DESCRIPTION

Watch out for slime and avoid crossing the streams in this surprise continuation of Sony Pictures' Ghostbusters franchise. Written by stars Harold Ramis and Dan Ackroyd, who scripted both blockbuster films, Ghostbusters: The Video Game features a storyline set two years after the events depicted in Ghostbusters 2. Hailed by New York City residents as heroes, the Ghostbusters are hoping to turn their thriving business into a franchise, much to the chagrin of ex-EPA agent Walter Peck. After the Ghostbusters hire a new crewmember, the city is overwhelmed with a surge of paranormal activity. There's something even stranger in the neighborhood, and you're getting the call.

Since the game is all about hunting down and capturing ghosts, the perspective is set behind your character's shoulder to offer a clear view of the rooms and spectral anomalies ahead. The third-person viewpoint also displays the one of the most important tools you'll have in confronting the ghosts: the Proton Pack. You must monitor the Proton Pack's power consumption to avoid overheating the device, and the backpack's flashing display also indicates health and weapon charge. Your character will be in constant radio communication with other members of the Ghostbusters team, including Peter Venkman, Raymond Stantz, Egon Spengler, and Winston Zeddmore, each voiced by the movie's original actors.

While the storyline and core play mechanics are the same across platforms, the Wii and PlayStation 2 games share a simplified, cartoon-like art style and an emphasis on multiplayer action. The first notable difference is cooperative support throughout the campaign via split-screen display, with the Wii version offering four-player action and the PlayStation 2 game offering two. Competitive modes include two playable sides: Ghostbusters or ghosts. As a ghost, you can fly or phase through specific areas in a room. You can also "scare" rivals by sneaking up behind them, leaving your victims more susceptible to attacks. As one of the Ghostbusters, you can use proton packs, ghost traps, and character-specific special techniques. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide