Finally a game worthy of the Ghostbusters name
Back in the day the only Ghostbusters video games you could find were the abysmal NES games or the passable Sega Master System and Sega Genesis games. It's been almost 20 years since those games hit the market, but now Ghostbusters has made a comeback, and Ghostbusters the Video Game is the first game that is actually worthy of the Ghostbusters name.
Plot wise, the game picks up after the end of the second movie (and presumably the last season of the Real Ghostbusters Cartoon) and casts the player in the role of a nameless rookie, recruited by the Ghostbusters to test out new weapons and equipment. However what starts out as a simple job soon becomes a race against time to shut down a mendala nood before it unleashes the full might of the spirit world.
The game play is a vast improvement over the previous Ghostbusters games, which is simply hunting down and blasting all sorts of ghosts and demons in various locations, from the movies and some new areas designed specifically for the game. some of the levels actually require some puzzle solving, such as a level where you have to use the slime tether to pull a damaged light from a pool of water.
However the one down side to the game play is that it's too linear, in the NES game, it's only redeeming factor was the ability to drive around New York responding to calls about hauntings, had this game included side missions based on episodes from the cartoon or the ability to actually drive Ecto 1 to the location, the game play would've been perfect.
Another big improvement is that the Ghostbusters are able to use their proton packs and ghost traps to battle the various ghosts, and one of the best features is the ability to switch between four different weapons: The Proton Beam, the Dark Matter Gun, The Freeze Gun, and the Slime Gun, all of which effect the various ghosts differently.
The ghosts themselves are also a vast improvement over the other games, instead of facing generic happy ghosts, the player is confronted with a wide variety of ghosts and possessed objects, each of which is increadibly detailed, and is armed with a wide variety of magical attacks and other weapons that inflict a variety of damage on the player. The boss ghosts are probably the best feature, some of which are returns from the movie, and others which are brand new, such as the Spider Witch and fan favorite Stay Puff.
The major drawback to this game is actually two fold, the big problem is the control, specifically the targeting system, and your allies AI, mix both of those with the bright graphics engine, and it's hard to tell who or what you're shooting at, or who has captured or is targeting a specific ghost or monster. Capturing a ghost is also a challenge, made all the more difficult by having to vent your proton pack every time it starts over heating, which takes a good two seconds, allowing your target to inflict damage on you or your allies.
The other major draw back is the lack of a map and a check point system, which most games tend to include. The lack of a map can lead to the player becoming disoriented, especially in dark areas, or corridors. However the lack of a checkpoint system is probably the most frustrating aspect of the game, since the game will only save when the level is complete, meaning you have to beat the level in one sitting, so if you get board, want to change games, or have to turn off your console and leave the house, you will have to start the mission all over again from the beginning.
Despite these draw backs, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is the first game that actually proves itself to be worthy of the Ghostbusters names, and feels as though your playing through Ghostbusters III. However the game could have payed more homages to the Ghostbusters universe, by including ghosts and levels based on episodes of the cartoons, and have improved it's targeting and combat systems. But still the game is worth buying, especially if your a fan of the Ghostbusters.