As the name suggests, Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is an upscaling of the original game, which was released in the previous console generation back in 2009. Developed by Saber Interactive and published by Mad Dog Games, Ghostbusters makes its debut on the Nintendo Switch, offering busting on the go while almost bursting with fan service. If you’re a fan of the films and wanted a small taste of what it’s like to don a proton pack, this might be for you.
The narrative takes place in New York City and is set during 1991, two years after the events of Ghostbusters II. After a mysterious pulse sweeps the city, a ton of supernatural events starts to occur. You play as a nameless recruit, who joins the team just as business begins to pick up. As you investigate the various disturbances, you’ll visit familiar locations from the films such as the Sedgewick Hotel, the New York Public Library and Times Square.
The script is pretty funny too and is a giant tribute to the films while still being a new story. With it having been written by Dan Aykroyd and the late Harold Ramis, it’s actually no surprise that the story is as good as it is. One of the best parts about the delivery of the story is that the original actors have returned to reprise their roles for their respective characters.
Ghostbusters plays like a third-person shooter, minus the cover mechanics you’d come to expect from the genre. The bulk of the gameplay will focus on the shooting aspect as you start out with the good ol’ Proton Blaster. This is mostly used for ghosts since they’re the ones that can be trapped. As you progress further into the game, you’ll unlock new variations of the pack that can be used for a variety of situations. You’re also able to use the PKE Meter to scan ghosts, supernatural enemies, ectoplasmic residue and collect cursed artefacts. Any busting and scanning that you do nets you cash, which can then be used to unlock upgrades on your equipment, making them more powerful and efficient.
The gameplay is pretty good and easy enough to jump into without much of a struggle. What it does really well is conveys the feeling of being a Ghostbuster. Catching and trapping ghosts is a lot of fun and is honestly something I never grew tired of. Even scanning spirits and collecting cursed artefacts is great, since it unlocks an entry in Tobin’s Spirit Guide, where you’re able to read up a bit the spirit or artifact in question.
There are a few gripes I have with the game though. The first is that there’s no waypoint system of any kind and objectives are conveyed through dialogue in addition to a single line of text on the screen. Not paying attention for a short moment could result in you looking around for where to go next. Additionally, there are some weird difficulty spikes that occur a few times during the story, which seemingly come out of nowhere. Dying or failing a mission can also be annoying due to the game having some long load times to sit through when you do.
Ghostbusters runs pretty well on the Switch, in both docked and handheld mode. The latter was quite great since I was able to just pick up and play wherever I wanted to. Graphically, the game seems to teeter between looking current and looking dated. This is especially noticeable during cutscenes. Not only that, but there are instances where lip-syncing with the audio seems to lag behind very slightly. At first, it feels like you might be imagining it, however, it becomes more apparent as you venture further into a cutscene.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is a good trip down memory lane. Strapping on a virtual Proton Pack and busting ghosts is so much fun and the story is just dripping with references and fan service from the films. However, the lack of a waypoint system, the weird difficulty spikes and the long loading times can be a little annoying, so it’s not without its issues. Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is good to jump into if you’ve ever wanted a taste of what it might be like to wield a Neutrona Wand.
Ghostbusters: The Video Game Remastered is available on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch
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