipment, EVP's, spirit photography, and night vision camcorders, our thoughts of ghost hunting consisted nothing more than basic knowledge of the paranormal, a good sense of humor and of course the most important item: an unlicensed nuclear accelerator strapped on your back. It was a simpler time back then when the idea of ghost hunting was envisioned as akin to over glorified pest control. It might’ve sounded silly in theory but in practice it was a beautiful thing.
Like most games based off movies, the Ghostbusters never fared well in the gaming world. With two horrible NES games, a subpar master system game and a decent genesis title, we never had a chance in being able to fill the shoes of Peter, Wintson, Egon or Ray. Such a fun idea never seemed to get the right treatment in needed to become a major it. Whether because it was treated as a simple money grab or the technology wasn’t there, the older crop of Ghostbuster titles left much to be desired. But all of that changed when Ghostbusters: The Video Game was released. The off again, on again title that almost didn’t see the light of day during the Vivendi/Activision merger.
To say that this game is a dream come true for Ghostbuster fans is an understatement. Sure it might not be as slick and polished like most triple AAA big budge games but if gets the feeling of the franchise down. From the voice actors (a pity that Sigourney Weaver and Rick Moranis didn't come back), the fine detail put into the game and all the small homages to the movie series as a whole, this game feels like a continuation of the movies in every respect. And it should given how the script for the game was written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. This game is basically the third movie!
The game takes place two years after Ghostbusters II as you play as the new “Rookie” fifth Ghostbuster. As the new member of the team you’re tasked with testing out Egon’s new gear but before you can get fully comfortable with the new title a large PKE shockwave hits New York City. From their, you’re tasked with the rest of the Ghostbusters in answering calls all over the city along with figuring out the mystery in what caused the PKE shockwave. The premise around the game has you revisiting old locations that you’ve seen in the movies, from the Sedgewick Hotel, Time Square to the New York Public Library. All the while as your busting ghosts in each level, you finally get a chance to wield one of those iconic proton packs in the game like the rest of the team. Though your proton pack starts out like the rest of the teams, you eventually get the chance to purchase upgrades (a concept that was never well received in past titles but works well here) to give it fancy new firing options. Your even able upgrade your EKG reader and ghost traps to work faster. Though the game has the feel of an over the shoulder FPS game, it offers a different play style where instead of just shooting ghosts with your proton stream (though you do get to do that with some enemies) you actually have to learn how to use your proton stream to harness, guide, and slam the ghosts around enough to tire them out so you can trap them. At first the concept sounds daunting and a bit clumsy but in practice it fits the concept well in giving you the feeling that you’re actually trying to lasso a ghost like you see in the movies. They even add technical actions that feel like their relevant to the use of a proton pack. From switching up fire modes like the Boson Dart, overload pulses and capture streams to needed to vent the pack to keep it from overheating. Couple that with the smart use of the EKG reader and purchasing the aforementioned upgrades from each capture of a spirit or research done on site, and you have a game that does all it can to be technical enough to feel like hard science than unproven fringe science concepts. Even some of the terms used in game about paranormal activity and investigative research sound solid enough to make it fit with the 1991 Ghostbuster world.
The story itself fits perfectly in what you’d expect in a Ghostbuster game, be it a movie sequel to a game plot. It plays out as if to continue where the second movie left off. It even goes as far as to try to make the Ghostbuster’s job more realistic when it comes to the collateral damage they perform their ghostbusting duties. From the City of New York insuring them as official city contractors to them having a special oversight committee overseeing their work, this also adds a level of realism that makes the job more believable. Couple that with a plot that has the Ghostbuster revisiting old enemies like Slimer, Stay Puff Marshmallow man and Gozer’s minions. Even the movie mentioned Shandor has a hand in the mystery involved in this story. It revisits enough areas to make them less like easter eggs and more like they have a purpose as to why you have to be there. The locals look spot on like their real life counterparts, if time jumped back to the 1990’s. I’ve had the pleasure in visiting the New York Public Library in my lifetime and I have to admit that the Library in the game is almost mirror perfect to the real life one as well as what we’ve seen in the movies. The attention to detail is striking from the individual Ghostbusters uniforms, to the Ectomobile to the very design of Ghostbuster HQ. Even the small easter eggs you find in game are a treat from the Vigo the Carpathian painting that talks to you when interacted with to being able to slide down the fire pole in game.
All of this alone makes this game a perfect fit for any Octoberween gaming list. I mean it’s Ghostbusters! That alone should be enough reason to want to have this in anyone’s game queue. It fits any Octoberween theme from the classic Ghostbuster’s theme, a story scripted by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, fighting ghosts and finally getting the chance to step in the shoes of a Rookie with your every own experimental proton pack.
Sure at times it can crawl to a stop if you don't know exactly where to go but using iconic items in the game make up for it. If a game is able to instill the feeling of knowing how it's like to control a proton pack or an EKG meter, you know they did something right. From the Gozer theme to actually seeing a giant sloar, slimer to the Stay Puff Marshmallow man, this game shows that the original Ghostbusters still have a relevance in this world of supernatural understanding and scientific documentation.
I got this game for about $15 used so there’s no excuse for anyone not to own this title. It truly is a game that everyone should enjoy and appreciate. Thus the reason why this game gets a second posting in my Top 11 Octoberween Gaming titles for 2014. It’s a unique take on the Ghostbuster’s franchise that works great in game form. And it’s only fitting to play this title given the loss of Harold Ramis. So why not try to strap on a proton pack for old time sake. He’d want it that way.
My Top 11 Octoberween Game Titles for 2014
#11) Spirit Camera: The Cursed Memoir – 3DS: $9.99 new
#10) Resident Evil: Director’s Cut Dual Shock Version – PSOne (PSN): Free
#09) Castlevania: The Adventure ReBirth – WiiWare: 1000 Wii points ($10)
#08) Dishonored – Xbox 360: (XBLA GwG): Free
#07) Ghostbusters: The Video Game – PS3: $15
What are your thoughts about this game? Is it too soon to play this title after such a tragic loss? Or is it the right time to revisit an old classic with a modern look? Let me know in the comments!
This Ghostbusters video game is one of the best movie-based games ever made. Probably the closest thing we'll get to a Ghostbusters 3.
The attention to detail is great. They even had a Q*bert machine in the second floor of the fire house (I wish it was playable).
I also like the kid's drawings on the first floor. My favorite was one of Slimer that read "Slimer ate 50 hot dogs."
That's cool that you got to see the New York Public Library. One of the areas that they made genuinely creepy was the children's section! Especially when you hear the ghost children whispering about you! Yikes!
Another cool thing is that the 360 version was developed by a game company called Terminal Reality, which is located just a few miles from my house!
Does it make me weird that my favorite Ghostbusters characters were Slimer and Janine?
Oh, and does anyone else remember Ecto-Cooler? It was a Hi-C fruit drink that had Slimer on the box. I drank a ton of that stuff as a kid. It was nectar of the gods.
Hopefully this will just be the best we get for a third movie. I can't see a thrid movie being remade without Harold Ramis in it or involved.
I was a bit bummed you couldn't play the Qbert machine either, the pinball machine at the end.
I couldn't bring myself to play that area of the library for very long. It was a bit creepy. I'll give it a try again this month if only to get the trophy.
Is Terminal Reality still up and running? I read somewhere that they shut down.
You probably liked the more kid friendly of the cartoon show when it wsa turned into Slimer and the Real Ghostbusters.
I think I only tried the Ecto-cooler once. My mom didn't think it was a healthy drink to try during my age.
No, believe it or not, I did NOT like it when Slimier got his own cartoon. It was awful. Kids sure did love Slimer, though.
The Real Ghostbusters cartoon itself was very good, though. One of the best 80's cartoons out there. They got away with some things that surprised me!
I have to agree with Cary. Easily one of the best movie-based videogames ever made. You're dead-on when you state that it could be the third movie. I loved how you could reference Tobin's Spirit Guide. I loved everything about this game. I will go so far as to state that the multiplayer is a bit "meh"....but who really plays a Ghostbusters game for the mp? Not me.
Excellent choice. I'm going to watch the movies here in a few minutes.
I didn't even bother describing the multiplayer. I found it meh as well but I was just glad it didn't take development time away from the single player campaign like those ONline Pass titles that suffered because of that practice.
I'm still reading Tobin's Spirit Guide as I go along in the game. Hope you enjoyed watching the movies again. I still think they are on netflix.
It's funny you mentioned Peter MacNicol. seeing that my gulity viewing pleasures blog is on it's way.
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