Ghostbusters: The Video Game should not be considered a separate entity from the popular films released in the 1980s. It is, for all intents and purposes, Ghostbusters III. Everything about the movies, from their look and feel to the actors who made up the original team, has been precisely transferred to the video game format. Set in 1991, a new recruit has joined the Ghostbusters team. Voiceless and largely faceless, the upstart is controlled by the player, which should be exciting for those who have save New York from the supernatural alongside Ray, Peter and the crew.

Unfortunately, 1991 finds the team rather down on their luck. Though inarguably successful at what they do, the mayor of New York has taken exception to the frequent and ever increasing amounts of property damage that accrues whenever the Ghostbusters take a job. From now on, decrees the mayor, all property damage will be subtracted from the Ghostbusters' standard rate of $10,000 per assignment. This stern reprimand factors into the game. At the end of each level, damages are deducted from your pay. The less money you earn, the less you have to buy new items and upgrades for your existing arsenal.

In a nod to the legacy of the original film, your first assignment as a Ghostbuster rookie is to investigate a disturbance at the New York Public Library alongside your comrades. As fans might expect, the disturbance is due to otherworldly activities being conducted by the Gray Lady, perhaps most notable as the only movie villain to competently wield a card catalog system as a weapon.

As the scene faded in and I began taking my first tentative steps forward, the Terminal team was quick to point out the absence of a traditional Heads-up Display. Rather than litter the screen with health, ammo, and other standard video game meters, the proton pack is used to display all relevant information. For example, a heating gauge fills as you fire your blaster, signifying how close you are to overheating your weapon. Everything you need to see during the game can be found on the pack, which leaves the screen free to immerse you in Ghostbusters' classic blend of horror and humor.

Humor, of course, takes a front seat alongside gameplay. As I traversed the halls searching for signs of the Gray Lady, Ray, Peter and Egon quipped back and forth, making jokes and small talk that elicited more than a few chuckles from myself and the Terminal team.


Wandering into the main hall of the library, all appeared to be quiet -- too quiet. The Gray Lady and her stooges were doubtlessly around somewhere, but how was I supposed to find them? With the P.K.E. Meter, of course. Whipping out the gas detection meter-like device causes it to take up a hefty chunk on screen real estate, though navigation is still easily accomplished. The meter ticks slowly when ghost residue is faint or nonexistent, but bursts into near hysterics when you're on the trail of something powerful. Using the meter to follow a trail of goo, my team encountered the Gray Lady, who shushed us before disappearing through a wall -- and summoning a massive golem to entertain us.

Roaring in fury, the golem was composed not of rock or clay, but of books, magazines, and others items strewn about the library that sucked into his center, giving him an ever-expanding -- and quite daunting -- form.

Property damage be darned, I had a ghost to bust. As one, the Ghostbusters ignited their blasters. Our beams scorched the walls, and obliterated book cases as we fought off the behemoth, but he eventually exploded, leaving me free to continue my hunt, though with a hefty bill awaiting me after the mission.

After the creature's defeat, the team made its way to a hidden stairwell. The P.K.E. Meter started rattling like Mardi Gras maracas, leading us to caverns beneath the library that were hitherto uncharted. Being daring explorers, the Ghostbusters wasted no time daring the depths. Upon entering a cave, a confrontation with a few smaller ghosts allowed me to experiment with wrangling transparent buggers into a trap, which is quite fun. Similar to a fishing mini-game like those seen in recent Zelda titles, pulling the ghost toward your trap consists of yanking the left analog stick in the opposite direction the ghost is fleeing. The trap is slid along the floor with the press of a button, opened with another press, and snapped shut with yet another.

That encounter was simple, but as the ghosts get larger, Terminal Velocity promises that trapping ghosts becomes progressively more difficult, though never dauntingly so. The team has gone to great lengths to capture the essence of their favorite movie, and the seems as though it will pay off.

Prepare to cross streams in the first quarter of 2009 when Ghostbusters: The Video Game releases on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, and Wii.*

* Our hands-on time with Ghostbusters did not include the Wii version, which Atari purports is quite different than the Xbox 360, PC, and PS3 versions of the game.