Ok, so the game arrived in the mail yesterday. I know - I could have just gone to the store and purchased it. But not paying sales tax OR shipping is worth the extra wait. Besides, there were some other things I bought at the same time that I would have a hard time finding in the store (older movies). And now you all get to benefit from my review of this shining addition to my gaming collection. Please remember that the following review is for the PS2 version of the game, although the overall review may apply to other versions as well.
THE GOOD: Fantastic gameplay. And I do mean FANTASTIC. With all of the original characters (except for Sigourney Weaver's Dana Barrett) returning for this installment, you get the sense that this really is a 3rd movie and not just an extension of a previous one. The script is great, and the one-lines are what we'd all expect from Murray, Akroyd, and Ramis. Even 25 years later, Janine still has that "I'm a beyotch on wheels, so don't mess with me" attitude.
On top of the gameplay and script, you get to fight some old favorites: Slimer and The Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man. And they rule! Slimer isn't all that hard to deal with (he's the first one you go after), but SP is a little harder. I haven't gotten to the final battle with him yet, but I did get to face him in a smaller, try-to-get-beyond-the-guy battle. And it's just plain cool to sit there and fight the guy that has become a movie icon.
In addition to this, the game actually made me feel like I was back in 1984. It literally reminded me of opening night for the original movie (yes, I'm old!), and brought back all of those wonderful memories of watching it. And because I know the movie pretty much line for line, I could hear it in my head while I was playing the game. Even the wife commented on the huge smile I had on my face afterwards.
THE BAD: (Remember, this is for the PS2 version of the game) Loading times are a little long. Going from one scene to the next can take 30-45 seconds in load time. There are other games I own where this is the case too (RAW vs. Smackdown 2007, for example), so I'm used to it. I also read up on this version of the game, so I knew this was coming. It does tend to slow things down a little, and if you truly aren't into playing in the first place you will get bored and lose interest.
The control scheme on the PS2 isn't the greatest either. You walk forwards, backwards, and strafing with the left analog stick, but you target and turn with the right analog stick. It may be just because I'm not used to having to walk with one control and turn with another, but it doesn't seem all that friendly to me. Takes a little bit to get used to. And I have to mention that when you are in the heat of battle with a ghost, should you accidentally try moving with the D Pad you may end up switching from the proton pack to the PKE meter, which does you ZERO good in a fight. Sure, the PKE meter is good for tracking down ghosts (and you need it to scan some stuff to unlock other stuff), but it sucks when you're trying to throw a stream at a ghost and you switch to the PKE meter.
The animation is a little cartoonish on the PS2 version. I know that the PS3, XBox and Wii have better processing power, so the graphics on those machines will look better. But Venkman, Stantz, Egon, and Zedemore look a little like a bugs bunny cartoon. It isn't all that bad - I mean, it IS a video game, for heaven's sakes. And again, I knew this one was coming due to the reviews I read/saw prior to getting the game.
OVERALL: If you don't already own this game for any system you own, then I highly recommend that you lock your PC, walk to your car, drive to the nearest store and purchase it. Now! Even with the above bad stuff, I still give this game 5 stars out of 5 stars. It's just plain fun. I can't say enough good things about this game. And while most games based on movies tend to suck moose, this one doesn't. The developers got this one right. And what can I say - bustin' makes me feel good!
Priest of the Church of Joe Wood
In memory of Nanee. 9/1/1993 - 5/16/2009. Rest in Peace, little girl.
