Tuesday, August 18, 2009

"Who you gonna' call?" Hopefully, not Atari for a sequel

Ever since that Saturday afternoon at Dawson’s 10th birthday party when I, and many others in the theatre, left having watched what was soon to be a timeless classic, I have been waiting for a video game to capture, if not somehow recreate the charm, humor and all around enjoyment of the 1984 blockbuster Ghostbusters. Unfortunately, this game comes up a little short. This is mostly in part due to average gameplay graphics and a lack of game play time. However, you should keep in mind that I did not experience the online gameplay and I only played through the career mode once on easy. I think this game really would have benefited from having a mission where you get to operate Ecto-1. Additionally, the linear story line could have been made more interesting with some side missions or having the options of taking different routes. Despite these flaws, this game does have some things to offer. The cinematic clip visuals are very well done and the sound is equally as impressive. Several members of the original movie cast do the voices for the characters in the game including the ghostbusters, the vengegul Peck and the mayor of N.Y. City. I never get sick of hearing Venkman saying ‘he slimed me.’ From the sound of the proton pack charging to the eerie piano playing, this game emulates the sounds of the original movie to a tee. Despite the length of time it took me to finish, I did enjoy the story line. You are a recruit brought in to help the ghostbusters during an increase of ectoplasm activity in the big apple. The object of the game is simple: capture or eliminate as many ghosts as you encounter using your almost always trusty proton pack. The more ghosts you eliminate, the more money you earn to upgrade your paranormal disposing weapon, which is a good thing; your enemies get meaner. Don’t worry though, rookie, the trusty ghostbusters take turns being at your side.

Rating: 7 proton packs out of 10