Publisher: Atari

Developer: Terminal Reality & Red Fly Studios

Platforms: Nintendo DS, PC, Playstation 2 & 3, XBox 360, Nintendo Wii

Release Date: June 2009

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). Brian Doyle-Murray 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 voiced their characters, therefore it is doubtful either character will appear in the game.

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. 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 Videogame is slated for a June 2009 release 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' has been created by Atari on the 2nd 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.

[Link] [Revise]Game Play Modes

The 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 combustible or non combustible, 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.

[Link] [Revise]Equipment

As 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 Stream
-Capture Stream
-Boson Darts

DARK MATTER GENERATOR
-Shock Blast
-Stasis Stream

COMPOSITE PARTICAL SYSTEM
-Meson Collider
-Overload Pulse
-Slime Blower
-Slime Tether

GHOST TRAP

Used to trap ghosts you can't destroy, pretty much as in the films.

ECTO GOGGLES

Used in conjunction with the PKE meter to detect hidden ghosts. When equipped the view switches to first person.

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.