Ghostbusters - Out NOW! - Bustin' makes us feel good.

Figgy

Ghostbusters
June 2009

Official Site: http://www.ghostbustersgame.com/ (it's "coming soon")

http://www.mcvuk.com/news/32552/Atari-Ghostbusters-gets-release-date Article that announced the release date a few days ago.


Trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyVGSGynYpg

Fact-sheet press release

Ghostbusters: The Video Game

Title: Ghostbusters: The Video Game
Platform: PLAYSTATION®3, PlayStation®2, Xbox 360®, Windows® PC, Wii™ and Nintendo DS™
Release Date: 2009
Publisher: Atari
Developer: Terminal Reality (PS®3, Xbox 360, PC); Red Fly (Wii, PS2, DS)
Category: 3rd Person Action

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION:

Ghostbusters: The Video Game, based on the smash hit motion picture franchise and featuring a completely new story, is coming to six game systems in 2009. Coinciding with the 25th anniversary celebration of the film’s original theatrical release, the game reunites original cast members to recapture the unique blend of humour and fright that established Ghostbusters as a pop culture sensation.

Penned by original Ghostbusters writers Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd, Ghostbusters: The Video Game brings members of the original cast together for the first time in 20 years. Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson lend their voices and in-game likenesses to the original story set two years after Ghostbusters II, with Manhattan once again overrun by ghosts and supernatural forces. Players will have the chance to chase, attack, and catch ghosts in a funny and frightening battle to save New York from its latest supernatural plague.

PRODUCT FEATURES:

• Authentic Ghostbusters Experience: The game features the voices and in-game likenesses of Harold Ramis, Dan Aykroyd, Bill Murray and Ernie Hudson in an original story penned by the writers of the original films Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis

• Unique gameplay: Experience unique ghost hunting, wrangling and trapping with upgradeable weapons in widely destructible environments and large scale boss fights

• All New Storyline – Set two years after Ghostbusters II, the game will feature an all new storyline as the player battles and captures well-loved and brand new ghosts throughout New York

• Six Game Systems –PLAYSTATION 3, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Windows PC, Wii and Nintendo DS, capitalizing on the graphical and gameplay strengths of the different platforms

• Ghostbusters 25th Anniversary – 2009 celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the original theatrical release of Ghostbusters. To mark the occasion, Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be released, and Ghostbusters and Ghostbusters II will be released on Blu-ray™ disc

Shamelessly ripped from Wikipedia:

Ghostbusters: The Video Game is an action game in development for the Nintendo DS, PC, PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Wii, and Xbox 360. The PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 versions are being developed by Terminal Reality, while the PlayStation 2 and Wii versions are being developed by Red Fly Studio (developers of Mushroom Men) and the Nintendo DS version will be handled by Zen Studios. All versions of the game will be published by Atari. The game is based on the Ghostbusters film franchise.

The events of the game occur during Thanksgiving 1991, two years after the events in Ghostbusters II. Players portray a new recruit hired to test Egon Spengler and Ray Stantz's new equipment, during a recent rise of paranormal activity. Along the way, players battle ghosts from the films, such as Vigo, Slimer, Gozer, and Stay Puft Marshmallow Man.

And yes, the actual actors are voicing over this game.


Screenshots from:

November, 2008

April, 2008

From the dumbed down, cartoony Wii version: Dec, 2008

I'm a Wii owner, so I'm more looking forward to that release, although I'm disappointed the graphics need to be dumbed down; however, it does sound like fun. Co-op split screen? Yes please!

http://wii.ign.com/articles/935/935419p1.html

December 3, 2008 - After a hands-off demonstration at this year's E3, we were finally able to take the Wii version of Ghostbusters for a spin recently. The game was recently picked up by Atari after Activision decided it just wasn't "annualizable" enough. As you've probably heard, this is ostensibly the same game as the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 versions re-skinned with more stylized, cartoon visuals. We say ostensibly because, after playing both the current- and last-gen versions of the same library level, we saw more enemies, more environments, and heard more dialogue on the 360 and PS3. Still, we're glad to see the Wii game getting some TLC of its own. We praised the Wii version of Shaun White Snowboarding for the same thing -- tailoring its visuals to suit the less-powerful system.

The Ghostbusters' proton beams are highly erratic tools, and developer Red Fly (Mushroom Men) has generously made the greater part of the environments destructible. As you attempt to trap ghosts you'll end up creating a lot of random destruction, which is always good fun. Many a book lost its life during our demo of the library level. The nunchuk's analog stick handles your movement while you point with the remote to aim your beam. Once you've wrangled a specter you'll play a brief mini-game to incapacitate them. Following on-screen arrows you'll need to jerk the remote in order to slam the ghost into walls and ceilings. Once you've worn them down you can throw a trap by making a bowling gesture with your nunchuk.
Ray and Egon provided quite a bit of chatter during our play session, and it all seemed very appropriate for their characters. Small puzzles popped up here and there, like an invisible pathway that could only be seen with our PKE meter. The AI seemed to do a pretty good job of keeping Ray and Egon up with us, the new recruit. The library level led up to a boss fight with the Gray Lady -- the apparition who opened the first Ghostbusters film. She went all demonic on us and flew around the room, protected by orbiting books and columns. Once we blasted the obstructions we were able to wrangle her up.

The entire campaign can be played with two players cooperatively in split screen. Ghostbusters Wii is looking good, but we've still only seen a small sliver of the game. We'll have more coverage leading up to its June 2009 release.

Here's a recent preview for the 360 version: http://www.gamespot.com/xbox360/action/ghostbusters08/news.html?sid=6201829&mode=previews
Here's a hands-on from the summer: http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/889/889134p1.html

Kotaku put up a hands-on most recently: http://kotaku.com/5148654/ghostbusters-the-video-game-preview-dont-cross-the-streams
(Thanks DarkPrimus)

JacksNsomnia

Good lord the Wii graphics look like garbage

Renzo

I like that they took a different approach with the Wii version's visuals instead of the usual "lower-poly version of the HD consoles" solution.

Figgy

JacksNsomnia wrote:

Good lord the Wii graphics look like garbage

Renzo wrote: »

I like that they took a different approach with the Wii version's visuals instead of the usual "lower-poly version of the HD consoles" solution.

My feelings are kind of mixed between these two. While the Wii version is shite compared to what we're seeing for 360/PS3, I understand those graphics are impossible on this system. It's not like I was unaware of its hardware limitations when I stood out in the cold for it on release day.

It just seems like they dumbed it down too much.

Aside from that, the multiplayer co-op does sound intriguing... I just hope it's not basically just Elebits with ghosts.

Mr Bubbles

My boner wants to pop

But something is wrong

There is something wrong, this looks awesome but something is wrong

Is it Bill Murray?

Renzo

Bill Murray cannot be wrong. That's impossible.

Mr Bubbles

Maybe its just the trailer

'IN A WORLD....'

Chance

On the one hand, I am pro-Ghostbusters. I even watched the cartoon religiously as a child.

On the other hand, this is a game based on a movie and / or comic book, and unless a game based on a movie and / or comic book is being handled by Starbreeze Studios (Riddick, The Darkness) or Radical (Hulk: Ultimate Destruction), I have zero faith in it.

Look at the Bourne game. That didn't have a movie date to keep up with, and it still sucked balls.

I want you to rock the world, Ghostbusters - but I've been burned so many times before. I'll wait for reviews, I'm afraid.


Also, Renzomaru,

Yeah I think going cartoony for the Wii version was a good choice. It certainly looks better than if they'd tried to recreate the high-def consoles.

cloudeagle

I'm also glad they tried to compensate for the Wii's lower horsepower by going cartoony instead of trying for a lower-poly "realistic," but I'm not sure it works. That book monster is just eh. Slimer looks good, though.

Mr Pink

So, most of those non-Wii screens look like you'll be playing as President Elect Barack Obama.

Which I'm totally down for.

Schide

Cheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Man this gonna be so cool.

Hopefully. I mean it looks cool as it is but it could always turn out to be crap. I hope not though.

Drunk_caterpillar

This looks awesome. Only problem I can see/hear is that the voice acting sounds really, quiet. Not quiet as in it was mixed improperly, but quiet as in the actors didn't want anyone else to hear them.

Handsome Costanza

BUSTIN MAKES ME FEEL GOOOOOOOOoooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD!

Strikerkc

Chance wrote: »

...On the other hand, this is a game based on a movie and / or comic book, and unless a game based on a movie and / or comic book is being handled by Starbreeze Studios (Riddick, The Darkness) or Radical (Hulk: Ultimate Destruction), I have zero faith in it...

Dude, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis did all the dialouge, plot, and character design, didn't make it in if they didn't sign off on it. And they wrote Ghostbusters to begin with, for those who didn't know.

I'm not worried about it. 8-)

maximumzero

If they could tighten up the textures in the Wii version it's look great.

I love the cartoony style they've got going for it.

Cel-Shading would be nice too, but I can't ask for everything.

Hevach

The wii version reminds me of the cartoon series. Which I loved when I was like 6 or 7. Kids at school made fun of me because I liked it more than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

I'm glad this game didn't get canned entirely. I was seriously considering putting Fallout 3 off for a couple months back when it was supposed to come out in October.

Edit: I'm pretty sure I have at least a few episodes of the cartoon on a VHS in the basement somewhere. How much of a childhood-ruining mistake would it be for me to dig them out and watch them this weekend?

CarbonFire

So online co-op ghost zapping? Y/N?

Scotty

This is a mandatory play for me. Probably a day one purchase...we will see how things go between now and June.:)

Handkor

Hevach wrote: »

The wii version reminds me of the cartoon series. Which I loved when I was like 6 or 7. Kids at school made fun of me because I liked it more than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

I'm glad this game didn't get canned entirely. I was seriously considering putting Fallout 3 off for a couple months back when it was supposed to come out in October.

Edit: I'm pretty sure I have at least a few episodes of the cartoon on a VHS in the basement somewhere. How much of a childhood-ruining mistake would it be for me to dig them out and watch them this weekend?

Not a mistake. I've got a whole tape of them somewhere too but what surprised me is the recent 2-pack dvd release included 2 cartoons. What I am disapointed in though is that I had cut out all the commercial back then so the tape is commercial free but nowadays I want to see 80's ads.

Chance

I didn't know that they wrote the original on their own, strikerkc - but that certainly does make me feel better about the whole thing.

BTP

Figgy wrote: »

JacksNsomnia wrote:

Good lord the Wii graphics look like garbage

Renzo wrote: »

I like that they took a different approach with the Wii version's visuals instead of the usual "lower-poly version of the HD consoles" solution.

My feelings are kind of mixed between these two. While the Wii version is shite compared to what we're seeing for 360/PS3, I understand those graphics are impossible on this system. It's not like I was unaware of its hardware limitations when I stood out in the cold for it on release day.

It just seems like they dumbed it down too much.

Aside from that, the multiplayer co-op does sound intriguing... I just hope it's not basically just Elebits with ghosts.

I feel the same way. I know Xbox 360's style for Wii just couldn't really happen, but Xbox 1 had great looking games too and I see no reason why we can't at least expect that. But I guess that's asking for the "lower-poly version of the HD consoles" solution. I'm not against the cartoony look, but it does look like they could have tried harder.

Then again, I know Wii screenshots of games always look bad until we see an actual video of it. So where the hell is a video of the Wii version of the game?

DeaconKnowledge

I have an unshakable feeling that this game will suck across the board.

Peewi

I looked at those Wii screens and the environments look decent, but not particularly great. Slimer looks good, but could use some transparency. And then the humans look fucking horrible. I don't have anything against cartoony graphics, but that's terrible.

The only possible explanation I can think of, is that they're doing something that will run on the PS2. As a Wii owner, I really wish developers would stop making PS2 games.

Food

For some reason I thought this game already came out and it sucked so bad that everyone forgot about it.

I guess I was thinking of another game.

This game will probably suck, though.

Antimatter

http://kotaku.com/5101212/ghostbusters--whats-different-on-the-wii

The biggest difference is the visual style. Developer Red Fly knows what kind of people tend to own Wiis; they made it visually appealing to this younger, er, less-hardcore crowd with vivid colors and cartoony character designs. You won’t see as many creepy details like children’s handprints all over walls or hideous-looking ghosts with their hair falling out – but the script is identical to the PS3/360 game, so the humor and story stay the same.

Figgy

Antimatter wrote: »

http://kotaku.com/5101212/ghostbusters--whats-different-on-the-wii

The biggest difference is the visual style. Developer Red Fly knows what kind of people tend to own Wiis; they made it visually appealing to this younger, er, less-hardcore crowd with vivid colors and cartoony character designs. You won’t see as many creepy details like children’s handprints all over walls or hideous-looking ghosts with their hair falling out – but the script is identical to the PS3/360 game, so the humor and story stay the same.

As a journalist, I find it annoying that video game reviews/previews presume so much based on absolutely dick all. Red Fly knows what people tend to own Wiis and that's why they've chosen the graphical style? Really? Did the writer talk to someone from Red Fly who said that? Because I doubt that. Also, what kind of people tend to own Wiis?

DeaconKnowledge

Figgy wrote: »

Antimatter wrote: »

http://kotaku.com/5101212/ghostbusters--whats-different-on-the-wii

The biggest difference is the visual style. Developer Red Fly knows what kind of people tend to own Wiis; they made it visually appealing to this younger, er, less-hardcore crowd with vivid colors and cartoony character designs. You won’t see as many creepy details like children’s handprints all over walls or hideous-looking ghosts with their hair falling out – but the script is identical to the PS3/360 game, so the humor and story stay the same.

As a journalist, I find it annoying that video game reviews/previews presume so much based on absolutely dick all. Red Fly knows what people tend to own Wiis and that's why they've chosen the graphical style? Really? Did the writer talk to someone from Red Fly who said that? Because I doubt that. Also, what kind of people tend to own Wiis?

Babies, clearly. HD sears their young underdeveloped eyes.

Peewi

Antimatter wrote: »

http://kotaku.com/5101212/ghostbusters--whats-different-on-the-wii

The biggest difference is the visual style. Developer Red Fly knows what kind of people tend to own Wiis; they made it visually appealing to this younger, er, less-hardcore crowd with vivid colors and cartoony character designs. You won’t see as many creepy details like children’s handprints all over walls or hideous-looking ghosts with their hair falling out – but the script is identical to the PS3/360 game, so the humor and story stay the same.

Let's be honest, the graphics aren't like that because of the Wii's limited power. The Wii can do better than that. The graphics are like that because it also has to run on the PS2.

DarkPrimus

The extreme generic-ness of the fifth Ghostbuster in the trailers has me hopeful that there will be character customization options.

Because there are soooooooooooo many actors I would like to be the fifth Ghostbuster.

Mr Bubbles

DarkPrimus wrote: »

The extreme generic-ness of the fifth Ghostbuster in the trailers has me hopeful that there will be character customization options.

Because there are soooooooooooo many actors I would like to be the fifth Ghostbuster.

mrsnackroad

DarkPrimus wrote: »

The extreme generic-ness of the fifth Ghostbuster in the trailers has me hopeful that there will be character customization options.

Because there are soooooooooooo many actors I would like to be the fifth Ghostbuster.

This raises a point I'm curious about, game wise.

How involved is your character in the dialogue, in the story? Is it just "The Ghostbusters and some schlub player character?"

I don't see myself NOT loving this game, and June is far enough away that we have dick all to go off of except a trailer, months old screenshots and whatever Dan Akroyd says that the gaming media picks up on... But, at the same time, y'know - curiosity.

MagicPrime

DarkPrimus wrote: »

The extreme generic-ness of the fifth Ghostbuster in the trailers has me hopeful that there will be character customization options.

Because there are soooooooooooo many actors I would like to be the fifth Ghostbuster.

That man in a room of breakables, with a proton pack... it would have been wonderful.

Foefaller

MagicPrime wrote: »

DarkPrimus wrote: »

The extreme generic-ness of the fifth Ghostbuster in the trailers has me hopeful that there will be character customization options.

Because there are soooooooooooo many actors I would like to be the fifth Ghostbuster.

That man in a room of breakables, with a proton pack... it would have been wonderful.

I now know who I'm going to be quoting while playing this game...

Anyway, with Aykroyd and Ramis doing the script, and practicly everyone from the movies except Sigourney Weaver doing VA, the worse I can see this being is okay gameplay with awesome hilarious story which would make it worth a rent at least.

UncleSporky

Peewi wrote: »

And then the humans look fucking horrible. I don't have anything against cartoony graphics, but that's terrible.

Are you kidding?





Lower polycount and resolution, sure, but the models look very nice. Egon looks exactly like the spy.

UnbreakableVow

At least Uncle Sporky likes it. I agree that the Wii version looks fuckawful.

The only thing holding back this game in my eyes is that it's published by Atari. When was the last time they published a good game?

Answer: fucking never ago.

Peewi

UncleSporky wrote: »

Peewi wrote: »

And then the humans look fucking horrible. I don't have anything against cartoony graphics, but that's terrible.

Are you kidding?

Lower polycount and resolution, sure, but the models look very nice. Egon looks exactly like the spy.

Ok, maybe calling them horrible is over reacting, but the faces are bad looking. Some of the textures on them are bad too, especially the gloves. And is Winston supposed to look like he's not wearing gloves? Are those white things supposed to be his nails?

Mr Bubbles

UncleSporky wrote: »

Peewi wrote: »

And then the humans look fucking horrible. I don't have anything against cartoony graphics, but that's terrible.

Are you kidding?

Lower polycount and resolution, sure, but the models look very nice. Egon looks exactly like the spy.

You're joking right? I think you're joking

Are you joking?

UncleSporky

UnbreakableVow wrote: »

At least Uncle Sporky likes it. I agree that the Wii version looks fuckawful.

The only thing holding back this game in my eyes is that it's published by Atari. When was the last time they published a good game?

Answer: fucking never ago.

So you can't see any similarities at all between these characters and those of TF2.

Or do you mean you don't like how TF2 looks either?

EDIT: Here's a better shot:

Foefaller

UnbreakableVow wrote: »

At least Uncle Sporky likes it. I agree that the Wii version looks fuckawful.

The only thing holding back this game in my eyes is that it's published by Atari. When was the last time they published a good game?

Answer: fucking never ago.

The Witcher would like to have a word with you.

After which, if you are still alive, the NWN series and their expansions would like to chat.

Mr Bubbles

Yeah, OK I can see your point and that model does look much better there

Maybe the pictures are just in a terrible resolution

UncleSporky

And of course I make no excuse for environments, the game's certainly not a shining gem but I don't want to write the whole thing off without footage. Co-op could be really great.