PS3 Review – Ghostbusters: The Video Game
But despite the fun factor, the game is a bit methodical and gets very repetitive. Watch cutscene, crack joke, travel down hallway, trap ghost, repeat. Towards the beginning of the game, the monotony of it all leads to disappointment. At one point early on in the game as Winston takes the damsel in distress Dr. Ilyssa Selwen (voiced by Alyssa Milano) to a safer place, he says “Don’t go having any fun without me”. Frustrated, at that point, I felt like responding “Don’t worry, I wont”.
Luckily the game turns around at this point. Via an upgrade to your pack, the slime blower and the slime tether make for new avenues of gameplay. You can use the slime tether to move objects or platforms, smash enemies into the wall, or even tether a ghost to a trap instantly snapping him into containment. Around this time the level variety makes for a more enjoyable experience.
There are other upgrades to your pack such as the Shock Blast, Statis Stream, Meson Collidor, and Overload Pulse, but they feel very tacked on. There isn’t much of a use for these other than filling out the directional pad, which is used to select from your arsenal. This is an area that could have made for more interesting gameplay twists. But that’s not the only missed opportunity.
Many times throughout the game, especially back at the ghostbuster’s firehouse, you will see things you can interact with. Things such as water bubblers, arcade machines, and an answering machine. Sadly the most exciting of those things is the answering machine. A simple addition of playable arcade machines, or use of the pool table would add some fun, and reason to actually spend more than a few seconds in the ghostbuster’s firehouse. This added layer of depth is missed throughout the game, and could have really helped bring more variety to what is a very repetitive game.
It may seem as though I nitpicked through this game, but I did so out of love for the original movies. I did so because this game, although good, could have been GREAT. The character interaction, the graphics, and the blast you will have using the proton stream, trapping ghosts is taken away from by lack of direction, variety, and depth. When the credits roll you will have played a good game, that is good enough to not be thrown in the movie tie-in junk pile. That being said, it’s not going to make it as one of the gems of this generation of gaming like it did with the blockbuster movies that will forever have a place in our hearts.
PlayStation LifeStyle’s Final Score
Proton stream and trapping ghosts are great fun Objectives aren’t always clear Lacks depth, and variety |  |
27 Responses to “PS3 Review – Ghostbusters: The Video Game”
Bustin makes me feel gooood!
Great review (wow 3 pages?!) and nice retrospective on the Ghostbusters brand of old.
Lastly, where is the Anthony Severino ghostbuster pic from E3?
Good thing I have gamefly, Sounds like the kinda game you want to rent and send back.
is it worth a busy? also thanks for reviewing, im debating on buying it…
everything you pointed out dont seam big enough to not buy it. it sounds positive for the most part.
this is good as an exclusive but with infamous we really have better options atm!!
not my cup of tea, good review, thanks.
Good review, Sev!
horrible review
But that’s just me.
lol was on a cell earlier. i mean is it worth a buy?
irishleprecaun – “this is good as an exclusive but with infamous we really have better options atm!!”
you must be actually from Ireland because it is only exclusive in the PAL territories. Anyway, I think they are a little harsh giving it a 3/5. It looks like a lot of fun to me, who cares if you wander down the wrong way a few times and miss the “invisible trigger.” I’ll get it soon and I’m sure it will be at least a 4/5 in my book.
Great review, so rent for the nostalgia , buy if your a chump?
Good review.
Nice in-depth review Sev!
good review, thanks sev
Sev, how was the Multiplayer aspect???
It’s a shame they’re just finding out the PS3 version is not really HD…
http://www.thesixthaxis.com/2009/06/16/ghostbusters-not-really-hd-on-ps3/
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This game is horrendous lol it deserved a 2/5
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the new patch improved the games visual but it received so much negative press at release time.
Its a good game despite a few bugs like frame drops and slow down and freezing here and there. Kinda short but still worth $20 for what I paid for it.