ghostbusters video game remastered review

Screen Rant

Ghostbusters: the video game remastered review - the good sequel, this remaster doesn't correct any of the game's design flaws, but it remains the best ghostbusters video game ever made and a must-play for fans..

In 2009, Ghostbusters: The Video Game answered the prayers of anyone who ever daydreamed of wearing a proton pack. Not only did it successfully capture the essence of being a ghostbuster, but it boasted an original script penned by Dan Aykroyd and the late Harold Ramis, plus performances from nearly all of the main actors. In short, it was a playable Ghostbusters 3 . Ten years may have magnified the game’s original flaws, but this remaster reaffirms that no other Ghostbusters title has made busting feel this good. 

If you missed it the first time, Ghostbusters: The Video Game takes place in 1991, two years after the events of Ghostbusters II . Instead of controlling one of the four main heroes, players take on a nameless, mute rookie - a game design decision that felt questionable back then and still feels disappointing now. It’s the recurring RPG problem of being surrounded by a colorful cast with your blank slate of a character contributing nothing to that dynamic. Still, as cool as it would have been to play as Venkman or Egon, it’s a real treat to hang out with the crew and bask in their signature banter.

Related: Things You Totally Missed About Ghostbusters

The story itself stands as an entertaining romp that takes players through familiar locations, such as the Sedgewick Hotel, and more otherworldly destinations. Using the PKE meter to uncover cursed collectibles offers an enjoyable diversion thanks to the objects’ entertaining backstories. On top of that are the myriad of fun shoutouts to Ghostbusters ’ history that can be seen and heard throughout. Whether it’s battling Stay Puft in a titanic rematch or uncovering easter eggs around the firehouse (which include chatting with the still-possessed Vigo painting), there’s a strong reverence for the source material that sweetens the entire package. 

This remaster sharpens ups the presentation for a cleaner look. Proton streams appear more vibrant as do the ghosts they ensnare. Lighting also receives a noticeable bump up. The game’s destructibility tech may be less impressive now, but it’s still a nice touch that highlights the ghostbusters’ penchant for demolishing the places they’re trying to rescue. The cinematic cutscenes, however, have an unpleasant graininess from a generation ago, which makes for jarring transitions between them and gameplay.  

Busting ghosts remains a blast albeit with the same caveats as before. Firing proton streams and wrangling spirits into traps creates a childhood thrill that still feels as close as any experience has come to emulating the “real” thing. Three additional weapon modes such as a slime gun and the shotgun-esque stasis gun are fun in their own right and get put to good use in both combat and puzzle-solving. Manually cooling weapons when they overheat is still a mild annoyance that feels largely unnecessary. Weapons upgrades offer decent improvements but can be obtained fairly quickly. You’ll spend the last half of the game with a full purse and nothing to buy.

Certain battles do become a little too overwhelming, especially because of how easily teammates fall in battle. Everyone possesses the durability of wet paper, and having to constantly revive the other characters remains Ghostbusters ’ biggest annoyance. When you go down yourself, praying that the crew survives long enough to aid you is more terrifying than any spook, specter, or ghost. That’s because the checkpoints, while not horrible, are less accommodating than what you’d expect from today’s offerings. 

The more things change the more they stay the same. When Ghostbusters: The Video Game first arrived a decade ago, fans had been screaming for any new, quality Ghostbusters media. 10 years, more bad games , and one  so-so but forgettable reboot film later, and this remaster has once answered the call for good, modern Ghostbusters material. This is practically a must-play for fans as it’s easily the franchise's best video game, not to mention one of, if not the final time all four cast members reprise their iconic roles together. It’s a totally solid nostalgia romp that effectively checks off “become a ghostbuster” from the childhood bucket list.

More:  10 Ghostbusters Memes That Are Too Hilarious For Words

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Screen Rant was provided a digital PS4 code for the purpose of this review.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Trailers

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Critic reviews for ghostbusters: the video game remastered.

Ghostbusters was a great tie-in back in 2009 but this remaster doesn't really make for a vastly improved experience.

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Easy Allies

Metro gamecentral.

It always put nostalgia first and gameplay second, but 10 years on and Ghostbusters: The Video Game just feels like mediocre fan fiction.

TheSixthAxis

Back in 2009, Ghostbusters: The Video Game was a solid shooter elevated by the involvement of the original Ghostbusting team, but a decade later it's a little tired. If you have any fondness for the franchise then it provides a wonderful hit of nostalgia, and it's still a genuine pleasure to see the whole Ghostbusting team back together, but those looking for great gameplay should probably look elsewhere.

God is a Geek

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered gets some visual improvements, but not much else. Strong nostalgia hooks will delight fans, but won't bring in any new audience.

GamingTrend

With a fresh coat of paint, higher resolution, and sharper textures, Ghostbusters: The Game Remastered brings the unofficial Ghostbusters 3 script to life for a whole new audience. While the multiplayer mode is still AWOL, Saber Interactive promises we'll see that pop out of a ghost trap in the near future. In the meantime, there's a fantastic swan song for the original Ghostbusters team.

Push Square

As an officially licensed instalment in a beloved franchise, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is still a resounding success ten years on. But as a third-person shooter with physics-based ghost capturing, it's a bit one-note. The atmosphere, design, and voice cast are perfect, but the combat peaks early and quickly become a bore. The main campaign is enjoyable enough that it's worth enduring the repetition, though.

PlayStation Universe

Written by and starring the original cast of Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is simply the best video game based on a movie property ever created. With fun gameplay and bizarre events, this is the closest you'll ever get to strapping on a real proton pack.

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Ghostbusters: the video game remastered, common sense media reviewers.

For supernatural fun and action, who you gonna call?

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

There are the usual "good vs. evil" themes, as the

Each of the Ghostbusters is quirky in their own wa

The gameplay should feel instantly familiar and co

Players use all kinds of gadgets to fend off super

Some female ghosts are shown with low cut outfits

There's some mild language in the game's dialogue,

The game's based on the popular Ghostbusters film

Parents need to know that Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is a third-person action adventure game available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows-based PCs. The game's a remake of the original 2009 release and continues the story of the Ghostbusters team after the events of the Ghostbusters…

Positive Messages

There are the usual "good vs. evil" themes, as the Ghostbusters team up to stop a paranormal uprising. There are also strong themes of friendship and teamwork, with the crew working together to defeat the ghosts and accepting you into their ranks as a rookie addition.

Positive Role Models

Each of the Ghostbusters is quirky in their own ways, but they are all generally good-hearted and good-natured. They also want to help people in need of their specialized skills, and courageously charge headlong into danger to save the city.

Ease of Play

The gameplay should feel instantly familiar and comfortable to any third-person shooter fan. The game also does a great job of walking players through the basic mechanics via tutorials in the training portion of the story.

Violence & Scariness

Players use all kinds of gadgets to fend off supernatural threats. There are all kinds of flashy effects in combat and spooky imagery when exploring (including writing on walls), but nothing graphic or gory in any way. A few of the ghosts appear to have a small amount of blood dripping from them.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Some female ghosts are shown with low cut outfits showing off their cleavage.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

There's some mild language in the game's dialogue, such as "prick" and "ass."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

The game's based on the popular Ghostbusters film franchise and a remake of the original 2009 game. Ghostbusters has seen its share of adaptations and media projects, including animated series, comics, toys, games, etc.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is a third-person action adventure game available for Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch, and Windows-based PCs. The game's a remake of the original 2009 release and continues the story of the Ghostbusters team after the events of the Ghostbusters II film. As a new member of the team, players will face down a variety of different ghosts using the gadgets at their disposal. The action's constant, but the violence is relatively tame, mainly consisting of flashy effects like proton packs firing and dragging ghosting into traps. There's some very mild language in the dialogue, and a small number of the female ghosts are presented in a suggestive manner.

Where to Play

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (6)
• Kids say (25)

Based on 6 parent reviews

I LOVE THIS GAME I AM A BIG BIG FAN OF GHOSTBUSTERS!!!!!!! :D

Best wii game ever, what’s it about.

If there's something strange in your virtual neighborhood, who you gonna call? GHOSTBUSTERS: THE VIDEO GAME REMASTERED, that's who. This is a remake of the 2009 classic game, which told a brand-new, original chapter in the adventures of everyone's favorite paranormal exterminators. Set two years after the events of the Ghostbusters II film, players are dropped into the role of a rookie new recruit to the Ghostbusters' ranks, brought on board to help the team deal with a recent spike in supernatural activity. It seems that, while the Ghostbusters managed to defeat Gozer the Gozarian, you just can't keep an evil god down. The spirits of a group of worshippers known as The Cult of Gozer have returned to resurrect their leader once again and permanently merge the world of the living with the Ghost World, effectively wiping out all of humanity. Realizing that although a rise in New York's spirit population might keep the Ghostbusters busy, the lack of any living (and paying) customers might adversely affect their bottom line, the team jumps into action once again to save the day. But could there be more going on with this latest spiritual scheme than the team knows? And is there a greater threat than Gozer lurking in the shadows of New York's past?

Is It Any Good?

Many times, games based on movies feel rushed and don't quite capture the magic and appeal of their source material. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered, though, is that rare gem of a game that doesn't just pay homage to the franchise, but also expands on it in exciting ways. The game brings together the original cast, including the late Harold Ramis, in a new story that could just as easily serve as a big screen Ghostbusters sequel. The plot manages to be welcoming to newcomers to the series while also offering up plenty of service to longtime fans. Best of all, it does so by pulling the player into the Ghostbusters universe, offering them the change to be a part of the team.

Gameplay in Ghostbusters has a great mix of action and story development. There are moments of rising tension where you're looking for clues to what's causing the ectoplasmic emergency and you just know all heck is about to break loose, but you can't risk going in proton packs blazing. These moments aren't boring at all, and they also make it more exciting when the action kicks back into high gear. And though the original game came out a decade ago, the material still holds up today, thanks in no small part to some high-def polish on the remastered presentation. Unfortunately, one casualty of the remaster that didn't manage to escape the gaming graveyard is the co-op play that was part of the original release. While its presence is sure to be missed by fans of the classic version, the truth is, if you're new to the game and didn't know it was there before, it's nothing you're going to miss this time around. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is still a strong single-player experience. And just like the movie's theme song suggests, bustin' makes you feel good.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about remakes and reboots. What's the appeal of recreating or rebooting certain popular games, films, etc.? How far does nostalgia take it and how much need to be fresh and original?

What are some ways that games have been used to adapt or to even expand on stories first developed in film or television?

Game Details

• Platforms : Nintendo Switch , PlayStation 4 , Windows , Xbox One
• Pricing structure : Paid
• Available online? : Available online
• Publisher : Mad Dog Games, LLC.
• Release date : October 4, 2019
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Adventures , Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires , Science and Nature
• ESRB rating : T for Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Mild Suggestive Themes
• Last updated : October 23, 2019

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About This Game

System requirements.

• Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
• OS: Windows 7 SP2
• Processor: Intel i3
• Memory: 4 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GT 630
• Storage: 24 GB available space
• OS: Windows 10
• Processor: Intel Core i5-4690
• Memory: 6 GB RAM
• Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670

"GHOSTBUSTERS" with the "GHOST DESIGN" is a trademark of Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. "GHOSTBUSTERS" and "GHOSTBUSTERS 2" movies: © 1984, © 1989 Columbia Pictures Industries, Inc. All rights reserved. Developed by Terminal Reality, Inc. Additional development by Saber Interactive. Published by Mad Dog Games. Facial Animation software provided by FaceFX. © 2002-2007, OC3 Entertainment, Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Copyright (C) 2002-2008 Xiph.Org Foundation and contributors.

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered – Reviews

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• 9 When Someone Asks You If This Game Is Awesome, You Say YES! X360 06/23/2009 By DarkECOJak *Most Recommended*
• 6 Zen Entertainment crosses the streams DS 06/24/2009 By Chaotic_Fusion
• 9 Well we called... and we were answered! X360 06/24/2009 By Chaotic_Fusion
• 9 Don't Be Afraid Of No Ghost X360 04/14/2010 By VideoMaster
• 8 A so-so sequel to the films, but an excellent and immersive game nonetheless. PS3 06/19/2013 By Red_Lobstar
• 8 When it's all said and done Ghostbusters: The Video Game has it where it counts. X360 08/19/2009 By dr7flow
• 7 Nearly a perfect addition to the franchise, if not for all the glitches. X360 08/17/2009 By Unknown50862
• 7 Bustin' makes me feel good PC 07/01/2009 By StabbityMax
• 8 There's something weird, but it sure looks good X360 09/28/2009 By The_Manx
• 10 A truly awesome game! PS3 01/19/2010 By Herugrim
• 8 Consider this game the closest thing you'll ever get to a third movie... PS3 02/03/2010 By Bkstunt_31
• 7 The adaptation of a film that never was. PC 09/21/2015 By MTLH
• 8 A Sequel In Spirit X360 08/17/2009 By Archvelius
• 7 Alice, I'm going to ask you a couple of standard questions, okay? Have you or any of your family played this game yet? PSP 04/15/2010 By Knight1192
• 8 When There's Something Strange, In the Neighborhood... X360 07/06/2010 By BloodGod65
• 7 Back from the dead and sliming your console X360 07/20/2009 By kefka989
• 7 A simple but excellent game in the spirit of the films PC 02/08/2012 By Crono09

Full Reviews

• 9 It's true when they say 'busting makes you feel good. X360 07/06/2009 By Zersch
• 9 Aim for the flat top! X360 06/22/2009 By peppermintking
• 8 Cross the Streams! X360 01/19/2010 By DandyQuackShot
• 7 Not as bad as some have said... DS 06/22/2009 By thewolfmatt
• 7 A Solid Game and Respectable Reboot to a Franchise WII 07/10/2009 By Sharpiez

Quick Reviews

• 9 Who are you going to call? Your local video game store to buy this game that's who. X360 06/22/2009 By Melchiah
• 7 "He slimed me!" PS3 06/29/2009 By Falling_Down
• 9 As close to Ghostbusters III as were ever gonna get. X360 01/04/2010 By MisterMarioMan
• 8 We've waited 20 years and were not let down X360 08/03/2009 By nny138
• 8 Busting Makes You Feel Good X360 07/06/2009 By cruel_death
• 4 Bustin' makes me feel bored. DS 08/12/2009 By hackeynut
• 9 No job is too big, no fee is too big! WII 07/06/2009 By TruePensFan
• 6 Just any other Movie Based Game, just a little better X360 06/22/2009 By djdoubt03
• 8 Bustin' makes you feel good! PS3 06/16/2009 By MattFrey
• 9 20 Years of Waiting PS3 06/18/2009 By DanteSInferno84
• 8 Wow, This Game Isn't Atrocious X360 06/23/2009 By intrazone26
• 6 I think they clocked out early today. PS2 07/06/2009 By Nerdyboy3
• 9 I ain't fraid of no Ghosts. PS3 06/18/2009 By TheOriginalTony
• 5 Impossibly, impassibly difficult X360 10/11/2011 By chrispowell
• 7 Awesome, but perhaps inferior to Realistic Version WII 11/04/2013 By wymario
• 9 We Are Ready To Believe You!!! WII 07/08/2009 By BasqKing

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Reviews

• 7 That's the bedroom, but nothing ever happened in there. PS4 10/11/2023 By MTincher

Video Reviews

GameSpot Review

• 7.8 User Score Based on 156 user reviews.
• 78 Cheat Code Central Ghostbusters: The Video Game largely accomplishes what it set out to do by telling a humorous tale and bringing fans back into the fold on the franchise's 25th anniversary.
• 83 Game Revolution There are some flaws, including the lack of a local co-op mode, however there is just so much that was done right that you can't help but have a blast. It may not be everything you ever wanted out of a Ghostbusters game, but it's as close as you're going to get to perfection at this point.
• 70 GameSpot Despite some drawbacks, this satisfying adventure is just what you'd want from a Ghostbusters game: it's funny and it's fun.
• 76 IGN I felt that the game's ending was a bit flat and the romantic interest was forced, but Ghostbusters was fun -- too bad you don't get the multiplayer action the home consoles do.
• 8.0 User Score Based on 124 user reviews.
• 70 Edge Magazine With a little more in the way of technical polish and a few more hours of playtime thrown in, this would have been one of the best film-based games of all time. [July 2009, p.90]
• 80 Game Informer The real meat of the game is getting to play through the Ghostbusters experience we've always dreamed about as kids - a story that could have easily been "Ghostbusters III." [July 2009, p.81]
• 80 Playstation Official Magazine UK Strictly in terms of gameplay, this is probably a 7/10 - fun and polished if a little repetitive - but there's absolutely an extra level of enjoyment and quality here thanks to the smart and sensitive use of much-loved material. [July 2009, p.86]
• 70 RealGamer There are some things I loved about the game and equally the same amount of things I found irritating. It’s hard to recommend to fans of third person shooters in general. But, fans of the movies and story driven games will definitely find the game more appealing.
• 8.5 User Score Based on 154 user reviews.
• 80 IGN There are some moments that cause the game to stumble, but you're getting a new tale in the Ghostbusters canon, fun gameplay, a whole bunch of stuff to destroy, and some cool ghosts to scan. I felt that the game's ending was a bit flat and the romantic interest was forced, but Ghostbusters is a hell of a ride.
• 70 NZGamer As licensed games go, it's above average - but given that the film series it is based on was last seen at the cinemas over 20 years ago, it's a bit of disappointment that it still feels a bit rushed. It could have been (and based on pre-release media, seemed to be) so much better.
• 80 Official Xbox Magazine Ghostbusters combines a tried-and-true structure with a familiar but fresh license, filling that game with personality and panache - and that's what really raised our spirits. [July 2009, p.72]
• 8.3 User Score Based on 35 user reviews.
• 74 Cheat Code Central On the whole, Ghostbusters is an impressive production most fans should eat up. We had a fun time with the game, though we were also left with serious reservations due to glitching that might cause less-experienced gamers to hang up their proton packs well before the journey ends.
• 65 Game Informer The camera lock-on and Wii-exclusive split screen co-op are nice additions, but the simplified combat and truncated levels ultimately leave this game a little flat. [July 2009, p.81]
• 80 GameSpot Ghostbusters is such riotous fun that you'll forgive its short length.
• 73 Official Nintendo Magazine UK Overlook the odd glitch and this is a fitting tribute to a cherished movie franchise.
• 6.1 User Score Based on 8 user reviews.
• 46 Cheat Code Central The cutscenes convey the Ghostbusters franchise as good as one could expect. They are filled with great graphics, great voiceovers, and movie-quality sound effects. The rest of the game has trouble living up to the cutscenes. In fact, the game has trouble living up to standards of a good DS game.
• 50 GameSpot Some busted mechanics and picky controls will make you think twice before bringing these Ghostbusters on the road.
• 65 IGN The concepts, overall design, and multi-character system works great. It’s just a bit too rough all-around for this first Ghostbusters endeavor.
• 52 Official Nintendo Magazine UK It's suffering from similar feelings of neglect. [Dec 2009, p.94]
• 4.7 User Score Based on 13 user reviews.
• 50 GamesRadar+ A mediocre port of a merely decent original entry, resulting in a functional but hardly enticing take on the series. PSP action fans are probably used to this second-class status by now, but this one's strictly for the franchise die-hards.
• 55 Play UK Just a bit buggered. [Issue#188, p.82]
• 57 SpazioGames Ghostbusters is a really boring game, with just a little of fan service. Visuals hiccups, environment poor of details, and to repetitive gameplay. If you can choose, should go on next-gen versions, this porting is very bad.
• 60 WonderwallWeb Disappointing when compared to the PS3 version and even other PSP games. Could have bee a lot better.
• 8.3 User Score Based on 11 user reviews.
• 70 GameZone While this might not be the absolute best version of the Ghostbusters video game, it’s still a heck of a lot of fun. PS2 owners with a taste for wrangling spooks, specters, and ghosts shouldn’t hesitate to pick this one up.
• 71 IGN Being able to blast everything off the wall, listen to Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd, as well as exist in the firehouse is definitely cool; plus, the story is solid. Still, the graphics and framerate are disappointments, the load times are too long, and wrangling can boil down to being a chore.
• 70 Playstation Official Magazine UK The decent script and original cast won't disappoint. [Sept 2009, p.106]
• 4.3 User Score Based on 30 user reviews.
• 80 GamingTrend With a fresh coat of paint, higher resolution, and sharper textures, Ghostbusters: The Game Remastered brings the unofficial Ghostbusters 3 script to life for a whole new audience. While the multiplayer mode is still AWOL, Saber Interactive promises we’ll see that pop out of a ghost trap in the near future. In the meantime, there’s a fantastic swan song for the original Ghostbusters team.
• 60 IGN Ghostbusters was a great tie-in back in 2009 but this remaster doesn’t really make for a vastly improved experience.
• 72 Merlin'in Kazanı (Turkey) Ghostbusters The Video Game Remastered, unfortunately, still has the same problems of the original game. Cumbersome movement animations are not fun. This game still is the most authentic Ghostbusters experience.
• 70 PC Games Just like back then, I see the flaws in Ghostbusters: The Video Game, but as a fan of the two cult movies, I don't care about them at all. Yes, there are many far better third person shooters, but in what other game can I use a positron collider to stop ghosts from spraying slime all over people? The shooter gameplay is fun, despite the partly inaccurate controls, and feels exactly the way you want it to feel. Moreover, the game is teeming with allusions and quotes, which put a blissful grin on the faces of the fans of the movies. But the dry humour is also perfectly fits in other respects - no matter if Ray is just obsessed again or Egon philosophises about one of his strange hobbies. In addition, there is a great atmosphere, varied enemy design and of course some iconic locations from the movies. Of course my fan heart beats faster. So I'm all the happier that everything works technically flawlessly in handheld mode and that I can now catch a few ghosts on the go.
• 6.8 User Score Based on 29 user reviews.
• 70 FNintendo Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is a good recreation of the famous movie world, with plenty of fun moments between the original cast members and a good variety of enemies to catch. The game's value starts running out soon enough, though, with its short main game mode and graphics which have few advances compared to the original game.
• 75 Nintendo Force Magazine If you haven't played it and even remotely enjoy the prospect of ghostbusting, then it's absolutely worth a play! [Issue #43 – November/December 2019, p. 16SH]
• 80 Nintendo Life Enjoyment of Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered depends almost entirely on your affection for the movies – we love 'em, but if you don’t then knock at least one point off the score below (and perhaps take a long hard look in the mirror). For the rest of us, this is a wonderful form of time travel. It has no business calling itself a remaster and is best approached as a straight port of a ten-year-old game, but it’s a fine one. Mechanically-speaking, there's little you haven’t seen elsewhere, but it’s a good-looking, fun third-person romp dripping in slimy nostalgia, and the chance to spend time in the company of these old friends – some of them dearly departed – is too good to pass up if you've ever strapped on your school backpack and gone out to catch ghosts in the garden.
• 75 NintendoWorldReport Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered has some good things going for it. A fun story, excellent voice work from the original cast, and a nice new shine to the visuals, all making the campaign feel solid. The removal of multiplayer and a lack of polish on the cutscenes make this feel a little rushed, though. If you are a fan of the brand, you will enjoy this game, but if you never really cared for the Ghostbusters, then this won’t change your mind.
• 7.1 User Score Based on 62 user reviews.
• 60 DualShockers Fans of the original Ghostbusters: The Video Game will probably enjoy this, even if it’s just for a trip down memory lane and to see the cast again and visit some iconic locations. But due to its repetitive combat, insufferable artificial intelligence, and dull gameplay, I would advise first-time players to maybe pick up something else if you’re looking for an enjoyable and fulfilling third-person shooter.
• 75 Gaming Age It’s not as if the original game was all that stunning or anything, but there are plenty of moments here where Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered just looks blurry and kind of ugly. That’s not enough to make me not recommend it, though. In fact, I’m almost certainly going to go out and buy myself a copy of the game on the Switch, just so I can have it with me at home and on the go. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is likely only going to appeal to people who have some nostalgia for the movies — but if you have that nostalgia, it’s practically a must-play.
• 70 PlayStation LifeStyle Any fan of the franchise will enjoy it for its authenticity, references, behind-the-scenes insights, and the opportunity to finally see what happens next as they accompany the original crew on another mad caper overflowing with ‘buster banter straight from the creators themselves.
• 70 Push Square As an officially licensed instalment in a beloved franchise, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is still a resounding success ten years on. But as a third-person shooter with physics-based ghost capturing, it’s a bit one-note. The atmosphere, design, and voice cast are perfect, but the combat peaks early and quickly become a bore. The main campaign is enjoyable enough that it’s worth enduring the repetition, though.
• 6.4 User Score Based on 15 user reviews.
• 60 GameSpew As remasters go, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered does the bare minimum to keep a cult classic relevant while simultaneously presenting it to a new audience.
• 70 Generación Xbox A fan service game that will bring you fun for hours.
• 80 Official Xbox Magazine UK It’s the perfect fan service addition to the Ghostbusters canon, and regardless of the all-female reboot or upcoming Ghostbusters 2020, this still stands up as that ‘third film’. The fact that it’s also a very good game frankly makes our toaster dance. [Issue#184, p.82]
• 80 TheXboxHub Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered on Xbox One remains as fun and nostalgic as it did in 2009. With punchy combat, creepy exploration and a hilarious script that’s beautifully voice acted, it’s hard not to recommend this Halloween treat.

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered PS4 Review

Jack McCaskill / October 7, 2019

Rare are the video games based on movies that aren’t terrible. Rushed to market to cash in on the popularity of a property, they usually deliver an uneven mess of shoehorned mechanics, awkward cinematics and buyers remorse. Very rarely however, some not only live up to the promise of the original movie but are considered worthy entries in the franchise themselves. In this Ghostbusters: the Video Game Remastered stands head and shoulders above the rest.

“I love this plan! I’m excited to be a part of it! Let’s do it!”

Right up front, if you’ve already played Ghostbusters: The Video Game back in 2009, you know exactly what’s in store for you. You won’t be disappointed in the remaster either; the game has never looked this good or played so well. If you’ve somehow missed out on this gem in the last ten years, then get ready to suit up because you’re in for a treat.

Featuring an original script written by Harold Ramis and Dan Akyroyd, Ghostbusters: the Video Game Remastered was treated in every way as though it was a proper sequel. It leverages events and locations from Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II but rather than using them as a nostalgic crutch to pad the game, these serve as merely the foundation upon which Ghostbusters: the Video Game builds, leading to an ultimate conclusion worthy of a blockbuster trilogy.

Further reinforcing the game’s position as de-facto sequel, Ghostbusters Venkman, Stanz, Spengler and Zeddemore both look and sound like their counterparts, as voice acting is provided by the original cast members, Bill Murray , Dan Akyroyd , Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson respectively. Even Annie Potts returns to voice the irascible receptionist, Janine Melnitz, and William Atherton as the love-to-be-hated government stooge, Walter Peck. Though Rick Moranis and Sigourney Weaver are notable absences from the original cast, the team is joined by Alyssa Milano as the mysterious Dr. Ilyssa Selwyn, and Max von Sydow takes on the booming voice of the semi-animate painting of Vigo the Carpathian!

Fun fact: It was Bill Murray’s enjoyment of recording for Ghostbusters: The Video Game that he credited for changing his mind on ever returning for a possible Ghostbusters sequel.

“If there’s a steady paycheck in it, I’ll believe in anything you say.”

As the “Rookie” at Ghostbusters HQ, the player is quickly established as a trainee/guinea pig for all kinds of new equipment (read: dangerous, probably illegal) that the Ghostbusters will need to contain a strange new paranormal event endangering New York. Your “on-the-job training” serves as your tutorial, with the full team co-operating to show you the ropes of ghost wrangling and capture.

Though you are a nameless and silent protagonist, the Rookie always feels like part of the team due in large part to the fantastic game design and the constant banter of the characters around you. They praise you when you do well, comment to each other on your performance, and even give you lowly scut work to do because you’re the new guy. They warn you when a ghost is trying to ambush you, so you’ll know which direction to turn, and give advice on strategy and potential tactics. Framing the hints you might get in normal gameplay as advice from a seasoned Ghostbusting professional is a wonderful design choice, and further draws you into the experience.

As the mystery of the strange supernatural event at the World of Gozer exhibit unfolds, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered takes the player on a tour-de-force of classic Ghostbusters moments. Chasing the escaped Slimer to its original haunting, the Ghostbusters will return to the Sedgewick Hotel, deftly evoking the original movie with in-jokes and gags that every fan will appreciate.

You will also return to the New York Public Library and face the first ghost ever encountered by the Ghostbusters, The Gray Lady, so that Egon and Ray can earn their vindication. And what game would be complete without a visit from the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man? The team will follow the mystery of the infamous architect and Gozer worshipper, Ivo Shandor, wherever it may lead them. Inflicting thousands of dollars of damage to the city, Ghostbusters team will battle ghosts and spectres of all shapes and sizes through Times Square, Central Park, the Museum, Even to other planes of existence!

“That would have worked if you hadn’t stopped me.”

From the moment you suit up, it’s obvious that Terminal Reality takes the job of adapting Ghostbusters seriously, with an incredibly detailed proton pack glowing on your back, a loving recreation of the Firehouse HQ, and the gleaming lines of ECTO-1 available immediately for your examination. The attention to detail doesn’t stop there however, as they have also put just as much love and care into the gameplay.

The classic proton stream is just as wild and chaotic as it is represented in the movie, doing considerable damage to the walls and contents of every room in which it’s used. Capturing a ghost in a trap always feels like a struggle (in a good way), with the ghost clawing to escape the trap’s pull and the player having to maneuver the stream to counter its effort, much like a fish fighting on the end of a line. The stream always feels as though it has immense power that’s operating right at the edge of the player’s control, and yes, crossing the streams is still bad.

Added to the player’s weaponry are new prototype weapons such as the Slime Blower, Meson Collider, Boson Dart, and Shock Blast, all of which show as modifications and configuration changes to the proton pack. The original design has been extended logically, so elements that were never explained have a real function in the game, and serve as a visual indicator to show which weapon you’ve got equipped. Each has a primary and secondary fire, and can be quickly switched between using the d-pad so that you can choose the right weapon to best exploit each ghost’s specific weaknesses.

These weaknesses can be discovered using another classic Ghostbusters gadget, the PKE meter. Getting a good scan of a ghost before you trap it will reward you with backstory, information, strengths and vulnerabilities from Tobin’s Spirit Guide. The PKE meter can also be used to track hidden ghosts, find magically obscured doorways, and locate cursed artifacts which can be sold for money. Spend your earnings from artifacts and trapped ghosts on R&D for new upgrades to your weapons, traps and PKE meter, making you even more effective at catching ghosts (and destroying public property).

“Listen… Do you smell something?”

The sound design of Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is nothing sort of incredible. Ghosts, spectres, and animated entities all have distinct voices and sound effects, ensuring that you’re already afraid of the danger that you haven’t seen yet. All of the sound effects for the gadgets like the proton packs, plasma streams, PKE meters, etc. are taken straight from the movie. The new weapons all sound fantastic, and are not overwhelming or repetitive even when in combat with four other Ghostbusters. What’s remarkable is that team chatter is always clearly audible over the sound effects, with the actors ‘yelling’ voices not overtly increased in volume. The balance is subtle but incredibly effective, allowing the teams strategic calls and clever one-liners to feel natural even in the thick of battle.

Finally, the musical score from the original movie is used throughout the game to great effect (including the classic Ghostbusters theme song by Ray Parker Jr., which has lost none of its potency as an earworm). Many of the original tracks and musical cues have been used or remixed in the game, with new compositions following the same themes as the originals, making them blend in seamlessly with the more familiar tracks.

“And the flowers are still standing!”

Though the remaster’s higher resolution exposes one or two textures that aren’t as detailed as they could have been, for the most part the higher resolution and frame rate greatly enhance the experience, bringing new attention to a gem of a game that didn’t get the attention it deserved in the previous generation. The game ran at a stable 60FPS with no slow-down or tearing, although there were one or two technical issues when returning to the main menu that will likely be addressed in a patch.

The only major omission from the original game is the lack of multiplayer, which in the original 2009 game had actually delivered surprisingly well designed gameplay modes for what was ostensibly a ‘tack on’ secondary feature to a single-player game. It is somewhat disappointing to have the opportunity to relive those multiplayer memories in a freshly tuned game, but ultimately it is not a deal breaker for your enjoyment.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is out now on PS4, Xbox One and PC.

Review code kindly provided by publisher.

The Final Word

Written by and starring the original cast of Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is simply the best video game based on a movie property ever created. With fun gameplay and bizarre events, this is the closest you’ll ever get to strapping on a real proton pack.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review

Back in 2016, in my Assassin’s Creed: The Ezio Collection review , I mentioned how I had purchased and framed two copies of Gameinformer magazine; one for Assassin’s Creed 2 , the other for Ghostbusters: The Video Game . Growing up, much like many other children of the late ’80s and early ’90s, I loved the Ghostbusters , repeatedly watching the movie and even enjoying the terrible Sega Master System game.

It’s been a real treat to revisit the game with Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered because it’s such a clear letter of love to the Ghostbusters franchise and even Ghostbuesters fans. Mechanically speaking, Ghostbusters is not the best game. The controls can be a bit stodgy at times; dodging in particular, feels kind of weird and janky. Combat can feel a bit obnoxious at times as you desperately try to dodge projectiles, keeping your Proton Pack from overheating, avoid crossing the streams— which results in a lame team knockback and not an epic Protonic Reversal —and reviving teammates, all while trying to capture ghosts.

Visually, the game looks incredible in HD. While it still looks like an Xbox 360 game in HD, especially in the very dated looking cutscenes; the many interesting and lovingly recreated iconic Ghostbusters locations look even better with the visual update. All of the all the Ghostbusters themselves look great—specifically with their comically animated faces giving them a kind of cartoon character vibe and enhancing the comedy—and all of the ghosts are well designed and look great.

This is backed by the game’s audio, using a litany of sound effects and music from the original Ghostbusters film. The addition of voices from the original cast adds a lot of charm and authenticity to the experience. However, there does seem to be an audio glitch as the opening production credits take place in complete silence. This also occurs during the loading screens which used to play the Ghostbusters theme song. 

At times, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered certainly feels like a 10 year-old game, but I tell you, when it’s working and you’re wrangling a particularly pesky poltergeist; Ghostbusters: The Video Game offers one of the most genuine Ghostbusters experience ever delivered in video game form. There are just so many little details that add so much to the game—the intricate detailing of the Proton Pack, providing all the HUD information; the way the game displays a monetary damage counter, showing how much destruction the Ghostbusters cause during a bust; and just the wide array of collectable references that are hidden around the game’s world.

Even some of the more janky elements almost feel deliberate: like how the Proton Stream never really lines up properly, or how aiming kind of swings wildly, feels very thematically accurate to the Ghostbusters. Even the bad dodging feels correct when you remember all of the Ghostbusters, your character included, are shlubby guys probably in their late 30’s.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game is the ultimate fan-game—that is to say, a game for the fans. It captures everything that made the original film great, and puts you in the starring role; really making you feel like a Ghostbuster. With everything that this game does right, it’s a wonder how more Ghostbusters games weren’t made, excluding the terrible Sanctum of Slime, and Ghostbusters (2016) game. If you missed it back in 2009, you should definitely give this game a try, it’s sure to please fans of the original, fans of the films, and newcomers alike.

Final Thoughts

Latest Stories

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review

by David Keremes - October 8, 2019, 4:08 pm EDT Total comments: 5

Who are you going to call...for a remastered video game.

Let me get this off my chest first. I absolutely adore the Ghostbusters. Everything about it is so fun, inviting, and comical. The original movies are some of my favorite films of all time. Back in 2009 when Ghostbusters: The Video Game originally came out, I could not wait to dive into a new entry in the series. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is a great albeit stripped down blast from the recent past that is worth a playthrough for its story alone.

When Ghostbusters: The Video Game was announced over ten years ago, it was met with some criticism. Could the original cast and writers (Dan Aykroyd, the late Harold Ramis, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson) team up again nearly twenty years after the second movie and make a game that could act as a Ghostbusters 3? In my opinion, yes they can. This was not just some movie tie in to cash out on the popularity of the brand; it was a built-from-the-ground-up game that the cast took seriously.

It has been about 10 years since I played this game and booting it back up immediately brought back memories. The first thing that came to mind was the fact that this is the first time the flagship title is on a Nintendo system. Back when Ghostbusters was first released there were actually two versions of the game: one for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360 and PC and one for the Nintendo Wii and Playstation 2. The version that was released on the Wii and PS2 had a similar story but used a more kid friendly aesthetic due to the limited graphics capabilities of those consoles. The Wii version looked okay, but it is nice to see the more realistic version come to Switch.

In terms of remastered visuals, it does look like it got a decent update from the original release. Character models look clean, ghosts have a nice shine to them as they float and fly around, and the environments have a larger than life feel to them. The one issue I have with this, however, is that while the gameplay got an overhaul, it appears the cutscenes did not. At least compared to the rest of the game, it looks as if the scenes were just plucked from the original game and placed in the same spots. It is not that big a deal when playing in handheld mode due to the smaller screen, but it’s really noticeable when you have the Switch docked and are looking at a large TV. Fortunately, this isn’t a deal breaker as the rest of the game looks great. I especially like the way the ghosts appear and disappear through the areas.

The gameplay feels just like it did 10 years ago. You play as a new recruit on the team and control them in the third person. As you progress through the store you get new abilities on your proton pack that can be upgraded as well. You can change the button configurations around as you like, but the default works the best in my opinion. The controls are not very complicated to begin with as you really only use a few buttons. Most of the time, you are walking or running from area to area to fire at ghosts or use your PKE meter to scan objects for clues. The PKE meter does shift your view into the first person and while you are scanning you can’t use your proton pack. In the instances that you do use the PKE meter, it is usually when you are not in active combat, so it's not a hindrance.

The story starts two years after the events of the second film and follows the team through the city of New York as the Gozer exhibit from the Museum of Natural History is emitting a high source of paranormal activity. You’ll be going from location to location as you track down the reason for why all these ghosts are appearing. Throughout the story, you’ll be seeing recognizable areas from the films such as the Sedgewick Hotel and the New York Public Library. You’ll also get to battle some pretty massive bosses including the Stay Puff Marshmallow Man. The entire game is voiced by the original cast, and the music and sound effects fit right in. It really is like playing Ghostbusters 3 in video game form.

As much as I loved running through the campaign, I am disappointed that all the multiplayer has been removed. The original game had online coop multiplayer where you could play with up to three others to capture ghosts in levels that were outside the main campaign. Even the Wii version had split-screen multiplayer that was offline, where you could play the entire story line with another person.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered has some good things going for it. A fun story, excellent voice work from the original cast, and a nice new shine to the visuals, all making the campaign feel solid. The removal of multiplayer and a lack of polish on the cutscenes make this feel a little rushed, though. If you are a fan of the brand, you will enjoy this game, but if you never really cared for the Ghostbusters, then this won’t change your mind.

• Cleaned up visuals (In game)
• Great sound / Voice Acting
• Original Story by the original writers
• No multiplayer
• Not so cleaned up visuals (cut scenes)

Huh. I wish they had done an update of the Wii version (stylized graphics and multiplayer included) instead of this one.  Oh well.

Oh! I thought this was a remaster of the Wii version. Big bummer that there is no multiplayer so I may pass or hold out for a bargain sale.

They didn't redo the cut scenes? Yikes.  I had this problem playing a remake of God of War on the PS3 where the cut scenes looked notably worse than the gameplay (smoother, but muddier, if that makes sense).

You have to bear in mind that neither the developer (Terminal Reality) nor the publisher (Atari) still exist, so it's very possible that the original assets used to create some of the cutscenes no longer exist, so Saber Interactive just went with (badly) upscaling the cutscene video files that were in the original retail release. I say "some" because on the PS4 version of this remaster some cutscenes look noticeably better than others. The ones that seem to suffer seem to be the cutscenes that used the actual in-game assets...oddly.

This game was just "okay" I felt, and would probably have been boring if I didn't play it in co-op. Not that I would have been interested in this either way.

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review

Ghostbusters: The Video Game isn’t quite as good as I remember it to be.

Being in my thirties, I grew up with Ghostbusters. I watched the films repeatedly, had all the action figures, and tuned in for all the cartoons. These days, I have a LEGO Ghostbusters Firehouse. So yeah, I’m a fan. Needless to say, when Ghostbusters: The Video Game released in 2009 I was on it like a car bonnet, and I have vague memories of having a blast.

I remember an entertaining story with the voices and likenesses of the original cast, and I remember it actually letting me be a Ghostbuster. As the rookie I had access to my own Proton Pack as well as all sorts of experimental tech: it was the perfect setup for a video game based on the franchise. It had its faults, sure, but the good far outweighed the bad. Or at least that’s what I remember.

Revisiting the game some ten years later as Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered , time hasn’t been so kind to aspects of it. Or should I rather say, during the remastering process, certain aspects of the game haven’t received the love they needed. And no doubt there are some issues that have always existed but my mind simply cast them aside to remember the good stuff. Though that’s not to say that Ghostbuster: The Video Game Remastered doesn’t have its merits.

A good script doesn’t really age, and so Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered ‘s dialogue still entertains 10 years later. The voice acting is brilliant, too; with the original cast on board how could it not be? On top of that, the core gameplay is also still solid. The process of shooting ghosts with your Proton Stream until they’re weakened then guiding them into a trap makes you really feel like you’ve stepped into the Ghostbusters universe. There are even a smattering of unlockable upgrades and new Proton Pack features to add a bit of spice to the action.

What I didn’t pick up on ten years ago was just how bad your team’s AI is. Strictly a single-player game, the core Ghostbusters cast accompanies you throughout most of Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered, taking down ghosts and other supernatural creatures alongside you. Considering that they’re seasoned pros, however, they spend a lot of time on the ground waiting for you to pick them up, or “Revive” them. And you’ll want to keep them on their feet, as unless you’re playing on easy difficulty you’re likely to get downed quite often yourself.

Apparitions have a nasty habit of disappearing then showing up behind you to get some cheap attacks in. And you rarely find yourself fighting just one enemy at a time. It’s easy to get overwhelmed in Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered , resulting in your character laying on the floor seeking help from your team members. They’ll happily oblige, providing they don’t get stuck on scenery on the way. The same scenery that you sometimes find yourself stuck on, that can cause disaster in the middle of a fight.

But while Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered ‘s gameplay can be a bit problematic at times, what’s most disappointing about it is how jarring its presentation is on the whole. Years ago its CGI cutscenes looked phenomenal, and they still look good now. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered doesn’t look too bad during gameplay either. Some textures have been given some care, and the resolution boost makes everything look sharp. It’s about what you can expect from a remaster.

It’s the many cutscenes from the original release of Ghostbusters: The Video Game that were put together using in-game assets that really bring the experience down. Not improved in any way, they now look terrible. They’re low res which makes them feel totally out of place, and to make matters even worse they have horrible audio quality. The result is a helter-skelter of an audio-visual experience.

With its multiplayer portion ripped out, once you’ve completed Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered ‘s ten-hour campaign there’s not much reason to go back. There are hidden artefacts to find, ghosts to scan and multiple difficulties to tackle, but aside from counting towards achievement/trophy progress they don’t really compel you to return. It’s pretty much a “one and done” game, until you maybe hanker to experience the story again further down the line.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is still a pretty good game if you can look past some of its niggling issues. At the end of the day, it lets you battle the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, which is all a Ghostbusters fan probably wants to do. It’s just a shame that its gameplay wasn’t a tweaked a little to make it a little less janky, and that so many of its cutscenes now feel so out of place quality-wise. Also, if you were fan of the original game’s multiplayer action, you’re out of luck.

As remasters go, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered does the bare minimum to keep a cult classic relevant while simultaneously presenting it to a new audience. So, keep your expectations in check and you’ll probably enjoy it.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is available on PS4, Xbox One, Switch and PC. We reviewed the Xbox One version.

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Ghostbusters: the video game remastered review — i ain’t afraid of no ghost.

Once again we dip into the ghoul-infested, nostalgic world of Ghostbusters: The Video Game but is it worth your time or should you just close your wallet right now?

I have yet to meet someone who doesn’t like Ghostbusters . I mean, what is there not to like? We have four goofy guys whose job it is to run around with corny one-liners while wearing CWU-27p flight suits zapping ghouls all day. At the mere mention of the title, there’s always someone willing to risk it all and start singing, “ If there's somethin' strange in the neighborhood, Who ya gonna call? Ghostbusters! " The movies were undoubtedly one of many great things to come out of the 80s but unfortunately, in my opinion, things went a little downhill after Ghostbusters II and the animated series.

This shift is why it was a delight to see the 2009 action-adventure game based on Ghostbusters now receive a remaster . Like the original, we see cast members, Bill Murray, Dan Akyroyd, the late Harold Ramis, and Ernie Hudson make a return with the unmistakable voice of Annie Potts as the receptionist. As nostalgic as it was to hear and see the cast again and fire off the Proton Pack, the faults in this remaster, unfortunately, overrule most of the positives.

[pullquote]"The faults in this remaster, unfortunately, overrule most of the positives."[/pullquote]

You begin your ghostbusting adventures at the iconic firehouse HQ where you're introduced as "the new guy," a character unrelated to the original cast. To be perfectly honest, my unnamed character looked weird – my facial animations are funky, at best. Not much has changed from the original customization-less the original title this is based on. There is zero customization options and no ability to change your character; I was stuck with my avatar's ugly mug all game. You also have the personality of a rock to match your lifeless expression as you have no dialogue whatsoever, adding an abnormal vacuum of character as the rest of the team talks.

When it comes to remasters, it’s clear when developers make it a point to go above and beyond. That isn’t the case with developer Saber Interactive. For instance, inside the firehouse HQ, I spotted Peter Venkman playing an arcade machine in the back. I excitedly skipped over to join him. Unfortunately, like the original title, I couldn’t play a game on it – I just stood there like a plank pretending to. A silly little mini-game right here would have been a lovely touch to implement in this remaster instead of mindlessly pressing buttons and listening to some retro gameplay music.

Ghostbusters is essentially a third-person shooter, so the movement of my character was something I was eager to examine in this remaster. To my surprise, the control scheme was fluid and easy to navigate – it didn’t feel clunky or sticky as I moved from place to place. What did feel clunky was when we were all together as a team in a small area and I’d end up bashing against Ray or finding myself in a compromising situation with Egon in the corner of a room in the New York Public Library. Apparently, no-one has heard of personal space.

One of the main things that made Ghostbusters: The Video Game great for its time was the HUD design. So many games (especially in the 2000’s) litter the screen with bits and bobs that overwhelm your experience. In this remaster, we see the same system implemented - the HUD is neatly tucked away behind the press of a button that you can dip into when you need to upgrade certain items from your Proton Pack as well as information on gear you collect along the way. This holds up really well in 2019 by giving the player a cleaner visionary screen experience and I’m glad the developers have kept this particular system in place.

Your Proton Pack also lets you know if it’s overheating from you being too trigger happy by turning red and sounding an alarm allowing you to press a button to cool it down. You’ll also be able to upgrade the firing modes later in the game to give you that added boost to bring down a ghost more easily than before.

Another classic Ghostbusters gadget is the PKE meter that allows you to read the air for any paranormal activity, secret doorways, and cursed artifacts. I’ve always found this tool a lot of fun, and in the remaster nothing has changed in terms of good old fashioned ghost hunting. One element I did find tricky was the act of scanning a ghost just before I trapped it to get information on it. I found, in my experience, it just didn’t read as quickly as I wanted it to occasionally leaving me with no data on who I just zapped.

Catching a ghost is as dull of an experience as it was in the original version of the game. The aim position is pretty hit or miss leaving you having destroyed half the room while racking up a huge bill. When you finally succeed in getting a hit marker on the ghoul, you then have to lasso the bugger using the slime blowers from Ghostbusters II to bring it into the awaiting trap. It all sounds quite exciting on paper, but when carried out in an actual gameplay sequence, it was an unfulfilling event that got repetitive and extremely boring quickly.

You could also use this lasso effect with items that were blocking your way. For example, if a chair or a table is obstructing you from getting into the next room as you’re on the scent of your next ghost, by using the slime blower, you simply move it out of the way – high tier stuff, eh? Other than that and wrangling a ghost, it serves no other purpose.

One gigantic issue for me throughout Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered was that even on modern consoles it froze several times, which issued a frustrating restart. In one area of the lobby at the Sedgewick Hotel, the game completely choked – the entire team stood there lifeless, except for me. It was a bizarre bug that saw me being able to walk around my inanimate teammates. Of course, I took this negative and turned it into a fun positive by shooting off my Proton Pack at them and destroying pretty much everything in the hotel lobby racking up a huge bill – I also may have written a few obscene things on the walls and carpets, but that’s another story.

[pullquote]"With this being a remaster, you’d expect great things visually, but in essence, the resolution and textures aren’t up to spec."[/pullquote]

I’ve always been a fan of the cheese in Ghostbusters with its silly one-liners, but I feel like a lot of the wisecracks haven’t aged well at all, or maybe I’m just older now. Either way, it provided so many eye-rolling moments I think I almost lost my vision at one point. Not that I was particularly offended by anything that was said, but some of the quips that came from the lips of Peter Venkman (aka Bill Murray) were now quite cringe-worthy and awkward. As much as I’m a fan of cheesy 80’s lines, whether they are in video games or movies, I felt that it drew me out of the narrative, for example: when the team talks about the Opera lady ghost they meet at Times Square and Venkman references being a “chubby chaser,” as well as many more painful eye-rollingly bad puns.

The highlight of my entire Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered gameplay was finally meeting the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. I didn’t let the fact that the game shut down and needed yet another restart just before its grand entrance affect me. I’ve always been equally caught between being terrified and feeling sorry for the Marshmallow Man, and this feeling didn’t go away as I tried to prevent him from climbing to the top of a building by spraying him with everything I had from my Proton Pack, watching his white, puffy coating burn. This then made me want to eat marshmallows badly.

[pullquote]"Fans of the original Ghostbusters: The Video Game will probably enjoy this, even if it’s just for a trip down memory lane."[/pullquote]

With this being a remaster, you’d expect great things visually, but in essence, the resolution and textures aren’t up to spec, despite there being a ton of room for improvement. For the most part, the frame rate was steady and I had no real issues to speak off. The lack of multiplayer, which in the original was surprisingly well-received, has not been revived this time around, which is a shame. Due to the linear and basic gameplay, this could have been an excellent opportunity for the developers to add in an element of thrill and relive some multiplayer memories, at the very least.

Fans of the original Ghostbusters: The Video Game will probably enjoy this, even if it’s just for a trip down memory lane and to see the cast again and visit some iconic locations. But due to its repetitive combat, insufferable artificial intelligence, and dull gameplay, I would advise first-time players to maybe pick up something else if you’re looking for an enjoyable and fulfilling third-person shooter.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review: We Ain't Afraid Of No Multiplayer

It's the actors' love for the franchise which makes this game still stand out, even 10 years later.

The action-adventure game, Ghostbusters : The Video Game, was originally released back in 2009, and gained positive reviews from critics and fans alike. One of the things which sets the game apart from others based around the franchise, is the involvement of Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, as well as other members of the movie's original cast. It's their heart for the franchise which makes this game still stand out, even 10 years later.

There's Something Familiar In The Neighborhood

While I'm a huge fan of the Ghostbusters movies, I never played this game back in the day, and that enabled me to enjoy it with fresh eyes, rather than riding a wave of nostalgia; or at least that's what I expected. As it turns out, the game is so enmeshed with its source material that it will all begin to feel very familiar very quickly.

It shouldn't be surprising, really, since the narrative was written with the involvement of both Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, who co-created the original movie. It also includes character models based on the movie versions of the Ghostbusters , which are voiced by the film's principal actors. There are even appearances from other minor cast members.

RELATED: Why Dragon Quest IX Deserves A Remake

These elements, along with the game's setting, combine to produce a heavy link between the film and video game. However, it goes deeper than just this, as the story blends seamlessly with the movie's storylines.

Returning To The Scene Of The Chaos

The game is hugely narrative-driven and the story unfolds in a similar way to the movie, including many of the same iconic locations. However, despite the similarities, it does an amazing job of combining familiarity with surprises.

Players will be able to visit locations from the movie and encounter threats both familiar and new as well as feeling like they are making a difference. The game begins in the iconic firehouse and soon sends you to a very familiar hotel.

Movie moments, such as the appearance of Stay Puft and a ghost in the library, trigger those nostalgic feelings as you are flung into the storyline.

"Ghostbusting Makes Me Feel Good"

The game's controls feel slightly odd at first, but get easier the more you play. While I played the game on PC, there were some places where I felt like a controller may have been an easier option.

The tutorial is ok, and I loved how it fit perfectly into the story, but there are a few tricky button pushes that aren't explained very well, and when searching for answers, I discovered many others asking the same questions.

I'd have liked to see a more detailed explanation of some of the secondary features, especially as you progress and these change, but overall the game was easy enough to pick up, if a little hard to master in places.

"Ghostbusters, What Do You Want?"

Throughout the game, you'll frequently have backup from your team, but the mechanic works better than I expected. You cannot just coast along, especially if you play on a harder difficulty level, but the backup really helps.

As I progressed through the game, I really felt like I was becoming part of the team, with all that entails. It's just a shame that it wasn't as immersive as it could have been due to the fact that you can only play as a "rookie," who appears to be a young man.

RELATED: How A Remake Could Fix Super Mario Sunshine

The dynamics of working together to subdue, wrangle and capture ghosts are enjoyable and certain points of the story will have the team split up and tackle things as individuals or in pairs. You can also assist each other out of scrapes, helping to keep the team together.

If you've ever wanted to feel like you are in the movie, then this game delivers. The story picks up five years after the original cleansing of the hotel when things begin to go awry. It continues from there.

"Are You The Key Master?"

While this game is a straight remaster, there's something missing that Saber Interactive has not yet unlocked for us: multiplayer.

The original game included a multiplayer mode that was separate from the main story arc. It included missions that saw up to four players working together to track, defeat, and capture ghosts. There were also bosses to fight and side missions to complete. Since the main storyline only takes around 5-6 hours to complete, this element added a huge amount of play value to the game.

Fortunately, Saber has assured players that the multiplayer mode is not gone forever , and a reworked version will be released as a free update. This addition is sure to add a huge amount of replayability to the title, making it even better for fans.

Detecting A Verdict

Overall, the game is immersive and enjoyable. The narrative has been crafted with every bit as much care as the original movie, and the inclusion of the music and voices we all know and love truly helps make you feel involved while triggering the nostalgia fans know and love.

While the mechanics can be slightly clunky at times, mainly revolving around the drag-and-slam systems, they are mostly usable with just enough challenge to keep them interesting.

The experience is both engaging and entertaining and is sure to only be improved once the multiplayer update is released. Until then I'm going to enjoy running back through New York City seeing just how much damage I can actually do, as it appears to be quite a lot.

4 Out Of 5 Stars

A PC copy of Ghostbusters: Video Game: Remastered was purchased by TheGamer for this review. Ghostbusters: Video Game: Remastered is available now on PC, XBoxOne, Switch, and PlayStation 4.

READ NEXT: Remaster VS Re-Release VS Remake: What's The Difference?

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review

Ghostbusters is one of my favourite films of all time. Straight away, I am already the intended audience for this game. The 1984 original film oozes with its own identity that it’s impossible not to fall in love with it. Then Ghostbusters 2 came out. A soulless sequel which lost the charm of the original. While moments of greatness gleamed through the cracks, it was ultimately a highly flawed studio production. Never did I think I would find a sequel worthy enough to bear the name.

Then 2009 came.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game released on Xbox 360 around the world five months before it hit the UK due to a publishing fiasco. I imported an NTSC copy as it was made region free to combat this. Avoiding any sort of gameplay, reviews or previews, the game finally arrived. Within half an hour, I was in love.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered puts you in the shoes of the nameless protagonist known as “The Rookie”, who has recently joined the Ghostbusters team. Featuring the original voice cast, Ghostbusters fully immerses you in its world. Tasked on stopping the threat of Gozer (the original demi-god antagonist from the first film), the game is segmented into linear levels which embrace the nostalgic spirit of the films. 

To me, this is the official sequel to Ghostbusters. While it can be argued the game heavily relies on its movie counterpart for cheap nostalgic thrills, it’s the script that really shines. Venkman has the same goofball charm, Egon retains his nerdish qualities, Stantz infuses his excitable attitudes to the world around him, and Winston still remains as happy as ever to be there. As a silent protagonist it’s up to these four characters to carry the narrative and their quality voice acting shines through.

Much of Ghostbusters: The Video Game is linear. Environments don’t beg to be explored, but serve as window dressing though the 10-or-so hour adventure. Classic landmarks from the film such as the firehouse and the Sedgewick Hotel are wonderfully realised as destructive playgrounds. With the franchise famous proton pack, it’s going to be hard not to cause damage to the environments. Objects explode and shatter with such joyous glee that crafts a satisfying punch to the combat.

Ghost-wrangling remains as ferocious as ever, with a constant selection of upgrades available for purchase to assist you. Each enemy requires a stream of energy from your pack to wear it down, before being able to hold it down and capture it into your deployable trap. The AI tries to remain vigilant and assist you in these encounters, but more often than not become a hindrance. They become easily distracted by another enemy or require the need to constantly revive them on higher difficulties. When all the components come together though, there is nothing that makes you feel more immersed than being able to accompany your favourite characters on this adventure.

Much of the levels are broken up with exploration sections between its explosive combat. With your PKE (psycho kinetic energy) meter, you’re able to further put yourself in the shoes of a Ghostbuster by being able to track the spirits down yourself. This helps to break the pace up of the more chaotic moments and allow the atmosphere to seep through.

These sections also contain a genuine creepiness; placing you into a first person perspective you’re tasked to investigate the environments, analyzing clues and following trails to find your next target. Ghostbusters was always about blending elements of horror into its comedy and these segments complement that. Eerie atmospheres and a few unsettling character designs (I’m looking at you, Candelabrum Crawler’s) manage to infuse a small sense of playful dread.

The interactivity in the environment is further presented via a wealth of Easter Eggs and fun little interactions that showcase the love that went into this game. Every detail is clearly defined as fan service, but not overbearing enough that it loses its identity. Ghostbusters is a game that balances nostalgia with a brand new story.

Being a remaster for the Xbox One, Ghostbusters is host to a plethora of upgrades. The 4K enhancements on Xbox One X consoles look great, with a sharpness to the whole affair. What is perhaps the most notable change is the upscaling of the lighting system. Shadows dance beautifully against the light as bulbs swing across the ceiling. Dimly lit corridors are given an extra level of mystery as a foreboding sense of dread fills the air. It gives the whole game the layer of polish needed. The game also runs at a steady 60 frames per second and gives the high octane action sequences the fluidness they need.

Pre-rendered cutscenes are unfortunately left as they are, which makes for a jarring difference between the 4K resolution. The 4K enhancement also highlights how ugly some areas of the original game are and they haven’t held up over the years. For what it’s worth, the game is the exact same experience that was available in 2009, bringing with it all of what worked and what didn’t. But the enhancements are a welcome addition to encourage a new audience.

It’s also worth mentioning that this release comes without the multiplayer component. The multiplayer was a surprisingly fun mode which saw co-op scenarios presented to a group of players. It’s a shame that this hasn’t been included in the remaster, but the incredible campaign and budget price more than make up for that.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered on Xbox One remains as fun and nostalgic as it did in 2009. With punchy combat, creepy exploration and a hilarious script that’s beautifully voice acted, it’s hard not to recommend this Halloween treat. The 4K enhancements add a layer of freshness to the game, but Ghostbusters ultimately adds nothing new to the table. If you’re a fan of the original or have never experienced the video game equivalent of a movie sequel, there’s never been a better time.

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Ghostbusters game to be released on switch eshop this week, switch owners can soon enjoy ghostbusters: spirits unleashed – ecto edition .

Announced for the Nintendo Switch earlier this year, the eagerly awaited Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed – Ecto Edition has made its presence known on the Switch eShop, confirming its imminent arrival on October 19th.

Initially launched on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC last year, this game offers a unique co-op experience where players can take on the roles of either Ghostbusters or, well, the mischievous spirits themselves, in a series of ‘hide and seek’-style gameplay scenarios. It’s structured as a 4-vs-1 setup, wherein a squad of Proton Pack-toting heroes collaborates to apprehend elusive apparitions, a concept that may evoke memories of the Luigi’s Mansion minigame in Nintendo Land.

Players can look forward to both online and offline play options, with AI-controlled opponents available for those who wish to refine their ectoplasmic expertise in solo mode before assembling a team of paranormal investigators. The Switch’s Ecto Edition bundles the base game with all four DLC packages released in 2023. As for technical details, the game is designed to run at 30 frames per second and display in 720p resolution when in handheld mode and 1080p when docked.

The Ecto Edition includes not only the base game but also all four of the DLC drops from 2023, making it a comprehensive package. It’s a multiplayer game that accommodates players of all skill levels. You’ll be stepping into the shoes of one of four Ghostbusters equipped with proton packs, working together to capture elusive ghosts in asymmetrical multiplayer showdowns, either online or offline. As you progress through the game, you’ll unlock various cosmetics and upgrades for both the Ghostbusters and the ghosts, enhancing your gaming experience. The game is meticulously crafted to provide an immersive experience within the Ghostbusters universe, allowing fans to fulfill their ghostbusting fantasies, whether on the hunt or causing mischief.

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto Edition features an asymmetrical game mode akin to hide and seek, maintaining the developer’s 4-versus-1 structure. Players can choose to dive into the action solo or join forces with up to four friends. It offers both online and offline single-player modes, complete with bot-assisted gameplay to sharpen your skills.

The game faithfully includes all the iconic gear and gadgets expected in the Ghostbusters universe, from Proton Packs to PKE Meters and Ghost Traps. Players can fully immerse themselves in the Ghostbusters experience, regardless of their familiarity with the franchise. The ghosts, in particular, boast a range of abilities, including object possession and sliming, making haunting various locations a thrilling endeavor. Fans will recognize iconic locales like the Firehouse and Ray’s Occult Books, which serve as the game’s central hub, offering mission selection, character customization, proton pack practice, and exploration opportunities. Moreover, the original film actors, reprising their roles as Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore, will lend their voices to the game, accompanied by new characters to enhance the experience. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed Ecto Edition promises an immersive and entertaining ghost-hunting adventure for players of all backgrounds.

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Retro chiptunes made horror movie music creepier and catchier

Slashdancin’ to the oldies.

Licensed games have tried their damnedest to nail the original theme songs and other aspects of film scores. Horror games are no different, and we’ve seen plenty of successful examples over the years. 

Going as far back as the tinny notes of Halloween on Atari 2600, there’s something about the limitations that make these soundtracks even creepier. Without access to orchestration or even proper synths, retro horror games have held on to a unique kind of spookiness. They’re equal parts charming and, in some cases, manage to nail the vibe of their source material without carrying over every single note. In honor of those unusual, haunting melodies, we’ll take a moment to touch on a handful of them.

The game where HE comes home

Wizard Video published Halloween for Atari 2600 in October 1983, a full five years after John Carpenter’s seminal slasher hit theaters. Tim Martin and Robert Barber’s rudimentary efforts featured pretty much zilch from the film, outside of the box art. It did manage to technically be gorier, though, and they put in the work to include Carpenter’s unforgettable theme. Its simplicity is one of the reasons it’s been such a bone-chilling earworm for over four decades, so it doesn’t take much to keep its vibes intact.

Are you ready for Freddy? 

It would be a wild understatement to say A Nightmare on Elm Street made an awkward leap to Nintendo’s console in 1990. The side-scroller may have swapped out Wes Craven’s specific dream scenarios for bats, rats, and spiders, but the soundtrack has its own charms. The game itself was published by LJN and developed by Rare, which meant we got a David Wise score that hit both the creepy and catchy ends of the spectrum. 

Chiptunes make me feel good!

When it comes to Ghostbusters games you have a few choices of extremely varying quality. For bobble-headed 16-bit action you can pop in the Genesis game, for instance. If you don’t feel like having fun, you can take Ecto-1 for a spin in Ghostbusters on NES. The latter keeps a reasonable facsimile of Ray Parker Jr.’s theme song running throughout. Seriously, it plays the entire time. Oddly enough, considering their famous lawsuit against the song, it’s about as successful a take as the Huey Lewis tunes in LJN’s Back to the Future NES game. The important thing is you know you’re playing Ghostbusters , even if you’re not likely to recommend it to anyone else.

Besides, you’ll always be better off playing New Ghostbusters II . 

Vampire Hunter

Annie Lennox and Wojciech Kilar’s soundtrack for Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula is full of sweeping orchestration. The 1993 video games — which made their way to everything from NES to Game Gear, SNES, Genesis, Amiga, and beyond — are not. Many of the versions are wildly different from one another, with the Game Boy take playing out like a traditional platformer and the Sega CD port including FMV scenes from the film. There was even a first-person DOS game! 

As disparate as some of these attempts may be, there are some soundtracks in the lot that successfully evoke the mood of the source material. Bram Stoker’s Dracula on SNES has a lot of memorably fitting tracks. Some are pure mood pieces, while others push forward with a more action-oriented, Castlevania momentum. 

Sunsoft strikes back

Giving any company especially high praise for their music during a generation known for its enduring video game soundtracks is saying something. Sunsoft almost always managed to drop some dynamite, even when the games themselves didn’t live up to their tunes. Gremlins 2: The New Batch landed somewhere in the middle when it launched on NES and Game Boy in 1990. Composers Naoki Kodaka and Nobuyuki Hara have stacked résumés that include the likes of Batman , Blaster Master , and U-four-ia: The Saga . 

Sunsoft’s Gremlins 2 score conveys the playful, mischievous spirit of Joe Dante’s fourth-wall-shattering sequel with style. It’s particularly crunchy, making you want to play it loud before Play It Loud! was a thing.  

Ah, ah, ah, choo, choo, choo

If ever there was an example of a game that managed to be scary while only taking the bare essentials from its inspiration, it’s Friday the 13th on NES. Kids of the late ’80s found themselves scared and confused in equal measure as they attempted to explore the campgrounds and survive sudden cabin-bound fights against Jason. Composer Hirohiko Takayama ( The Karate Kid , Xexyz ) crafted a theme just as spooky as the Ch-ch-ch-ah-ah-ah found throughout the slasher series Sean S. Cunningham kicked off back in 1980. 

Exploring Camp Crystal Lake isn’t all doom and gloom. Some upbeat tracks made its somewhat esoteric design tolerable, too. The type of musical dichotomy you may find in old-school horror games like this are emblematic of the genre itself. Horror films can be scary as hell, but they can also be goofy and fun, whether it’s intentional or not. If a horror game soundtrack manages to capture even a modicum of that magic, it will always be worth revisiting in some form. 

Filed under... #Friday the 13th #Halloween #NES #retro #SNES #video game music

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered - Review

The flowers are still standing..

Back in 2009 Ghostbusters: The Video Game established itself as a rare exception. It was a movie tie-in of uncommon quality; an earnest and affectionately assembled love letter to fans of the legendary film series instead of a low-effort license slap. A decade on, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is still a wonderfully authentic trip back to early ’90s New York and the haunted heyday of these professional paranormal eliminators, but the list of improvements really begins and ends with a few visual tweaks and a resolution bump. The flaws of the original still cursed my playthrough, which meant that while it’s a joy to let its authentic slime wash over me again this remaster feels like a missed opportunity.

Ghostbusters (the game) takes place during Thanksgiving 1991, two years after the events of Ghostbusters II (the film). Prior to confirmation in January this year that a direct sequel to Ghostbusters II would be released in 2020, Dan Aykroyd had previously referred to the game as essentially being the third movie, and it’s easy to see why. It features the likenesses and voices of Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd, and the late Harold Ramis, and the script was massaged by Aykroyd and Ramis themselves to ensure the dialogue matched the tone of the films. With a fun story linked to the previous exploits of the Ghostbusters – and set in the increasingly distant early ’90s – in terms of story, at least, I’m actually struggling to think of ways this upcoming, long-gestating third film could actually be a better follow-up than the game ultimately was (especially with the painful absence of Ramis).

I'm actually struggling to think of ways this upcoming, long-gestating third film could actually be a better follow-up than the game ultimately was.

Original developer Terminal Reality’s utmost commitment to detail is still vividly evident in the remaster and I enjoyed spotting many of the small touches I appreciated back in 2009 all over again. From opting to kick off proceedings with the old-school Columbia Pictures logo from the ’80s to really seat the game in its time period, to the way Venkman has a distinct, laid-back walking animation that sets him apart from the rest of the team (one that matches the kind of swagger I associate with Murray’s portrayal of the character), Terminal Reality made it abundantly clear that this game was made with genuine passion and respect for Ghostbusters, not by folks who skimmed through a synopsis on Wikipedia.

The Ghostbusters firehouse, in particular, is absolutely filled with fan service – from a huge and apparently still-haunted talking portrait of the previously vanquished Vigo the Carpathian, to a cute explanation regarding Tully’s absence from the story. The library level is also still excellent mix of ghost combat and ooky environmental shenanigans, though I won’t spoil any of the particulars here for those of you who haven’t played the 2009 original. I do wish some of the budget for this remaster had been allocated to securing more than a stingy 30 seconds of Ray Parker Jr.’s infectious theme song, though.

I’m a big fan of the clean HUD approach, with everything we need to know – health, weapon heat level – displayed on the Rookie’s Proton Pack, à la Dead Space. Occasionally objectives appear as text at the top of the screen but most instructions are verbal, so sometimes I found myself guessing our next move if I missed a piece of dialogue. This was a criticism I had of the original release and it hasn’t been rectified in the remaster.

Similarly, Ghostbusters feels a little creaky by modern standards but trapping ghosts is still a highlight, and there hasn’t been anything like it since. After sapping a ghost’s energy with your proton stream you’ll need to wrangle them towards your trap, close enough so it can suck them in. The spectacle of sizzling red proton streams and the cone of intense light drawing in ghosts – which distort and stretch as they’re slurped into the trap – is a brilliant recreation of how it appears in the film. There are other modes to the Proton Pack which emulate more traditional third-person shooter weapons (and they have imaginative, egghead explanations for the energy-based versions of what essentially equates to a shotgun or an LMG) but I really do still love the classic, crackling proton stream. For mine, it’s the part of the game that has dated the least; it’s still a glorious cocktail of impressive lighting and sound effects.

What has aged poorly is the occasional cutscene the remaster crew clearly couldn’t find the source material for and had to go with the original version. Aside from the pre-rendered clips, which are a little grainy but decent enough, most of the cutscenes are in-engine ones displayed at up to 4K, so they match the moment-to-moment gameplay. There are a bunch that aren’t, however, so occasionally everything takes a dive for a minute or so as everything reverts to its previous-generation appearance. The result is a bit of a fractured aesthetic overall, which is a shame. The shoddy lip syncing that was a regular occurrence in the 2009 original is again an issue, also.

It’s a bit of a warts-and-all remaster, in that regard. I hugely enjoyed Ghostbusters back in 2009 but if you can think of something that bugged you, it’s probably going to bug you again. At about eight hours it’s not exactly a marathon, and it probably could’ve done with slightly shorter levels and more of them, but there’s not a great deal a remaster can do about that. However, the loading times still seem long, getting impeded by half-broken objects is still a moderate annoyance, and the frustrating difficulty spike involving those stone cherubs towards the climax is still present.  The original’s multiplayer component hasn’t been included at all, but I don’t recall it being enormously memorable.

The Verdict

Make no mistake, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a personal favourite purely for its loving attention to detail and will always rank amongst gaming’s most faithful and memorable movie adaptations – more than worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as The Warriors, Alien: Isolation, and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay in that regard. But this marginally prettier and inconsistent remaster doesn’t really make for a profoundly different or improved experience over the 2009 original, and there was a lot of room for improvements that could’ve made it more enjoyable to play through and appreciate all of that fan service.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered

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Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered - Review

The flowers are still standing..

Back in 2009 Ghostbusters: The Video Game established itself as a rare exception. It was a movie tie-in of uncommon quality; an earnest and affectionately assembled love letter to fans of the legendary film series instead of a low-effort license slap. A decade on, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is still a wonderfully authentic trip back to early ’90s New York and the haunted heyday of these professional paranormal eliminators, but the list of improvements really begins and ends with a few visual tweaks and a resolution bump. The flaws of the original still cursed my playthrough, which meant that while it’s a joy to let its authentic slime wash over me again this remaster feels like a missed opportunity.

Ghostbusters (the game) takes place during Thanksgiving 1991, two years after the events of Ghostbusters II (the film). Prior to confirmation in January this year that a direct sequel to Ghostbusters II would be released in 2020, Dan Aykroyd had previously referred to the game as essentially being the third movie, and it’s easy to see why. It features the likenesses and voices of Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd, and the late Harold Ramis, and the script was massaged by Aykroyd and Ramis themselves to ensure the dialogue matched the tone of the films. With a fun story linked to the previous exploits of the Ghostbusters – and set in the increasingly distant early ’90s – in terms of story, at least, I’m actually struggling to think of ways this upcoming, long-gestating third film could actually be a better follow-up than the game ultimately was (especially with the painful absence of Ramis).

I'm actually struggling to think of ways this upcoming, long-gestating third film could actually be a better follow-up than the game ultimately was.

Original developer Terminal Reality’s utmost commitment to detail is still vividly evident in the remaster and I enjoyed spotting many of the small touches I appreciated back in 2009 all over again. From opting to kick off proceedings with the old-school Columbia Pictures logo from the ’80s to really seat the game in its time period, to the way Venkman has a distinct, laid-back walking animation that sets him apart from the rest of the team (one that matches the kind of swagger I associate with Murray’s portrayal of the character), Terminal Reality made it abundantly clear that this game was made with genuine passion and respect for Ghostbusters, not by folks who skimmed through a synopsis on Wikipedia.

The Ghostbusters firehouse, in particular, is absolutely filled with fan service – from a huge and apparently still-haunted talking portrait of the previously vanquished Vigo the Carpathian, to a cute explanation regarding Tully’s absence from the story. The library level is also still excellent mix of ghost combat and ooky environmental shenanigans, though I won’t spoil any of the particulars here for those of you who haven’t played the 2009 original. I do wish some of the budget for this remaster had been allocated to securing more than a stingy 30 seconds of Ray Parker Jr.’s infectious theme song, though.

I’m a big fan of the clean HUD approach, with everything we need to know – health, weapon heat level – displayed on the Rookie’s Proton Pack, à la Dead Space. Occasionally objectives appear as text at the top of the screen but most instructions are verbal, so sometimes I found myself guessing our next move if I missed a piece of dialogue. This was a criticism I had of the original release and it hasn’t been rectified in the remaster.

Similarly, Ghostbusters feels a little creaky by modern standards but trapping ghosts is still a highlight, and there hasn’t been anything like it since. After sapping a ghost’s energy with your proton stream you’ll need to wrangle them towards your trap, close enough so it can suck them in. The spectacle of sizzling red proton streams and the cone of intense light drawing in ghosts – which distort and stretch as they’re slurped into the trap – is a brilliant recreation of how it appears in the film. There are other modes to the Proton Pack which emulate more traditional third-person shooter weapons (and they have imaginative, egghead explanations for the energy-based versions of what essentially equates to a shotgun or an LMG) but I really do still love the classic, crackling proton stream. For mine, it’s the part of the game that has dated the least; it’s still a glorious cocktail of impressive lighting and sound effects.

What has aged poorly is the occasional cutscene the remaster crew clearly couldn’t find the source material for and had to go with the original version. Aside from the pre-rendered clips, which are a little grainy but decent enough, most of the cutscenes are in-engine ones displayed at up to 4K, so they match the moment-to-moment gameplay. There are a bunch that aren’t, however, so occasionally everything takes a dive for a minute or so as everything reverts to its previous-generation appearance. The result is a bit of a fractured aesthetic overall, which is a shame. The shoddy lip syncing that was a regular occurrence in the 2009 original is again an issue, also.

It’s a bit of a warts-and-all remaster, in that regard. I hugely enjoyed Ghostbusters back in 2009 but if you can think of something that bugged you, it’s probably going to bug you again. At about eight hours it’s not exactly a marathon, and it probably could’ve done with slightly shorter levels and more of them, but there’s not a great deal a remaster can do about that. However, the loading times still seem long, getting impeded by half-broken objects is still a moderate annoyance, and the frustrating difficulty spike involving those stone cherubs towards the climax is still present.  The original’s multiplayer component hasn’t been included at all, but I don’t recall it being enormously memorable.

The Verdict

Make no mistake, Ghostbusters: The Video Game is a personal favourite purely for its loving attention to detail and will always rank amongst gaming’s most faithful and memorable movie adaptations – more than worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as The Warriors, Alien: Isolation, and The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay in that regard. But this marginally prettier and inconsistent remaster doesn’t really make for a profoundly different or improved experience over the 2009 original, and there was a lot of room for improvements that could’ve made it more enjoyable to play through and appreciate all of that fan service.

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered

• Platform 
• NintendoSwitch

Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered Review

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