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Joystiq hands-on: Ghostbusters (PS3/360/Wii)
click to enlarge (Xbox 360) We had no doubt going into our first hands-on with Ghostbusters: The Video Game that developers Terminal Reality (PS3/PC/360) and Red Fly (Wii) are delivering pure, off-the-chart fan service. We were concerned with one thing: Is this game going to be any fun to play? Terminal Reality is well aware that thousands of gamers have never seen the original movie or its (shudder) sequel, so the prospect of tromping around with a pack of middle-aged men in goofy getups might not be a major selling point. Funny jokes, ghosts, wild weapons, and blowing up everything you can see? That's compelling for anyone. %Gallery-38586%
Who ya gonna watch? New Ghostbusters trailer and screens materialize
Developer Terminal Reality isn't ruling out the chance that the final holdout from the original Ghostbusters cast, Rick Moranis (Louis Tully), will lend his voice to its upcoming game. Still, he's not present or accounted for in the latest trailer for the Xbox 360, PS3, and PC version of Ghostbusters: The Videogame. But oh is it dripping with Ghostbusters vibe like so much ectoplasm.Atari, the new publisher of this June 2009 title, has also released a handful of new shots from the next-gen and Wii versions of the game. While it doesn't sport nearly the same level of detail as the other versions, we found ourselves unexpectedly pleased by the Real Ghostbusters-esque art direction of the Red Fly developed Wii game when we saw it in action. What do you say: charming, or too kiddie?%Gallery-38586% Download trailer in HD (30MB)
Ghostbusters trailer asks who you should telephone
click to embiggen Atari has released some new screenshots and a new trailer of Ghostbusters (cleverly subtitled The Video Game). The trailer is devoid of gameplay and looks to be made entirely of pre-rendered cut-scenes. Still, it's nice to see faithfully rendered character models for Peter, Ray, Egon, and Winston (and even Walter Peck, no less) and it's even better to hear the voices of the original cast. Apparently, the story for the game centers around the ghost dimension coalescing with ours (still no word if any Mortal Kombat or DC characters are jumping through the rift yet). Find the trailer after the break and check out the new screens in the gallery below.%Gallery-38564%
Activision Blizzard still 'reviewing' fate of Ghostbusters, 50 Cent
It seems Activision Blizzard is still uncertain as to who it's gonna call -- to publish ectoplasmic epic Ghostbusters. Speaking to MCV, the newly melded megapublisher was still hesitant to divulge the "absolutely not cancelled" game's fate, along with the fate of fellow Vivendi leftovers like 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand. In the wake of Vivendi UK's closure, Activision Blizzard's general manager for the region, Andrew Brown, pointed out that while "Crash, Spyro and Prototype will definitely be released this and next year," the company was still in the midst of "reviewing its options regarding titles that it will not be publishing." Sound familiar? If the games are found unsuitable for Activision's immense sequel conveyer belt, it's likely that they'll be shipped off to more eager publishers. Still, aren't you utterly relieved to learn that Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon are just fine? We were worried there for a second.
Terminal Reality boss says Ghostbusters 'will be published'
Don't throw out that book on how to not cross streams, because the upcoming Ghostbusters game might not be canceled. At least, according to Terminal Reality boss Mark Randel, who told videogaming247 that "Ghostbusters will be published. That's all I can say at the moment."This, of course, isn't assurance that the game will release on the Wii, since Terminal Reality is working on the Xbox 360 version (Red Fly is developing the Wii version). But, it's something, which is much better than what we had to work with previously: nothing. %Gallery-27664%[Via GI.biz]
Sierra: Ghostbusters 'absolutely not cancelled'
Yesterday's news that Activision Blizzard was only holding onto a select few Vivendi/Sierra properties going forward didn't look good for those awaiting the seemingly triumphant return of Ghostbusters. We contacted Sierra about the game's absence from Blizzavision's "to keep" list, and whether said omission spelled doom for the Ecto-1 crew. Good news, everyone: the game's not giving up the ghost. A spokesperson for Sierra confirmed that, "First and foremost, the game is absolutely not canceled." But does it have a publisher? "[Sierra] is reviewing its options regarding those titles that it will not be publishing," we were told. While not explicitly stated, it definitely sounds like Sierra has begun the process of shopping its remaining titles around to other publishers. These include Double Fine's hotly anticipated heavy metal adventure Brütal Legend. We're still awaiting word on its fate, but can't imagine Tim Schafer and crew letting a little publisher scuffle stop the rock.
Blizzavision keeps Crash, Spyro, Ice Age, Prototype; loses Brutal Legend, Ghostbusters, and more
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Blizzavision_keeps_Crash_Spyro_etc_loses_Brutal_Legend'; One of the major outstanding questions surrounding the Activision Blizzard merger was: "What the hell is going to happen to Vivendi's other video game division, Sierra?" The new super-publisher announced it will be keeping five of Sierra's franchises total: Crash Bandicoot, Ice Age, Spyro, the still-in-development Prototype, and another as-yet-unannounced title. We're currently looking into the fate of Sierra's other publishing arrangements: Tim Schafer's Brütal Legend (oh, Brütal Legend, we're so sorry!), Ghostbusters: The Video Game, WET, and Chronicles of Riddick: Assault on Dark Athena. Activision Blizzard is also reviewing Sierra's other properties that they will not be publishing: think Bourne, 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, World in Conflict, et al. Activision Publishing CEO Mike Griffith says, "We are reviewing our options regarding those titles that we will not be publishing." Those games won't be published by Blizzavision because they're not "a strong fit with [Activision Blizzard's] long-term product strategy." No word on the fate of Sierra's classic adventure games like King's Quest, Leisure Suit Larry, etc. As for the status of Sierra's in-house developers, Blizzavision will "realign staffing at Radical Entertainment and High Moon Studios" – the developers of Prototype and The Bourne Conspiracy respectively – while "exploring options regarding Massive Entertainment and Swordfish Studios" – the devs behind World in Conflict and 50 Cent: Blood on the Sand, respectively. Those "options" include "the possibility of divestiture." Also potentially up for sale: Vivendi Games Mobile and Sierra Online, the latter notably responsible for a large amount of XBLA and PSN games. More on this story as it inevitably unfolds.
E308: Ghostbusters busting ghosts, faces
Ghostbusters could be good, but the antics of Slimer and the gang might not make a smooth video-gamerial transition. If you watch the above trailer, peruse the new gallery and your head doesn't explode, there's a chance for success in an otherwise disappointing scenario.While "cartoonish" graphics might not be everyone's cup of tea, Red Fly still stood up to defend the game, with fun a priority. Realistically, that should be the goal for all games, but somehow adding the word "party" when describing a Wii title actually results in negative fun levels. %Gallery-27664%[Via press release]
Zootfly footage helped sell Ghostbusters revival
With Terminal Reality now holding onto development of Ghostbusters like a charged particle accelerator, most eyes have turned away from Zootfly's unlicensed Ghostbusters tech demo footage that leaked into the wild earlier this year. Most, but not all, as Terminal Reality boss Mark Randel admits that Zootfly's efforts actually helped release the concept from the containment system. "What Zootfly did for us, inadvertently, is help sell the concept," said Randel in an interview with OXM. "When their footage came out, we were close to our green-light meeting, and when the executives saw the reaction from the fans, they immediately knew, 'Hey, Ghostbusters is going to be a big hit - we need to put this game into production.'" We doubt any of this will help Zootfly devs sleep at night -- though we advise if anyone asks if they're a god, they still say "Yes!"
Catch a nasty ghost in this Ghostbusters gameplay footage
Thanks to this fairly recent Ghostbusters gameplay footage, we certainly aren't afraid of ghosts anymore. The game looks pretty nice and we hope it jump-starts the classic franchise back to life -- a lot of lesser movies and TV series' have been getting brought back, after all. What's interesting, but not in the video, is the use of Sixaxis for the PS3: apparently, you use it to control the trajectory of your ghost-bustin' stream. Of course, crossing them is a bad idea unless you're facing the final boss, we'd imagine.
There is no Ghostbusters Wii/DS connectivity, only Zuul
Apparently the report yesterday that Ghostbusters on the Wii would allow you to use your DS as a simulated PKE meter was in error. Terminal Reality's Mark Randel (who is kind of a strange authority on this game since Red Fly Studio is developing the Wii and DS games, but who no doubt knows more about it than us) told videogaming247 that no such feature was implemented. "It would have been really cool though."It has yet to be confirmed if either the Wiimote or DS will be able to interface with the Statue of Liberty. Hopefully some clever homebrewer/sorcerer/Scourge of Carpathia/Sorrow of Moldavia can come up with a slime that uses the Twilight Hack.[Via GoNintendo]
Ghostbusters dev: 360 holding back PS3 version
In a recent interview with videogaming247.com, Mark Randel, president of Ghostbusters developer Terminal Reality, laid down some new fodder for flamewars everywhere by multplatform development is keeping the team from doing everything they could with the game. Specifically, Randel said that the PS3's seven processors allow for much more than the 360's three. For example, Randel says that the PS3 could handle "double the amount of objects on screen." Thanks to the team's goal of making the game equal on both platforms, that won't be happening. He gives a further example that the PS3 version of the game has an entire processor dedicated to the game's audio, whereas the 360 version only has a portion of a single processor dedicated to audio. He concludes his remarks by noting "If we're doing a PS3 only game however, we could be doing a lot more. We could be pushing a lot more on the screen."It's worth noting that Ghostbusters is a Sony property. Feel free to consider that in your conspiracy theories. We'll just be hiding behind this flame-proof barrier if you need us.[Via Joystiq]
Ghostbusters dev: Xbox 360 is holding us back
Sony fanboys looking for absolute proof that their system is technically superior to the Xbox 360 got a boost recently when Terminal Reality president Mark Randel told VideoGaming247.com that a PS3-exclusive version of the developer's Ghostbusters game would be more technically impressive than the version being tuned to work on both systems. "If we made a PS3-only game, for example, you could double the amount of objects on screen that you're seeing," Randel told the site at a Sierra event last week. "The PlayStation 3 has seven processors and the 360 only has three, so seven versus three means you can do a lot more on the PS3." Of course, Microsoft fanboys with a conspiratorial bent are likely to pick up on Randel's casual mention that "Ghostbusters is the property of Sony Pictures." Sure, it's possible that Randel is just badmouthing the competition to get in good with the rights-holder on his current game. Just as it is also technically possible that the 3DO will suddenly make a huge comeback this year ...
Connect your Wii and DS, track paranormal activity
Our enthusiasm for Ghostbusters has taken a real beating these past few weeks -- after the initial yaaaay period of retro-tinged excitement wore off, suddenly we started to receive worrying news. Terms such as "casual" and "family-friendly" were bandied about in relation to the Wii edition, and we began to panic and hyperventilate a bit, despite Red Fly's admirable attempts to calm us down.So here's something to lift our spirits (har): according to Sierra studio director John O'Keefe, the Wii version will support both four-way split-screen and the ability to connect your DS to your Wii and deploy the handheld as a PKE meter, a.k.a, the device with the winged arms that the real Ghostbusters used to track spooks. How totally awesome is that?"Very awesome" is the answer.
Ghostbusters on PS3 hindered because of 360?
We're not entirely sure why the devs for the multiplatform title Ghostbusters are setting themselves up the bomb with a flamebait remark like this, but apparently the PS3 version of the title is getting hampered thanks to the development on the 360. To soften this surefire console spit-fest, we're using an exciting kitty image, because everyone loves kittens for some reason.Terminal Reality has made headlines for saying that if they were allowed to make the game solely for the PS3, they "could double the amount of objects on screen that you're seeing," commenting also that "we've reserved one whole processor on the PS3 for Dolby Digital 5.1 sound whereas on the 360 you have part of one processor to do that." Take it however you want, but we know who we're gonna call this October. It's been way too long since that joke was even slightly relevant.
X3F Impressions: Ghostbusters
How long has it been since the original Ghostbusters hit theaters? It was over two decades ago you say? Well then, it sounds like the perfect time to revive the franchise, capitalize on nostalgia, and of course churn out some crappy video game tie-ins. What's that you say there? Ghostbusters the game actually looks good? Really? Really. It does. With a fresh approach to the license based around manipulating the environment, and with an entirely in-house engine, Terminal Reality and Sierra could be looking at the best licensed game since Riddick.As a third person action-adventure, you're the newbie on the team in a story written by some of the property's original writers. The gameplay is mostly based around the backpack (Proton Pack), and the game uses it and the many colored lights and meters on it as the equivalent of your HUD. We weren't able to see much gameplay (just a section of a single level), but we were shown some impressive tech demos which showcased some very impressive physics. After the advent of middleware and Havok, impressive physics aren't something you see much anymore, but when witnessing over a thousand Gamecube sized blocks moving and bouncing independently a la those crazy videos of Crysis, all you can possibly think is impressive physics. Gallery: Ghostbusters (360/PS3/Wii)
Joystiq impressions: Ghostbusters (360/PS3/Wii)
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/gaming_news/Hands_on_with_the_new_Ghostbusters_game_360_PS3_Wii'; Ghostbusters is one of those nerdy properties that when reissued, will never please all of its fans. Even in a brief demo with a few other writers, questions -- and follow-ups -- circled around "crossing the streams" and even geekier topics. I'm not at that level of spirit-stopping enthusiast, but I'm cautious about the new version, probably because it shows so much promise. I hate to get behind something, especially a beloved property, only to see it crumble. The Ghostbusters animation, graphics, settings, and physics look great. The original cast has reassembled to record for this game. It's even being written by Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. But the biggest thing I didn't see was that story, and that narrative is an important part of Ghostbusters. We'll find out how well the script and setting hold up with its October, 2008 release. %Gallery-21636%
Ghostbusters definitely afraid of ghosts, bad for their health
Some new details have emerged regarding the Wii version of the upcoming Ghostbusters game (aside from what was already reported), courtesy of Game Informer magazine. And, it would seem the game is going to be more of a party-type game, with a heavy focus on multiplayer. The graphics will focus more on a cartoonish presentation (we're guessing cel-shading) and the title's main storyline will follow the Xbox 360 and PS3 versions.The single player campaign will allow up to 4 players to compete co-operatively or competitively. Ghosts will act much like they do in the movies, flying through walls and objects, scaring the Ghostbusters (which will drain their health). The Ghostbusters will also have all of their tools at their disposal, including one special power for each Ghostbuster. There will also be a ghosts vs. Ghostbusters mode. The game is currently slated for a Halloween 2008 release.
Ghostbusters website and footage materialize
Oh, what did we ever do to deserve this? Barely a day after the existence of the Ghostbusters game is confirmed, we have an official website and the first trailer for the game. The website comes complete with screenshots and some info about the game, including the official press release from Sierra. The game is being created for 360, PS3, and PC by Terminal Reality (AEon Flux, BloodRayne 1 & 2). Red Fly Studio is handling the Wii, PS2, and DS iterations. Players will take on the role of a new recruit in the Ghostbusters team, helping them stop a new outbreak of ghoulish activity in New York City. But enough talk! Check out the video by hitting the "read" link to see the game in action (unfortunately, G4's embeddable player isn't quite up to snuff). Seeing how far along development has already come, we're starting to get a pretty clear picture of why Zootfly's prototype was shot down so quickly earlier this year.[Via AICN. Thanks, Adam]Read -- First Ghostbusters footageRead -- Official Ghostbusters game website
See what seems to be first footage of Ghostbusters game
So we're not sure what to tell you about this supposed clip of the recently-announced Ghostbusters game from Dutch site Game1. It looks really good to us, but so did the Zootfly version we saw a few months ago, and that turned out to be a side project some company was putting together for laughs, so it's hard to say. Speaking of which, this video has a similarity to those first YouTube clips we saw of the Zootfly game, though this is way more polished. So, we present the above video to you as is, with no guarantees as to its authenticity, other than logic and our own gut instinct. Of course, it would probably be easier to tell what was going on if, you know, the whole thing wasn't in Dutch. Side note: If you want to see something that we know is official, check out this teaser for the game.
