The idea of a video game tie-in arriving without much fanfare the week of a major movie release is scary, but Activision’s new Ghostbusters game is nothing more than a relatively basic, slow-paced twin-stick shooter. See for yourself.
While the heroes of the new movie are off saving Washington D.C. from ghostly assassins, a new crop of paranormal exterminators holds down the fort. Two girls, two guys, a renovated fire house and portable nuclear batteries.
Players take control of one of the four newbies, each outfitted with a proton pack, a P.K.E. meter and a specialized weapon. Once they grab a mission, it’s time for some four-player co-op ghost busting. Check out the video atop the post for a run through the game’s first mission.
As twin-stick shooters go, the pace is relatively slow. Whipping out the old P.K.E. meter to scan for secrets slows movement to a walk, making hunting for hidden stuff tedious. I played solo, so my AI teammates matched my pace. I imagine things might be more entertaining with a full compliment of friends in four-player local co-op.
As Ghostbusters games go, it’s pretty unambitious, especially compared to 2009's Ghostbusters: The Video Game. Nothing horrible, nothing spectacular, and certainly nothing to be afraid of.
Ghostbusters is now available for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.