There’s something weird in the gaming neighbourhood…
Being in Europe, I’m one of the many who have been quite annoyed over this timed PS3 exclusive that Sony has managed to secure. The good news is that if you do own a 360 and live in Europe, then all you have to do is import the game from the US since it’s region-free. Now that’s we’ve gotten that out of the way, let’s get onto the game itself.
First off, let me start by stating that I’m not the biggest Ghostbusters fan. I liked the films, but I didn’t love them as a lot of people do. That being said, I felt a sense of déjà vu with the game. It seems to have hit each aspect of what made the films iconic in the first place, from the dry wit of Bill Murray to the classic “Don’t cross the beams” line, it’s hard to not know what the game is about.
Essentially, it handles like you would hope. It does feel like a 3D Luigi’s Mansion to begin with, you weaken ghosts down with different types of beams, throw out traps and try to slam the ghosts down onto them. There are others that need to be destroyed and there are plenty of things to upgrade. You can go on a FPS ghost hunt using the EPK meter, which is quite fun. There’s also a multiplayer component (which is oddly missing in the PC version so I’ve been told) and it’s quite fun. It may not be the most innovative aspect, but it’s a welcome addition. In terms of control, Ghostbusters handles well. The design may become a bit repetitive after a while, but overall it’s about as close to being a Ghostbuster as you probably will ever get.
Ghostbusters isn’t some cheap cash-in on a license. It’s written by Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd. More or less the entire cast (apart from Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver) reprise their roles for this game, even the supporting cast members. It’s fairly impressive to see it, even though it would have been good if Moranis and Weaver contributed towards it.
In terms of visuals, the PS3 version is disappointing. It’s been recently revealed that the game isn’t in HD of any kind and blander textures than the 360 version, it makes no sense since the PS3 has the horsepower to walk over the 360 if it wanted to, so why doesn’t it? Well there was some lame excuse, but it just adds to the frustration for 360 owners in Europe who want some Ghostbusters on their console. The game isn’t awful to look at, but it’s hardly impressive either. There are some great CGI scenes, but then it goes into standard cutscenes and it’s a mess…lip-syncing is all over the place and character models can be bland at times. On the plus side, the levels look fairly good and parts of the environment can be destroyed. In fact, it helps you earn some trophies…so do as much damage as possible!
The Verdict
Ghostbusters: The Video Game could have been awful, it could have been a disaster, it could have ruined the series forever. Instead, it remains true to the fans and provides a decent experience that they should enjoy. The downsides in presentation and Europe’s exclusivity hold it back in my estimations, as it will with 360 owners who are forced to import. But for PS3 owners who aren’t bothered that the game isn’t in HD, go right ahead…suck up those ghosts!
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