Ghostbusters: The Video Game
This review has been a long time coming.
Frankly, I’m ashamed of myself for taking so long to complete the one review anyone who knows me would expect me to write. Before we continue, I should warn you — I am a Ghostbusters fanatic. However, I don’t let my fandom blind me to justifiable critiques. So, when I say, “Ghostbusters: The Video Game is one of the best licensed games out there,” you can trust I’m being 100% unbiased.
Really, it is a good game, though it shows its age.
The Boys in Tan Are Back
Ghostbusters: The Video Game begins just two years after the ‘Busters cleansed New York of its pink slime dilemma. Franchised and under the watchful eye of the Paranormal Contracts Oversight Committee (headed by none other than disgraced EPA agent Walter Peck), the boys in tan are introduced to their greatest challenge yet: Bringing on a rookie. And who better to fill those black boots than, well, you.
The nameless, voiceless character acts as a vessel through this journey, and you, the possessor, take the amateur Ghostbuster’s body for a spin. Of course, the Rookie’s first day on the job is met with some hefty action when a Gozerian exhibit at the Natural History Museum springs to life, releasing the Big Apple’s most dangerous ethereal inhabitants.
The story is cute and fits into the continued Ghostbusters universe, though it doesn’t break a lot of new ground. Including Stay Puft, Slimer, the Grey Lady, and Gozerian lore adds a familiarity franchise fans are more than used to. This wasn’t a massive problem back in 2009, but you can imagine why some fans may be a little tired of the Gozer-centric plot of Afterlife.
Thankfully, the video game doesn’t just rehash events from the film series (though it spends several earlier levels trapped by nostalgia). It expands more on Ivo Shandor, the Gozer worshipper and architect of Dana Barrett’s building. Sadly, in a post-Afterlife world, this is where the game breaks canon from the film series, all for a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it J. K. Simmons cameo.
The original quartet delivers the bulk of the game’s dialogue, with Bill Murray phoning it in for most of the cutscenes. Aykroyd, Ramis, and Hudson amp up the energy with enthusiastic performances that are fun to listen to. Some may consider the voiceless Rookie a lazy choice, but it works for a franchised game that depends on the banter between its original protagonists. The fifth wheel never gets in the way.
Two in the Box!
Ghostbusters: The Video Game’s biggest surprise is its gameplay. Having been jaded by countless janky licensed games during the PS2 generation, I expected a game completely marred by awkward mechanics. Though there may be plenty of hiccups with the friendly AI and spikes in difficulty, throwing a particle beam toward a crafty, supernatural nemesis more than makes up for any shortcomings.
Combat is a fun but basic step-and-repeat, where you chip at a ghost’s health enough to snare them in your capture beam. Once wrangled, it’s a tug of war as the frantic specter fights to escape while you satisfyingly slam it against the environment. Amidst the chaos, you still have to throw down your trap and keep the ghost steady as it gets sucked into its new permanent home. Take too long, and you’re back at the beginning, wearing down the phanom.
On paper, it may sound boring, but while the implementation is intuitive and friendly for all players, I didn’t grow tired of the process. In fact, I was disappointed when a spirit needed to be blown away by one of Egon’s inventions, which all serve unique purposes the deeper into Spook Central you go.
As part of your role as the Rookie, Egon provides prototype attachments that, true to Ghostbusters’ humor, no one’s quite confident about. A slime blower neutralizes black slime or weakens ghosts, while a particle blaster acts as the game’s close-quarters shotgun. Each weapon has its own secondary function, such as a stasis beam, slime tether, or highly concentrated blast of particle energy. While each piece serves a different purpose, none matches the joy that comes with the standard neutrona wand.
Who Ya Gonna Call?
Ghostbusters: The Video Game is far from perfect and, admittedly, a good chunk of the appeal is nostalgia. Its earlier levels (which include a return to the Sedgwick and the New York Public Library) are entertaining enough to warrant replaying several times over, especially since they expand on encounters with Slimer and the Librarian with plenty of other ghostly activity. Later levels can feel like a slog, particularly the Central Park Cemetery, which is marred by clunky AI and poor level design.
What you appreciate about Ghostbusters: The Video Game comes down to what you’re here for. Want familiar faces and movie callbacks? Then you’ll be enamored by the opening segments. Always wanted to strap on a proton pack and absolutely decimate the environment around you? Then you can probably step out during cutscenes and still get your money’s worth.
I may have enjoyed most aspects of the full experience, but I think Atari did a better job with the gameplay than landing a wholly unique Ghostbusters narrative.
