Product Info

Platform

Switch, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC

Publisher

Mad Dog Games

Developer

Saber Interactive

Genre

Action, Adventure

Players

1

File Size (Minimum)

3.3 GB

Release Date (NA)

Oct 4, 2019

Purchase From

GameStop

eShop

PSN Store

Microsoft Store

Ghostbusters is one of the most iconic movies of the 1980s. Sadly, the video games based on it have been mediocre at best. At least, that was the case until the impressive Ghostbusters: The Video Game was released in 2009. Now, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered, a port of the original third-person, action-adventure game, is here for modern consoles. However, the specter of the game’s decade-old graphics looms over it.

That Authentic Feel

The story of the game was written by the creators of the original Ghostbusters movie, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Additionally, the main characters are played by the original cast members: Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson. They all lent their voices and likenesses to the game. (The game was developed before Ramis passed away in 2014.) Having these key figures involved make it feel like an authentic game based on the movie. Even the game’s soundtrack brings in scores from the original Ghostbusters film as well.

However, the game did not age well from its 2009 release. Character renders feel off and are not as detailed as they could have been. This is more evident in cutscenes, where you’re looking at the characters close up. During actual gameplay, though, it’s not as noticeable, since they’re further away. Still, for a remaster, this is disappointing.

Ghostbusters fans will enjoy seeing the details the developers put into the game elsewhere. Before leaving on your first mission, you can interact with the Vigo the Carpathian painting from the Ghostbusters II movie. Also, fans will be able to relive classic scenes such as battling the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man on top of the building or capturing Slimer in the ballroom. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered doesn’t hold back on reliving the glory days of the two 1980s films, but it also doesn’t stray too far with new content either.

Rookie of the Year

So where do you come in? Alas, you’re not one of the big four. Instead, the game sets you up as a rookie who recently joined the Ghostbusters team. Throughout the game, you’ll both tag team with your more well-known coworkers or go solo on a mission. Each mission varies from battling ghosts, exploring areas, and escorting Ecto-1 through downtown New York.

As you play, you’ll be equipped with a proton pack (a dangerous device used to tame ghosts), ghost traps, a PKE Meter, and goggles. Proton packs require some work to tame your ghost. While playing, you’ll have to keep an eye and ear out so you don’t overheat your pack. Ignoring it will throw you to the ground. The easy solution is to vent the device as instructed early in the game. The PKE meter helps uncover ghosts and haunted artifacts. You’ll be able to read more about your findings in the game’s menu. Switching back and forth between your PKE meter and proton pack is relatively easy. It’s a simple press of a button, but it can be annoying when a ghost or other creature suddenly appears.

If you get hurt, your health will regenerate over time. However, taking enough damage will knock you to the ground. If you fall down and can’t get back up, it’s up to your comrades to help you out. The same goes for if a comrade falls. If all the Ghostbusters fall, you’ll have to restart back at the last checkpoint.

Don’t Cross the Streams

Ghosts and ghouls won’t go down easily. First, you’ll have to shoot your proton pack’s energy stream to lower their health gauge. That’s easier said than done at times, since objects like crates and furniture and the game camera itself can get in the way, making your task more difficult. Also, the stream from your pack can be somewhat hard to control when following creatures around in a room. Anyway, once the creature goes down, you can move it freely or slam it to the ground. Throw your trap and move the creature toward it. The trap will automatically open, so it’s up to you to keep the spirit within the trap’s range.

Early in the game, battling can be repetitive. There are many cutscenes where Slimer and other ghouls will run away, forcing you to explore and trace their steps with your PKE meter and goggles. While it’s true to the ghostbusting experience, it’s not as fun when each battle is exhausting. Furthermore, after completing one mission, another starts right up, making it feel like a never-ending adventure. In a way, it’s almost like watching a marathon of the movie. Fans of the franchise won’t have much of an issue, but others less enthusiastic about the source material may have less patience.

Fortunately, you will have the option to improve your equipment, such as getting more powerful ghost traps and proton packs. You’ll need money and a whole lot of it to get everything. This requires you to complete your ghost-hunting missions and to use your PKE meter to collect data.

As for multiplayer, you won’t find it here in this version, so you’ll spend most of your time in the eight-hour campaign mode. The multiplayer option back in the 2009 version of the game was serviceable at best, so you aren’t missing too much anyway. Still, it’s a missed opportunity that additional time wasn’t spent updating it to make it more fun.

Final Capture

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is an entertaining game for fans of the franchise. Even though those who have already played the 2009 original won’t see any gameplay or graphical improvements, this is still the best, most authentic Ghostbusters experience by far (outside of living in the corner penthouse of Spook Central).

A review code was provided by Sandbox Strategies for this review.