A wasted opportunity
Ghostbusters is a decent game that's possibly the first to somewhat deserve being part of the franchise. However, it isn't without its shortcomings, and non-fans will have a hard time getting past its dodgy gameplay. The omission of any multiplayer mode for the PC version also relegates this game to one you'd borrow or rent, rather than buy (although some might be drawn by the lower retail price).
The game puts you in the shoes of the aptly-named Rookie who joins the Ghostbusters as a trialist. Egon sees you as the perfect guinea pig for his newest weapons and inventions, so you'll be using more than the traditional Dematerializer gun. You'll have access to among other things, a freeze ray, a slime gun, a shotgun-like weapon, etc. This is an interesting idea, but you'll find yourself relying on the slime gun and Dematerializer for the most part. As such, the other weapons don't feel especially satisfying and some just don't have their place in the game. You'll find yourself not really caring about the other weapon upgrades, but buying them anyway since you'll have more than enough cash near the end of the game.
Trapping ghosts however, is another thing altogether. You'll enjoy reeling them in with the capture ray while they squirm around trying to escape the clutches of your ghost traps. There seems to be a random element to it, so it really is quite a lot of fun. Anyone who enjoys fishing will understand the unadulterated joy you'll get from this. Disappointingly, there just aren't that many ghosts to capture, especially towards the later parts of the game where you'll come to rely on the slime gun. The game also utilizes a very awkward Gears of War-type camera angle which doesn't really lend itself well to this sort of game. Turning takes ages, and running is a real chore. You'll find yourself cursing Rookie's clumsiness often.
The script is quite well written, which is no surprise since it's helmed by Ramis and Aykroyd. A number of loose ends are tied up, most notably being able to finally vanquish The Librarian from the first movie. It has legitimately funny moments, although at times you do feel it panders too much to its fanbase. The voice work does a pretty good job of immersing you in the game, although there are oversights here and there (lines being repeated). Bill Murray limps in but eventually turns in a decent performance. The soundtrack is quite nicely done, and the game does serve up those classic tunes from the movies. Tense music plays to up the ante during foreboding moments, and does an alright job.
I felt the level design in particular was sub-par, and linear for the most part. The path does branch out from time to time, but only for Rookie to search for a ghostly artifact (y'know, like a Ghostbusters DVD) and then return to the main route. You'll occasionally have to solve puzzles using the slime tether gun, but none are particularly challenging or interesting.
Perhaps my favourite part of the game's the Ghostbuster HQ. There are a lot of nice touches and serious fan-service here; you can listen to prank calls, eavesdrop on Janine, talk to the Vigo painting, etc. Of especial mention is Venkman's face flooding the Employee of the Month poster.
So yeah, the Ghostbusters game is a decent third-person shooter but it goes without saying that there are much better titles out there. Your enjoyment pivots largely on whether you loved the series as a kid in the eighties and nineties, and even so you'll get annoyed that you can't quite fully realise your childhood dreams of wrangling ghosts into traps. It's an even tougher sell with the omission of the consoles' multiplayer modes, so just rent this.
