Ghostbusters: The Video Game

[center][/center] [/cell][/row] [row][cell]Publisher: Atari[/cell][/row] [row][cell]Engine: Infernal Engine[/cell][/row] [row][cell]Developer: Terminal Reality & Red Fly Studios[/cell][/row] [row][cell]Platforms: Nintendo DS, PC, Playstation 2 & 3, XBox 360, Nintendo Wii[/cell][/row] [row][cell]Mode(s): Single-player, multiplayer [/cell][/row] [row][cell]Input methods: DualShock 2, Sixaxis controller, DualShock 3, Xbox 360 controller, Wii Remote, keyboard, mouse, Stylus [/cell][/row] [row][cell]Release Date(s): June 16th 2009 (US), June 19th 2009 (EU)[/cell][/row] [/table]It's 1991, two years after the events of Ghostbusters II, and paranormal activity has reached record levels in New York City. With business booming and the Ghostbusters shorthanded, you've been hired to join the team as the new Experimental Equipment Technician, tasked with "breaking in" Egon's newly created (and untested) hardware and equipment. With an enhanced PKE meter and a brand-new, fully upgradeable proton pack, you will hunt and neutralize everything from ethereal manifestations to Class-5 full roaming vapors. The script for the game has been written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis, and the setting for the title is placed right after the second film, rather than modern day. Players will take on the role of the “fifth Ghostbuster” who has been hired by the original four GB’s due to an enormous in flux of supernatural activity. The Ghostbusters will be over seen by a government agency (presumably the EPA) led by Walter Peck, which will cover all the extensive damages players are sure to cause capturing all the spooks haunting the Big Apple. All four of the original cast members have returned to voice there electronic counter parts, as well as Annie Potts (Janine) and William Atherton (Walter Peck). Bill Murray's main demand on the game was that it featured all of the Ghostbusters including Ernie Hudson and that they were given equal screen time. He did not want it to be "Peter Venkman - the game". Brian Doyle-Murray also returns to the cast, but as the new mayor, Jock Mulligan, rather than the psychiatrist he portrayed in Ghostbusters II. Neither Sigourney Weaver or Rick Moranis have reprised their roles. According to Brendan Goss, executive producer from Terminal Reality, Sigourney Weaver was approached specifically, early on about the possibility of her reprising the role as Dana Barrett. The actress turned it down, but it was revealed that once Bill Murray's participation was made official she came back asking if she could be in the game (through her agent presumably). However, at that stage another leading lady had already been written into the story and the production was way too far along to include Sigourney Weaver's character. As well as many new locations and enemies, the game will also feature several places and characters from the two original films. You will be called back to the Sedgewick Hotel to recapture Slimer, have a rooftop battle with the ledgendary Mr Stay Puft and roam the archives at the New York Public Library in an attempt to capture the elusive Gray Lady [officially named in the game as "Eleanor Twitty"]. The 360, PC, and PS3 versions of the game will feature a more ‘realistic’ graphical style and game play while the Wii and PS2 versions will feature a more cartoon look. A comparison of Ray Stantz on the 360/PS3 and Wii versions is pictured right, to give you an idea of the differences. Ghostbusters: The Video Game will be released on June 16th (US), and 19th (EU) for XboX360, PS3, PS2, Nintendo Wii, and Nintendo DS. Weeks after securing the rights Atari have set their publicity machine into full swing. Firstly A new site saying 'coming soon' was created by Atari on the 2nd of December 2008 (The link at the bottom of the page will direct you to the Atari webpage) then a day later a new trailer was released to the public. Done in the style of a movie trailer, showing off the ingame cinematics and giving hints to the storyline, it features for the first time the voice of Venkman and a glimpse of Walter Peck.Game Play ModesThe game will feature both singleplayer and multiplayer modes. The Ghostbusters Firehouse (pictured right) will act as the main menu and hub from where you will start missions and upgrade equipment etc. With regards to the game here is what is known so far: The single player will be a linear objective based affair, where you play the part of the Rookie working alongside the original guys. Not all 4 of the founding team will accompany you on every mission, with varying combinations on each level. Ghosts will take the form of either corporeal or non corporeal, with the latter having to be weakened, captured then trapped. In the multiplayer version you will get to play as one of the main Ghostbusters. For the PS3 and 360, up to four gamers will work together on missions specially designed for a group and unrelated to the main story. It has been mentioned also that there will be a Ghosts versus Busters mode where you can take up the role of either side. The Wii version will allow you to play split screen up to 4 way. At the 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, Sony confirmed that the game will be released on June 16th in the US and June 19th in Europe, alongside home video re-releases of the Ghostbusters films. The Authentic Ghostbusters Experience – Delivering a distinctive, definitive gaming experience to worldwide Ghostbusters fans, Ghostbusters™: The Video Game features the original cast from Columbia Pictures’ classic Ghostbusters films, including Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis and Ernie Hudson – together again for the first time in over 20 years. Supporting the original Ghostbusters crew are the talents of Annie Potts, Brian Doyle Murray and William Atherton. The Supernatural Spectacular Meets Unrivaled Ghost Busting – Like the films before it, Ghostbusters™: The Video Game is all-new classic adventure with Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis returning to helm the script and creating a new storyline that leads gamers through the trials and tribulations of the world’s leading paranormal ghost busting team. Players experience a variety of frightening new ghosts, even some based on ideas from Aykroyd and Ramis that never made it into the original feature films.. Cool Tech, Extraordinary Equipment & Fearsome Enemies – Ghostbusters™: The Video Game features ghost hunting, wrangling and trapping game mechanics with upgradeable gadgets. Gamers can wear ghosts down into a weakened state with the Proton Pack’s Blast Stream and use the Capture Stream to wrangle them into the trap, execute different strategic tactics with the new Slime Tether and scan and analyze targets using like the P.K.E. Meter and Paragoggles. Ghostbusters – Jump on the PLAYSTATION Network or Xbox Live and play as the original Ghostbusters with up to three other players in a variety of different game modes set in iconic movie locations, including the Museum, Library and Times Square, in a competitive co-op mode where players work as a team to bust ghosts but compete with one another for the highest score. Further, the Wii version offers split-screen co-op mode allowing two players to suit up and play through the entire single player story.EquipmentAs mentioned, you will be playing as a new recruit to the team. As such you will be testing out all new equipment devised by Egon and Ray. The following pieces of equipment are known to feature in the game so far: PROTON PACK Your proton pack will have the following different methods of fire, each having a primary and secondary mode: Proton Pack Specs: PROTON EQUIPMENT -Proton Pack and Neutrona Wand -Blast Beam -Capture Beam -Boson Darts DARK MATTER GENERATOR -Shock Blast -Stasis Stream COMPOSITE PARTICAL SYSTEM -Meson Collider -Overload Pulse -Slime Blower -Slime Tether [hr] GHOST TRAP Used to trap ghosts you can't destroy, pretty much as in the films. [hr] ECTO GOGGLES Used in conjunction with the PKE meter to detect hidden ghosts. When equipped the view switches to first person. [hr] PKE METER Used to locate hiding ghosts and detect PK energy. It is also used as the in game menu where you can adjust the gameplay options, click over to a tab for upgrading your proton pack or click over to the Tobin's Spirit Guide that catalogs all of the spooks you've scanned.External Links- http://www.GhostbustersGame.com/ - The Official Game Website from Atari. -http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLi9_uPg1Tk&feature=related- Youtube game footage -http://www.computerandvideogames.com/article.php?id=177545 - Wii footage