Analysis of Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, another failed attempt at cooperative multiplayer

technical part

The graphic style of the game, without being negative, can contrast with the impression that we have of this great saga and its characters, many fans will be able to agree with its design and, on the other hand, will be against it. Something that cannot be denied is that it is very colorful and flashy, highlighting objects, NPCs or structures and the like, something that caught our eye and is seen in multiplayer or singleplayer , is that in some games we observe that they load the characters and the world first, but then the textures start to load, suddenly you see something wrong for a few moments, that is not very recurrent, but it usually happens, especially at the beginning and at the end of it, maybe it’s due to the game servers or a lack of optimization, it’s a detail that could be fixed with a future update.

As for the scenarios, there are 5 in total, being very wide and being able to go around every corner, looking for cracks or ghosts, it is very pleasant, there is a great variety of objects to destroy and damage to do regardless of the side on which we are. Something that completely breaks the rhythm of the gameis that when they are with friends they randomly disconnect or that in the middle of the game one of our companions leaves for no reason, another point against is that sometimes we perceive that in the online game our companions remain frozen for a moment and they miss the action, leaving us alone in full swing, it’s very frustrating.

It goes without saying that this is not a demanding game for current systems, so the game will run without noticing any frame drops or slowdowns, now the sound section is consistent with the game, with themes that remind us the movies, the voices are excellent in the characters and the sound effects are wonderful, when firing our weapon or even when activating the traps the effects are phenomenal, in this section it works very well.

gameplay

Now yes, let’s get down to business. The fundamental pillar of this type of game is summed up in its playability, because the narration and other aspects depend exclusively on your progress in the game. Now, this Ghostbusters does not have a very defined narrative, and it does not even have several game modes; it’s about playing the exact same match after match without any changes.

Let’s see how to play first. Basically, you are part of a team of ghost hunters who come to a place to eliminate the ghostly crevices and the ghost attacking the place. You arrive with a team of 4 hunters who have exactly the same abilities (unless one of them has unlocked the hook or better items for the weapon), and you will have to search for the ghost and lock it up to find out loopholes. The ghost will be another player, who must stay hidden and own the whole place, which is quite complicated.

As you can see, this game system is very similar to that of Evolve, the Predator game or the Friday 13 game; but with less detail and variety.

When entering the game, if you are a ghost hunter, you will have a cannon to immobilize or eliminate ghosts, a sensor, a machine to absorb and trap the enemy and, depending on your level, a hook for quickly climbing altar plants. With this and the components you add to your gadgets, you will have to hunt the ghost before he owns 100% of the place.

On another side, if you are a ghost you will have more skills and agility. From what I could see, there are several types of skills with different skins. The one I got to play was very basic, with a move that didn’t do much, a lunge, the ability to possess and hide in objects, and a special power that knocked hunters down. Although he is more powerful than other players, he is quite difficult to win a game, because the moment you get caught for the first time, everything goes downhill. But even if you lose all the time, it’s much more fun than being a hunter.

Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed repeats every failure of the studio’s games

We should all know the problems of games like Evolve by now. The dynamic of a cooperative multiplayer in which even the enemy is a player is very attractive, but as we mentioned before, it is circumstantial. There is only one success story, like Friday The 13: The Game; which was fueled by its compelling theme and wide variety of player possibilities, as well as hype from content creators.

In the case of Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, I can say that its gameplay is not quite attractive, especially if it is a repetitive game without many alternatives. As a hunter it’s repetitive to look for a ghost that will run away uncontrollably to hide, if you go as a team it’s as simple as the 4 hunters going together to consistently catch the other player in a very simple. And as a ghost, it’s frustrating to have to run away and have no other mechanic to take over the area other than waiting for time to pass.

In essence, this game only lives for its theme of a classic and beloved saga, more than its mechanics and playability proposition. Of course, your experience with friends obviously improves the game a lot.

duration

With the previous sections we have been able to know everything that this title offers us, let’s remember that given its asymmetrical game approach, in which we have at least 5 scenarios to entertain us, be a ghost or ghost huntersgo through each level, taking into account that each game can oscillate between the 6 to 15 minutes, we will have short parts and a short overall duration. Something that will extend the life of the title is that our character, our weapons or our equipment have levels, so every time we play we can increase their statistics, not to mention that a set of cosmetic elements will be unlocked for have a better personalization of our character.

The above translates into more hours of play if we are achievement hunters and collect everything in the game, which will encourage us to come back, only if we want to obtain improvements in our weapons and equipment, as well as other elements. What can hinder replayability are connection issues with game servers, or literally trying to play with our friends. Despite the franchise’s nostalgia factor, we can get bored after experiencing each level and the elements we play with, perhaps allowing us to choose not to return. The lack of content and storylines, coupled with its technical issues and lack of a story mode, means coming back and extending our experience may not be entirely enjoyable to repeat..

Despite all of the criticisms reflected in this review, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed isn’t a bad game. Aside from various internal, connection, and future-related issues, the game has truly lived up to its promises and remains an entertaining experience to play. play with friends.

All of the above does not imply that it is recommended in its current form, as it lacks content. If you are going to buy it to play alone, we recommend waiting until at least more content is added to enjoy an experience. On the other hand, if you want to try it with friends, this can be an interesting but not recommended opportunity.