Muckraker Posts: 268 Joined: 11 Aug 2008 | Hands-On with Ghostbusters
In which we attempt to preview Ghostbusters across three different platforms without quoting a line from Ray Parker Jr.
Upon arriving in a cozy, hotel room suite, we were presented with three tools in which to combat spectral malfeasance: stylus, remote and controller. Proceeding the fallout of Vivendi from the mother ship Activision-Blizzard, Atari has become the lucky publisher to host Dan Aykroyd's dream come true, Ghostbusters: the videogame. Releasing in June 2009 (and just in time for the 20th anniversary of the original film), Ghostbusters will be arriving on the Nintendo DS, Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. All three of which share the same content so regardless of which version you settle with, rest assured, you'll hear Ray Parker Jr's original theme song, which is not to be confused with Mistah Fab or DJ Yoshitaka of Beatmania fame. Heck, on the Nintendo DS there's even a button dedicated to playing it during driving sequences, as if you'd ever roll without it.
Our time with the three versions of Ghostbusters was regulated to the library chapter of the game, which gave us the perfect setting for comparing the similar content. While everything from the scenarios and script are the same across all platforms, the ways in which they're conveyed are quite different. More so the Nintendo DS rendition of Ghostbusters, as unlike its console siblings, it swaps the 3-D action for a top-down viewpoint, and a gameplay mechanic quite similar to the PC classic, Cannon Fodder, which is to say there's a lot more shooting to be had. The handheld version also places a heavier emphasis on squad mechanics as most of your time will be spent controlling the ghost catching trio of Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harol Ramis) and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), as you hunt for new parts to upgrade your equipment.
Stepping up to the Nintendo Wii brings us closer to the fully realized vision of a "Ghostbusters III" in videogame form, albeit, with condensed graphics. Traversing through the library in both the Wii and Xbox 360 versions of the game is largely the same, including the running dialogue (voiced by the original actors), though definitely a bit sillier looking due to the Wii's cartoon-styled visuals. Catching ghosts is quite similar regardless of which version you take on, with a wrangling mechanic that plays almost like a simplified fishing title, with lots of pulling and pushing around of the ghosts until they're locked tight into the trapper. While I'm not particularly fond of the typical Wii motion controls, I have to admit, tossing the nunchuk under-handed to throw out the trap does tend to invoke a case of the nerd giggles.
Ghostbusters truly shines on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms, however, with the expanded visuals bringing the world to life. The journey through the library, which we had already done twice over, felt like a whole new experience with dozens of books flying off the shelves, pages littering the air and ceilings near collapsing in our attempts to reign in the ghosts. The most impressive feature on the Xbox and PlayStation versions of Ghostbusters is the proton pack itself, which encases the entire interface into one fancy package, freeing the screen of menu clutter and packing an additional piece of eye candy to boot.
Overall, Ghostbusters is looking to present an extremely accurate depiction of what you see in the films, much to the chagrin of a few of my fellow critics, to which I must ask, what does one expect from a Ghostbusters videogame? Your team wanders about a spooky setting, utilizing various gadgets to hunt your prey, Aykroyd, Ramis and Murray fill the gaps with an endless string of witty banter, and then you fire lasers at ghosts until you can shove them in a tiny contraption, much like the films. It was never about over-the-top, non-stop action, but about a bunch of slick-tongued, middle-aged men with backpacks who fight specters and make with the laughs. This isn't for the Gears of War or Ninja Gaiden or whatever fans, it's for those who have waited twenty years to see their favorite characters once more and for them this will be love all over again.
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Gone Gonzo Posts: 1481 Joined: 6 Feb 2008 | My inner science-nerd is greatly excited at the possibility this game wont suck |
Time Lord Posts: 10129 Joined: 13 Feb 2008 | Aykroyd, Ramis and Murray? I'm expecting no sign of Tully or Barrett but no Zeddmore?
Just don't cross the Wii-chuks. It would be bad. |
Muckraker Posts: 233 Joined: 9 Oct 2008 | lol dont cross the wii-chuks... awesome!
but. i do feel pretty stupid, because i always thought it was Bankman, not Venkman. i dunno why this constitutes as stupid in my own self indulgence, but it certainly does. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 2877 Joined: 20 Jul 2008 | This should be good, just hope they don't cock it up though. |
BANNED Posts: 12958 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 | The_root_of_all_evil:
Aykroyd, Ramis and Murray? I'm expecting no sign of Tully or Barrett but no Zeddmore?
Just don't cross the Wii-chuks. It would be bad.
Both Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver decided they were too old and too rich for this kinda shit (not used in reference to quality, just as in a general mean all noun substitute, like stuff), Moranis through Honey I Shrunk My Dignity, and Weaver through Alien 15: How the Alien Queen Got her Groove Back.
As for Winston, all hype says you're the fifth Ghostbuster, so with the unofficial fifth one not returning, I think that indicates who will return. |
Muckraker Posts: 268 Joined: 11 Aug 2008 | On a related note, Aykroyd, Ramis and Murray -- possibly some others -- all own equal parts of the franchise along with the respective companies. Meaning that everything has to go through these folks in order to get approved, and it doesn't stop at the obvious stuff like their images in the game. I mean that Bill Murray has to approve the screenshots we receive. Dan Aykroyd combs press releases to make sure his created jargon passes the test.
Ghostbusting is serious business.
As for Winston, all hype says you're the fifth Ghostbuster, so with the unofficial fifth one not returning, I think that indicates who will return.
Pretty much. You play as "The Rookie" in all versions of the game but the Nintendo DS, where Bill Murray's character assumes your place. |
BANNED Posts: 12958 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 | Jared Rea:
On a related note, Aykroyd, Ramis and Murray -- possibly some others -- all own equal parts of the franchise along with the respective companies. Meaning that everything has to go through these folks in order to get approved, and it doesn't stop at the obvious stuff like their images in the game. I mean that Bill Murray has to approve the screenshots we receive. Dan Aykroyd combs press releases to make sure his created jargon passes the test.
Ghostbusting is serious business.
As for Winston, all hype says you're the fifth Ghostbuster, so with the unofficial fifth one not returning, I think that indicates who will return.
Pretty much. You play as "The Rookie" in all versions of the game but the Nintendo DS, where Bill Murray's character assumes your place.
So wait, the DS is the only one where you're allowed to say "We came, we saw, we kicked its ass" every 10 minutes? Guess that shows me which one I'm getting. |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 4197 Joined: 6 Sep 2008 | Can't wait for the release, many Shuvs and Zuuls will know what it is to be roasted in the depths of the Slor that day, I can tell you! |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 1766 Joined: 2 Jul 2008 | Weird. Crossing proton streams was the exact thing everyone was worried about the Large Hadron Collider. |
Pulitzer Laureate Posts: 800 Joined: 25 Nov 2008 | I'll definitely be getting this game. Here's to hoping it doesnt suck. |
On the Record Posts: 6117 Joined: 25 Jan 2008 | There is no Dana, there is only Zul! |
Gone Gonzo Posts: 4197 Joined: 6 Sep 2008 | I saw the new trailer, and the Slime Guns are in it~~!!
Ahh nerdgasm. |
BANNED Posts: 12958 Joined: 30 Jan 2008 | Khell_Sennet:
There is no Dana, there is only Zul!
Actually, this time there is no Dana period.
TsunamiWombat:
I saw the new trailer, and the Slime Guns are in it~~!!
Ahh nerdgasm.
Please, please, please let us make the toaster dance. |
Beat Writer Posts: 166 Joined: 2 Apr 2008 | this will be a good game i can feel it, not like all the other games based off of movies
i hope it is good and breaks the long line of suck that seems to follow these kinda games (movie based) |
BANNED Posts: 6317 Joined: 29 Nov 2007 | *Necroswanson giggles excitedly. He gets +36 hype.* |
Hands-On with Ghostbusters
In which we attempt to preview Ghostbusters across three different platforms without quoting a line from Ray Parker Jr.
Upon arriving in a cozy, hotel room suite, we were presented with three tools in which to combat spectral malfeasance: stylus, remote and controller. Proceeding the fallout of Vivendi from the mother ship Activision-Blizzard, Atari has become the lucky publisher to host Dan Aykroyd's dream come true, Ghostbusters: the videogame. Releasing in June 2009 (and just in time for the 20th anniversary of the original film), Ghostbusters will be arriving on the Nintendo DS, Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. All three of which share the same content so regardless of which version you settle with, rest assured, you'll hear Ray Parker Jr's original theme song, which is not to be confused with Mistah Fab or DJ Yoshitaka of Beatmania fame. Heck, on the Nintendo DS there's even a button dedicated to playing it during driving sequences, as if you'd ever roll without it.
Our time with the three versions of Ghostbusters was regulated to the library chapter of the game, which gave us the perfect setting for comparing the similar content. While everything from the scenarios and script are the same across all platforms, the ways in which they're conveyed are quite different. More so the Nintendo DS rendition of Ghostbusters, as unlike its console siblings, it swaps the 3-D action for a top-down viewpoint, and a gameplay mechanic quite similar to the PC classic, Cannon Fodder, which is to say there's a lot more shooting to be had. The handheld version also places a heavier emphasis on squad mechanics as most of your time will be spent controlling the ghost catching trio of Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harol Ramis) and Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), as you hunt for new parts to upgrade your equipment.
Stepping up to the Nintendo Wii brings us closer to the fully realized vision of a "Ghostbusters III" in videogame form, albeit, with condensed graphics. Traversing through the library in both the Wii and Xbox 360 versions of the game is largely the same, including the running dialogue (voiced by the original actors), though definitely a bit sillier looking due to the Wii's cartoon-styled visuals. Catching ghosts is quite similar regardless of which version you take on, with a wrangling mechanic that plays almost like a simplified fishing title, with lots of pulling and pushing around of the ghosts until they're locked tight into the trapper. While I'm not particularly fond of the typical Wii motion controls, I have to admit, tossing the nunchuk under-handed to throw out the trap does tend to invoke a case of the nerd giggles.
Ghostbusters truly shines on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 platforms, however, with the expanded visuals bringing the world to life. The journey through the library, which we had already done twice over, felt like a whole new experience with dozens of books flying off the shelves, pages littering the air and ceilings near collapsing in our attempts to reign in the ghosts. The most impressive feature on the Xbox and PlayStation versions of Ghostbusters is the proton pack itself, which encases the entire interface into one fancy package, freeing the screen of menu clutter and packing an additional piece of eye candy to boot.
Overall, Ghostbusters is looking to present an extremely accurate depiction of what you see in the films, much to the chagrin of a few of my fellow critics, to which I must ask, what does one expect from a Ghostbusters videogame? Your team wanders about a spooky setting, utilizing various gadgets to hunt your prey, Aykroyd, Ramis and Murray fill the gaps with an endless string of witty banter, and then you fire lasers at ghosts until you can shove them in a tiny contraption, much like the films. It was never about over-the-top, non-stop action, but about a bunch of slick-tongued, middle-aged men with backpacks who fight specters and make with the laughs. This isn't for the Gears of War or Ninja Gaiden or whatever fans, it's for those who have waited twenty years to see their favorite characters once more and for them this will be love all over again.
Permalink