Ghostbusters: The Videogame

Ghostbusters 3 is here - and you get to star in it

Words: Justin Towell on June 15, 2009

Ghostbusters: The Video Game is effectively Ghostbusters III, as in 'the movie'. Everything here from the sound effects of your proton pack powering down to the font on those famous boiler suits is spot-on.

The faithfulness to the original source material doesn't stop at the aesthetics, either. The characters' speech was written by Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd – writers of the original films. And with the majority of the original film's cast returning (Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver are the only notable exceptions) to add their voices to the game, this is arguably better than getting a new Ghostbusters movie.

Not only does it mean the digitised cast still look as young as they did in the 1980s, but it means we get to try out a proton pack and be the star of the show.


Above: The Ghostbusters trilogy

To allow the four Ghostbusters' characters to really come to life, you don't play as them during the single-player campaign (that's saved for the four-player online mode). Instead, you're a nameless rookie who has been brought in to test the equipment.

It can be a bit daft, seeing your mute twenty-something interact with the crew in cutscenes without saying anything (Dopey from Snow White was the image that sprang immediately to mind), but in terms of the game, it does work.

Not only does it mean the scripted dialogue is more natural and film-like, but you also get a fantastic impression of character – something the vast majority of games never achieve. When you go on a mission with Ray, you really get the feeling he's a nice guy and that you're safer because you're with him. How many other games can you say that of?

 

"Listen - what's that smell?"

Another thing that sets this apart from the crowd is that it's actually funny. Sure, some games make us laugh like Pain or Grand Theft Auto IV, but the Ghostbusters humour is much more sophisticated. Yes, even when Ray says "Listen – what's that smell?"

The fact the team chatters almost non-stop for the duration of the 10-hour long campaign makes this achievement all the more impressive – it must have taken ages to produce a script of this length, especially when it repeats as rarely as this.

The game is played from a third-person, over-the-shoulder perspective, much like Resident Evil 5. It's pure fan-service too, so you'll find yourself returning to famous locations and baddies from the films. In the first hour alone, you'll get to walk around a perfectly-realised Ghostbusters HQ (complete with Janine Melnitz taking sarcastic phone calls on reception), catch your first glimpse of the Stay Puft Marshmallow man, and even get to recapture Slimer.

The green blob escapes his containment unit and returns to his old haunting ground – the very ballroom from the first movie. Check out this comparison video to see how accurate it is.



Related

Games:


Ghostbusters The Video Game (PS3)

View Videos and Screenshots Hide Videos and Screenshots

Latest Videos

Latest Screenshots

Platforms:

PS3

Topics:

Super Review

35 Comments
Order Comments: Newest First | Oldest First
  • RETROGAMER95

    RETROGAMER95  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I have this game the day it came out, im not that far but its fun and has the same humor from the movie.

    p.s. if you got it the day it came out you got a free marshmellow dude too
  • sue11413

    sue11413  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I bought the game and I think it's great, a must buy.
  • Doomwaffle

    Doomwaffle  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    Thanks for saying it wasn't better than Luigi's- I'm sure any level system can't be better than Luigi's romp around the mansion. Yelling Mario never gets old!
  • RonnyLive19881

    RonnyLive19881  - 1 week, 1 day ago  - Report

    Luigi's Mansion is in my top 10 favorite games,I too would have been disappointed Lol
    I can't wait for Luigi's Mansion 2!
  • smallberry

    smallberry  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    Strange. I totally saw this score coming. A game that's more or less a 6 but with writing and voice work that propels it to an 8. That said I'm probably going to buy it by the end of the month. Good review.
  • BenitoMasterSystem

    BenitoMasterSystem  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I love that this game is compared to Luigi's Mansion and that LM is seen as better. I am not disagreeing at all, because I haven't played Ghostbusters and I get that in certain ways the mechanics in LM might be better, but it just made me laugh to see it say Luigi's Mansion is better while RE5 and Gears of War are not.
  • GamesRadarBrettElston

    GamesRadarBrettElston  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    "Do you think this is a cool game. Movie games are retarded. Just admit it."

    Everyone admits that. No one will contest that point. It's not even an opinion, it's a fact. Most are awful. However, there are always exceptions, and based on this (and other) reviews, Ghostbusters looks to be one of those exceptions.
  • Hobojedi

    Hobojedi  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    It looks pretty cool.
  • CoD_22

    CoD_22  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    ok, now imagine playing this game with motion control such as sony's orbs and xbox's natal, it would work, wouldnt it? have faith, the motion control will pull through and although it clearly would epic fail in some games, it could be awesome in others. youd direct the stream of the electricity with the 2 controllers at your side, or your hands on their own for natal, it would bring a whole new feel of realism to the game. dunno if this is worth buying, though, ive pre-ordered uncharted 2 already and i need big surf island for burnout then theres so many games coming out soon
  • garnsr

    garnsr  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I think it's valid enough to rate settings we're familiar with and enjoy higher than unknowns. It's not always licenses, but things like the Metroid Prime reboot held our attention because it was Metroid, New SMB Wii only interests people because it's SMB, and so on (all the examples I can think of are Nintendo.) Enjoying the setting is a big part of what makes a game enjoyable, and can make you forgive a lot.
  • Timothy_Lemon

    Timothy_Lemon  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    whether the game is amazing or not it's bloody ghostbusters you have to play it.

    terminator salvation for example, i thought was ok, very flawed but ok.

    really good review made me want this game even more now.

    go gettem' ray!
  • PS360Rulez

    PS360Rulez  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    Other reviews I have seen havent put this one quite as high as you did. I thought this game looked just ok to begin with and now that a favorable review isnt any higher than an 8 im gonna skip it and wait for the massive waive of games in a few months that will be causing me to go poor.
  • Hazza22299

    Hazza22299  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    rubbish.
    waste of money because of all the good games in 2009 like mod warfare 2, assassins creed 2, fifa 10 and ... just cause 2 (in my own opinion anyway)
  • theeambassador

    theeambassador  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    so we rate licensed franchises higher the more we like them...?
  • Dr.Salvador

    Dr.Salvador  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    nah dosnt interest me
  • IIIIIACEIIIII

    IIIIIACEIIIII  - 2 years, 5 months ago  - Report

    @Demonflare
    A movie game is a game based on a movie, whereas this is a game that IS the third movie, and isn't based on an already existing movie. Therefore it has its own script, had a lot longer to be worked on and no restrictions.
    Did you even read the review?
  • r3d

    r3d  - 2 years, 7 months ago  - Report

    I'm a PC gamer and forever will be.

    Watching the Previous makes me want to buy a PS3 just to WATCH and play this game. That would be a very expensive movie for me to purchase for my collection.

    it's a GREAT Movie classic continued. I wish they made the GB sign make the 3 finger pose like what they did with two.

    Movie Game = cause it's made to be a movie 1st, game 2nd; like watching a movie with games as "cut scenes" or "cut games".
  • Gamer46

    Gamer46  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I've been playing the game and love it, it's not perfect, but hunting and capturing ghosts is fun, there just needed to be more of it.

    I find it funny how they say it's worse than Luigi's Mansion but not RE 5. That's ridiculous. I've played all those games and I'd have to completely disagree. It's not as good as RE 5 but it's definitely better than LM.
  • iluvmyDS

    iluvmyDS  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    I was probably going to buy it anyway, but your review helps Mr. Towell.

    captcha: Unitarian stapler

    what the flying fuck?
  • MechGyver

    MechGyver  - 2 years, 8 months ago  - Report

    ....We are not amused....
    Is there any actor from this movie that didnt went into early retirement, good cashin effort though
Most Commented
Connect with GamesRadar