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Ghostbusters video game - Source: Gamefreaks -
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Genre: Third person shooter
Publisher: Atari, SCE
Now, anyone lucky enough to have been around during the Ghostbusters frenzy of the 80s will instantly be able to sing or hum the theme music and look back in sheer delight at the magical movie that captured the hearts of a generation. Even now it still holds its own, and for good reason; it's a true classic with lovable characters, hilarious (if not cheesy) humour, scary ghosts and super cool guns that destroy everything in their path (don't cross the streams!).
From the opening sequences through to the detailed environments, this game truly captures the Ghostbusters world. You'll visit the Sedgewick Hotel where the staff will cry blue murder the minute you walk in the door, demanding that you leave as they have just cleaned up the last mess. Bill Murray carries on as the egotistical 'Dr Venkman' who is more than happy to do whatever he pleases.
This game is the one that the guys wish they could have made all those years ago. Forget the debacle of those terrible original games that even diehard fans (such as me) couldn't swallow. This one is the real deal. All the guys (Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson) are doing the voiceovers and Akroyd and Ramis were also heavily involved in the storyline. From the moment those first famous tunes are blasting your eardrums to shooting a proton beam as accurate as a fire hose at super agile ghosts, you'll be smiling from ear to ear. Okay, so as you will be able to tell I really liked this game; it's seriously good fun and truly follows the heart and soul of the original movies.
This game is meant to be based on the third movie which we know is currently in production. It's a third person shooter, seen from behind the back with your proton backpack acting as an HUD. Firing the proton gun is a dream; you'll feel at one with the team as wanton destruction ensues in your pursuit of the ghosts. You won't be able to help but destroy the world around you. However it won't be long before you'll be upgrading to all sorts of devastating attacks such as the Boson Dart or Shock Blast. You'll get to use other toys such as the PKE Meter (which switches you to first-person perspective) for investigating the ghosts and discovering their weaknesses, or finding hidden ghostly artifacts (42 hidden in all).
In online mode you can join 3 others and choose to be any member of the Ghostbusters team - play games to see who can earn the most cash and rank up with your accumulated experience (20 levels) as well as get your name on the leaderboard. There are some cool options available such as Slime Dunk (catch Slimer) which are worth a look.
Now when the going gets rough you'll need to look after your buddies. When your health gets low you will quickly find yourself on your back like a helpless turtle waiting for someone to give you an instantly reviving magical tap. You can also do this to the others but should you be the last man standing and take a dive&then back to the last checkpoint you go. It's a system that works well and is also quite amusing&listening to the others yelling out 'for a little help over here' is hilarious.
All in all GB is a solid game that is heaps of fun. If I was to search for negatives it would be that the game occasionally stalls whilst waiting for specific actions to take place, such as characters moving to a certain point before advancing the level. It can also at times have big difficulty spikes and screen tearing, however as blasting ghosts and destroying the city is such a hoot it's not a gamebreaker. This one is a must have for any GB fan, far better than any other version - if it doesn't put a smile on your face then you must be dead.
Synopsis: GB is just plain old fun; the proton streams give you no option but to destroy everything in your path. Beautiful environments, classic GB storytelling and original voiceovers make this one a rare treat. Not perfect, but well worth a look.
This review brought to you by Gamefreaks
