Ghostbusters: The Video Game (Playstation 3)

It’s been proven time and time again, a lesson passed down through the annals of history; games based on movies rarely work. But with a two decade hiatus since the last Ghostbusters flick and a hefty dose of nostalgia on its side, Ghostbusters: The Video Game has thoroughly proven itself to be a treat for Bustin’ fanatics.

The game is a lavishly produced love letter to Ghostbusters fans, filled to bursting with references and jokes, undoubtedly crammed in by devoted movie buffs. The script was fine-tuned by original writers Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, all four Ghostbuster reprise their roles and almost every supporting cast member returns, bar Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver. The fire station headquarters are painstakingly realised, allowing you to roam about the Busters’ offices, and every prop, from the Ecto-1 to the proton pack, is lovingly recreated for the game. It’s a fan service tour-de-force.

The game pits you as a nameless, voiceless rookie cadet who ends up following the four Ghostbusters on a brand new adventure, defending Manhattan from a paranormal army of ghosts. With its bulky characters and spooky set pieces, it plays out like a cross between Gears of War and survival horror’s Dead Space. As you move through the game’s levels, alongside a handpicked crew of Busters, you battle possessed items and capture otherworldly beasties in your handy trap.

Capturing ghosts is the game’s forte, a thrilling sequence of actions that leaves rooms cluttered and brows sweating. Each mysterious ghoul must be damaged significantly with the game’s selection of weapons until it is dazed and confused, and then thrashed around the room with the Busters’ trademark proton stream. Finally, a trap is thrown out and the phantom is heaved into the tiny case – it perfectly emulates the movie’s first trapping scene, complete with broken furniture and hundreds of objects strewn across the room.

Its elements like this that makes Ghostbusters differ from every other shooter, but it results in a relatively steep learning curve and plenty of new techniques to master. The game won’t slow down to let you study so you’re plunged straight into chaos and your four buddies count on you to learn on the job. In the process, early levels can quickly become baffling affairs as you stumble through the challenges.

In fact, major parts of the game feel more like a Ghostbuster’s rollercoaster ride than a game. You have little independence, puzzles are solved by your team members before you have time to scratch your head and any attempt to deviate from the track breaks the game’s intended flow. With some hokey storyline reason to back it up, early parts of the game retread events of the first film as linear set pieces (culminating in a rematch against Stay Puft), so it takes a few hours for you to earn your stripes and take control of the action.

When you’re finally at the game’s helm, the set piece battles slow down and Ghostbusters reveals its true form; a considered and enjoyable action romp. Make no mistake; the game is heavily combat focused, with upwards of 90% fighting alongside a few light puzzles. There’s no Ecto-1 driving segment, no resource management and little exploration. You can use your PKE meter to sniff out cursed relics and create a database of scanned ghouls, but Terminal Reality’s inspirations land squarely in Gears of War’s court.

But despite the relatively shallow cast of game types, Ghostbusters isn’t without hiccups. Egon presents you with new weapons as the game goes on, but they rarely feel more than slightly different ways to inflict damage; the proton stream, the blast of stasis, a jet of slime and some Meson colliders. Each spectre has a specific weakness, but scanning them with your PKE meter and checking their Achilles’ heel in Tobin’s Spirit Guide is an unwanted change of pace in an otherwise frenetic game.

Bosses and enemy chokepoints also frustrate as downed Ghostbusters must be repeatedly revived. Particularly chaotic events can turn into a never-ending stream of revivals and cheap shots. You won’t want to die, yourself, either; while you’ll get to sing along to Ray Parker Jr’s infinitely hummable theme tune, load times can drag on, exasperated by the massive 4GB, mandatory install.

The game also has a number of multiplayer modes with both competitive and cooperative game types. You’ll working through scenarios, earning cash, fighting for top scores and looking for the elusive Most Wanted ghosts.

Ghostbusters’ key selling point is, of course, the trappings –the voices and visuals that turn an adequate and competent action game into a fan servicing nostalgia trip into the 80s. The game looks great with massive attention to detail on every character, prop and location. The Ghostbusters are spitting images of their 1984 selves, complete with the meticulously crafted proton gear on their backs; morphing and functioning as lights flicker and steam pours out on reload.

Voice acting is also top notch with every actor nailing their lines – well, Aykroyd can sound a little too enthusiastic at times and, on the other hand, Murray’s cynical indifference is taken to the extreme, but the 20 year gap almost vanishes behind the curtain of CGI. The storyline is definitely serviceable and The Mayor and Walter Peck are given ample screen time, but the new love interest (played by Alyssa Milano) is forced and barely characterised.

Ghostbusters works best when it’s in its element; tearing up fancy establishments as you trap ghouls in a frantic struggle. The four Ghostbusters trade one-liners and bicker back and forth while you get down to fighting all manner of creative and unique ghosts, whether it’s a band of Civil War spirits in the city’s museum or a parade of ghostly chefs in the hotel’s kitchen. When the game comes together like this, it achieves that near-impossible goal of putting you directly into the movie.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game succeeds where most other licensed games fail, managing to balance influence from the source material and the bravery to forge ahead alone. It’s not without its flaws, and the 6 hour completion time isn’t ideal, but true Ghostbusters fans will be proud to add this to their collection, while more casual Busters will discover an excellent rental.