Ghostbusters The Video Game - Video Game Previews


	Platform Xbox, PC, Playstation 3 (also Wii, PS2, DS) Genre Action Publisher Sierra Developer Terminal Reality ETA Q4 2008
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Ghostbusters The Video Game

There have been many games based on Ghostbusters -- each succeeding (or failing) to some extent based wholly on the goodwill created by the movies and, later, the cartoons. From the very first game, it just seemed that Ghostbusters was too big an idea to be contained in a video game but it seems that finally technology has caught up and we'll get a game that does justice to the source material. Well, not having actually played a demo, at least the look and feel of Ghostbusters will be done justice.

Sierra and Terminal Reality have made a strong step in the right direction with the involvement of Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd "to scribe the script and event-driven storyline for the video game that will lead the player

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through the trials and tribulations of the world’s leading paranormal ghost busting team." There's no indication of what that actually means for the story or what players will actually be doing, but judging by the screens, at least some of the best moments of the original Ghostbusters will be featured, including the showdown with the Stay Puft Marshmallow

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Man. But the official press release specifically states that the developers are aiming to create an "experience and gameplay environment that authentically recreates the whimsical time period of the film, expanding the lore and supernatural events that seemingly plague New York City." When you watch the original film, there's a montage of various "busts" as the Ghostbusters climb the ladder of fame and fortune. Including a handful of those jobs to flesh out the characters and locations even further, so even excluding totally new material, there's enough within the source material to utilize.

More good news is that many of the key players from the film are also returning. Besides Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis, there's also specific mention of Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson lending their "talents" to the game along with Annie Potts and William Atherton. Hopefully this means that they'll all be voicing the characters from the film and not just giving the okay to use their likenesses in the game.

It certainly seems that all the building blocks are in place, at least as far as licensed games go. Now, it's up to developer Terminal Reality to put it all together to create a playable and fun game.

When Terminal Reality is mentioned, especially in connection with the paranormal, I always think of Blair Witch Volume 1: Rustin, Parr, Nocturne and the BloodRayne series. While those titles aren't particularly consistent in tone or content or, some would argue, quality, at least Terminal Reality has some experience when it comes to ghouls and ghosts.

The overall feel of the screenshots conveys a feeling of Gears of War, an over-the-shoulder 3rd person view that seems to be the default perspective for action games that use guns. That will probably work in the game's favor -- it means the controls should be instantly accessible to anyone that has played an shooter/action game in the last couple of years.

Without having actually played Ghostbusters The Video Game, I already have high hopes for the game -- just based on the preliminary information and the screenshots. There's still a lot that could go wrong but I'd rather feel upbeat about a Ghostbuster's game.

- Omni

(February 20, 2008)