Ghostbusters: Hands-on impressions

By Tracy Erickson
July 28, 2008 16:01 PM PST
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Who you gonna call? The GamePros for hands-on impressions of Ghostbusters: The Video Game

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Like a ghost haunting an old house, the Ghostbusters franchise has been biding its time in the wait for the right people to move in before jumping into action. And plenty of action is to be had. As the newest member of the Ghostbusters team, the demo had me investigating New York City's central library following reports of paranormal activity. Proton pack on my back and traps swinging from my hips, I ascended the library's front steps aside Egon and Ray. Pressing Y allowed me to pull out the PKE meter to gauge paranormal energy readings within the vicinity. Lo and behold, the meter began going nuts moments after walking through the main entrance.

Use the PKE Meter to detect nearby ghosts.

Time to Bust Some Ghosts

Following a stream of ectoplasmic residue through the building led me to a massive study hall. Entering the room incited a flurry of novels to bind together as a mean book golem. Normally I'd be against book burning, but given the aggressive reading campaign waged by the library's ghoulish inhabitant I decided to turn over a new page. Unleashing a powerful proton stream, I tore the book golem apart page-by-page, which showcased the game's impressive physics. When enough books had been knocked out of its makeshift body, the energy dissipated and the golem was defeated.

The proton beam is only one of the handy weapons available for use. Depending on the type of ghost you're challenging, you may find the dark matter beam may prove more effective. Additionally, you can wield a plasma gun for extra damage. Hitting the directional pad allows you to switch effortlessly between your available firearms. Each ghoul you trap nets you money, so concentrate on catching ghosts to net more money.

If you've seen Ghostbusters the movie then you may recognize this librarian.

Throw the Trap!

Firing off a proton stream is simple enough, yet actually catching ghosts demands more than just holding down the right trigger. When you've weakened a ghoul to certain point, you have the option of trapping it. Egon or Ray will lay a trap if they're nearby, otherwise you can open one yourself with a tap of the X button. It's much easier to catch a ghost with the aid of your team considering most ghosts have to be wrangled into a trap.

Watching a ghost go down is practically as exciting as actually doing it. Ghostbusters packs some of the most gratifying graphics of any game I've seen this year. Burn marks from proton streams mark up walls as the light from the stream reflects realistically on the characters. Objects, such as books, chairs, and tables, respond with uncanny accuracy to physical force. The book golem mentioned above buckled as I shot each book from his body, the tomes flying just as you'd expect. Hopefully Ghostbusters comes together in the same exact way this autumn, delivering on my expectations for an action-packed, awesome-looking game.