Much like a lot of the geeky things from the late 80s, and early 90s the “Ghostbusters” movies hold a very dear place in many gamers’ hearts. They may not have been as nerdy as “Tron” or “War Games,” but they were still part of the culture that birthed today’s dorks, nerds, and fanboys, and, while the size of the role that it played is different for everyone, no one can deny the fact that the movies weren’t an ingredient in the recipe. It’s this nostalgia that could have ignited a firestorm over the franchise’s latest game released for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (also the Wii, but that’s a whole different story) if the game wasn’t treated with the love and respect it deserved. Fortunately, once gamer’s knew that Harold Ramis and Dan Akyroid signed on to write the script for the game, it seemed like it could actually head in the right direction, but did the finished project continue down that path, with the finished product living up to the “Ghostbusters”’ name? Thank God it did.

The game has thankfully remained very true to the source material in many different ways: The entire main cast from the films have returned to do the voices of their respective characters. They’ve recreated the firehouse almost perfectly. The story is written to feel like it should be part of the series. The PKE meter is included, and is vital to multiple aspects of the game. They even included Slimer. Everywhere you turn there’s something that longtime fans are going to spot, which will hopefully make them appreciate the time and effort that Terminal Reality put into making this game.

The thing is, for everything that was included, if the gameplay isn’t there to support the story and the fan favors, then “Ghostbusters” would turn into more of a showpiece than a game. Fortunately, the developers opted for a familiar, third-person action take on the game, creating an entire single-player campaign around that very concept. If you’re familiar with many of the mechanics introduced in “Gears of War” then you’ll feel very comfortable picking up the controller, and heading out to bust some ghosts. That’s not to say “Ghostbusters” is a ripoff of “Gears,” because it’s not, it just pulls a lot of inspiration from, what many fans of the genre, consider a great game.

If you swap the word “gun” for “proton pack” that pretty much covers most of the offense of “Ghostbusters,” as you’ll spend the entire game hunting down ghosts with four different versions of the team’s main tool. Each variation pretty much has some kind of ammo based parallel (e.g. the Bozon Dart being a rocket launcher, and the Shock Blast has a very shotgun like effect), but that doesn’t mean that “Ghostbusters” is just another shooter, because it’s not. There may be a fine line between shooting a steam instead of bullets, but it really does make a difference; especially when coupled with the trap-capturing mechanic, a vital aspect of capturing most of the ghosts in the game. Basically, it’s not enough to just shoot things in this game, you have to wear them down, and then drag them into a trap to bring back to the containment unit. Basically “Ghostbusters” takes a familiar mechanic, builds on it, and makes it its own.

The story, while it takes longer to play out than your standard 90 minute movie, fits right into the “Ghostbusters” world. Taking place two years after Ghostbusters II, you play a new recruit who was brought on to the team basically to be Egon’s guinea pig. You get to field test all the new equipment, along side the other characters in the game, as you try to put a stop to Ivo Shandor, a follower of Gozer the Gozerian, who constructed buildings throughout NYC to channel evil spirits. The game takes place at various, well-known locations throughout New York on Thanksgiving in 1991. You revisit a few of the spots from the movies, as well as venture to some new ones. Overall, it’s a solid mix of old and new that will keep any fan happy.

The game even sports some fairly unique multiplayer options as well. Instead of the standard death match (the advantage of not having guns) the players are basically put to work to take down ghosts in various different scenarios. There could be a time limit to take down X amount of ghosts, or certain artifacts that you need to protect, but it boils down to the more ghosts you take down, the more money you make, and that’s how the multiplayer ranking breaks down. It’s very refreshing to see a completely separate, well-thought-out co-op multiplayer included in the game, instead of forcing co-op into the campaign, and messing with that experience. In the end, it’s quite fun, and you get sucked in extremely quickly.

Unfortunately, not everything is great about “Ghostbusters,” but it really boils down to a matter of managing expectations. The game itself is sound – with a good story, and little to complain about in the way of gameplay or controls, but, with this being a Ghostbusters game, it seems like you should be able to play as the official Ghostbusters – Igon, Peter, Winston and Ray, which you can’t do in the single player game. Fortunately, this is compensated for in the multiplayer where it allows you to play as any one of the five characters included in the game. Aside from that, the single player is a little on the short side (clocking in around the eight hour mark), and it might leave some players left wanting more, but, again, the multiplayer should be able keep you satisfied a little longer.

Simply put; a new “Ghostbusters” game could have gone very wrong. It’s a movie franchise that is known for not having the best track record when it comes to video games, and the latest game in the series could have easily followed in its predecessor’s footsteps. However, something went very right with the latest release for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 from Atari. It was as if someone actually cared about this release, and finally went the extra mile to make a “Ghostbusters” game that the fans would truly appreciate. Sure, it’s not Ghostbusters 3, but it is funny, well written, and expertly executed, and, as long as you can overlook a few of the game’s flaws, it’s a solid release, whether you’re a fan of the movies or not.

[Rating: 4.25/5]

“Ghostbusters The Video Game” was released on June 16th, 2009 for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and Wii. This review is based on the Xbox 360 version.

“Def Jam Rapstar” is going to be big. At first glance it may just appear to be another music game, just with hip-hop instead of rock music, but it’s really a whole lot more. “Rapstar” may take a few ideas from fellow rhythm game “SingStar,” but, the thing is, there’s an inherent level of competition built into hip-hop, that is going to work exceptionally well in video game form. Add to that the very well designed online community centered around uploading performance videos from the game, and “Rapstar” ends up being one of the most unique (and fun) rhythm games to hit the stores in a long time. Yeah … the kids are gonna love this one.

Happy Monday, everyone. Over the weekend news leaked of an “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves” multiplayer beta invitation being included with preorders of Sony’s PS3 exclusive “Infamous.” The thing is that word on any multiplayer in Naughty Dog’s hit franchise has been kept on the d.l. for quite some time, until now.

Naughty Dog has finally released details and a new trailer on what we can expect when “Uncharted 2″ sees its release later this year.

The game will offer three competitive modes: team deathmatch, plunder, and co-op. Team deathmatch is your standard deathmatch pitting a bunch of good guys (Chloe, Drake, Elena, Sully) against a bunch of mercs. Plunder is a lot like your typical capture the flag, but instead of a flag it’s a treasure that you must drag back to your teams base. While you can drop the treasure at anytime, you will be slower and only granted access to the one-handed pistol while dragging it to your base. The last mode is co-op, which allows for up to three players and will have you playing special missions that differ from the single player campaign. While the missions may take place in the similar areas, they will play out much differently then when you are going through them solo.

This is all very exciting news. If you ask me, “Uncharted” isn’t a game that really needs multiplayer, but if they pull it off, it’ll be a welcome addition to the series. The game reportedly plays very similar to the first one and has a bit more emphasis on vertical combat – fighting villains while hanging on ledges, climbing walls, etc.

If you haven’t seen the teaser trailer for “Uncharted 2: Among Thieves,” check it out here. Otherwise check out the brand spankin new mulitplayer trailer below!

“Wheelman” is a bit of an anomaly. From its onset the game makes no lies about what it’s trying to be – a balls-to-the-wall, explosive, action romp starring the one and only Vin Diesel, and, for the most part it succeeds. But everything you’ll play here has done better before, by another little game known as “Grand Theft Auto,” and, with competition like that, it’s hard to recommend adding “Wheelman” to your own personal collection.

For starters, the story of “Wheelman” is absolute trash, and by trash I mean that I still have no idea what the hell was going on. Trying to summarize this game will be a difficult task, but I’ll give it my best shot. You are an undercover agent, played by Vin Diesel, that goes by the name of Milo. You, for no explained reason, are sent to Barcelona, which is where the game picks up…literally. You are blindly thrown into your first mission with hardly any intel, and the story only gets cloudier and more convoluted from there. You’ll spend your time in Barcelona constantly meeting new people from three different factions and doing jobs for them for no real reason as to what you’re trying to accomplish. There were too many times where I would do a mission for one person and inexplicably be working for their enemy the next. I know it’s a Vin Diesel game, and I realize its main draw is non-stop action, but with a story this disjointed, it really detracts from the experience.

The voice acting and graphics also do little to add to the story. I’ve never thought much of Vin Diesel’s acting (with the exception of Boiler Room and Pitch Black – both great films), but I certainly don’t have anything against him. However, his monotone, drab demeanor is just too much to take here. Not once did Milo show any sort of emotion and I felt like if someone where to tell him his parents died he’d respond with a simple “bummer.”

Once you’ve come to terms with the lack of plot, you’ll start to focus on how the game plays, and, luckily for Mr. Diesel, there is some fun to be had. For about 80% of the game you will be behind the wheel of cars, trucks, bikes, scooters, etc. During these missions you’ll be tasked with destroying other vehicles, tailing enemies, or trying to scare nervous passengers. The missions can become repetitive, but as long as you’re not on foot, you’ll enjoy your time spent in Barcelona. “Wheelman” allows you to pummel other cars with a flick of the right stick. Flick the stick in either direction and you’ll turn sharply into any enemies that dare to get too close. After multiple hits their vehicles will explode in a slow-motion hellfire, thus giving the game that Hollywood feel that it was obviously going for. You’ll also later gain the ability to slow the action down around you and go into a bullet-time like action sequence where one well-placed shot can destroy almost any vehicle. You’re also given the ability to “airjack” cars, a maneuver that has Milo jumping from the window of one car into the driver’s side of another and taking control of the vehicle without ever touching ground. After learning the game’s nuances high speed chases can become pretty exciting, and pulling off some of the more difficult moves can yield some great visual rewards.

Then there are the missions where the game requires you to hoof it, and this is where the game becomes a boring, repetitive mess. The firing system is playable, but shooting baddies on foot is just so boring. Almost all these missions see you going into a bland-looking warehouse, easily taking out huge waves of enemies, and repeating until there’s just no more bad guys to shoot. Auto-targeting is done with L2 and you shoot with R2 so very little aiming is required. “Wheelman” uses the “Halo” health recovery system, but it seems that the second Milo retreats from fire he heals with Wolverine-like ability. All of this combines to make the on-foot missions feel like more on an afterthought, and the game could have likely been better off without them.

“Wheelman” also tries to capture that open world feeling that “GTA” has been doing so well for years, but fails miserably. Barcelona is a fairly large city, but the game gives you little reason to explore it since you can use a map to warp from mission to mission for most of the game. The city is also rather bland; part of the reason that “GTA”’s are always so successful is because the environments feel like living, breathing characters. There was so much life to Vice City, so much culture in San Andreas, and a very real world feel to “GTA 4″’s Liberty City. ” Wheelman”’s Barcelona is a forgettable mess where every block looks the same and no real landmarks exist. In a game that tries to persuade the player to explore, this becomes an unforgivable flaw.

One saving grace for the game is the amount of content it provides. Aside from the nine to ten hours the main storyline demands, there are plenty of side missions and time trials to keep you busy. Completing many of these will even help you out with the main mission part of the game, rewarding the player with different cars, weapons etc.

Think of “Wheelman” as “GTA” light. By no means is it a bad game, it’s just a very, very average one, and it’s hard for an average game to compete in the open world genre that “GTA” has dominated for the last ten years. However, if you like Vin Diesel, and you go into the experience looking for nothing more then a fun action game that can deliver occasional, memorable thrills, you might walk away satisfied.

[Rating: 2.5/5]
Wheelman was released for Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on March 24th 2009 by Ubisoft. This review was based on the PS3 version of the game.

Check out below and you’ll see that it is the first ten minutes of the Japanese demo of “Final Fantasy XIII.” The game, which is running on the PS3, looks phenomenal. Game producer Yoshinori Kitase says that the game will be using nearly 100% of the PS3’s power, and, from the looks of it, he’s telling the truth. Even though the video is a little dark, the visuals seem to be some of the best I’ve seen for the system.

After fans complete the Japanese demo a screen comes up noting that the game will see it’s release in the winter of 2009. While it likely won’t show up stateside until 2010, it’s nice to have some sort of confirmed release date window. Enjoy the video below, and keep your eyes peeled here for any more info on Square Enix’s bread and butter franchise.

Capcom just sent us a lovely little email detailing some of the contents in the new update to “Street Fighter IV”; “Street Fighter IV – Championship Edition.” The name size increase in the title is geared towards “serious players”. I am puzzled by that statement because many would agree that those trial and challenge mode challenges aren’t meant for scrubs. The new mode will expand the game by offering players the chance to compete in tournaments and to watch replays of the best tournament matches. That’s awesome, now we can see worldwide beat downs and share it with friends. No word on how the sharing of said beat downs may occur though but expect to see rampant video postings of “look I can do this combo” and such on the internet.

I know what you’re saying, “damn, another add-on!” Well fret not Wondering Warrior, it comes at no cost. The Championship Mode update will be available for both PS3 and Xbox 360 owners on Friday, April 24 (times TBD) for free. There will be 5 different grades of tournaments – “creating the right challenge for players of every skill level”. You will score points for tournament wins, and as your total points grow you’ll get the chance to enter into bigger tournaments.

This was something that should have been in the game but I’m guessing since this is all network harmony stuff, it takes time to be developed. The good thing is, as we’ve mentioned before, users with great connections can have a wonderful time online with SFIV when two users have a good connection. It will be interesting to see how Capcom maintains this trend. Winning tournaments will also net you Championship Points (CP). CP is like “prize money” up for grabs in the tournament. “The higher the GP skill of the players in a particular tournament, the bigger the CP prize” notes Capcom. Each network will have some unique features though (PSN and XBOX LIVE):

• On the PlayStation Network, you can rate matches while you watch according to characteristics such as “awesome” or “funny.” Replays are then ranked based on these vote ratings.
• On Xbox Live, instead of rating the matches, you can choose to download and save your favorite replays to study the players’ techniques. You’ll also be able to turn on the input commands from both players to be able to review their button and joystick motions in precise detail.

Add a few new characters while you’re at it, and also provide those costumes in a bundle pack with an overall discount and several users will be playing this title for some time. Perhaps what’s missing from the game are Custom Unranked Matches. I say custom because it would be interested if we could re-create those funky Time Trial and Survival Challenges for play online; no supers, no ultras, auto-charge, auto-heal, and invisibility. That only proves that there’s room for improvement for this still classic brawler.

Richard Thornhill, a resident of England and father of two, went to a local Gamestation store in Cheltenham and walked out with a little more than he bargained for. Inside the instruction manual of one of the games were four tablets of ecstasy. Somebody get me a map, I’m taking a trip to Cheltenham! Alright, alright I kid. Drugs are bad, remember?

The store, undoubtedly, had to deal with a little bit of fallout. Thornhill, who was understandably upset said, “When I opened the box up, the cling film wrap fell out. I could not believe it. I have two children and my son plays Xbox all the time. He could easily have opened the box and found them. I dread to think what the consequences would have been if he had. He is only 12.”

Somewhat coincidental is the fact that both copies of the game were used copies of games in the GTA franchise. “It was a pre-used game,” Thornhill said, “but that should not make a difference. My wife is beside herself over this because she keeps thinking about what could have happened and so do I.”

Gamestation was quick to reply. “We have rigorous procedures for accepting pre-owned titles and checking them before they are put back on sale.” a statement said, “We have launched an immediate investigation and we will work closely with police to find out what happened in this instance.”

Whatever happened, their procedures can’t be too rigorous. What I want to know is whether or not they were playing techno music in the store when Thornhill bought the games. Let this be a lesson to all of you used game buyers with children out there. Check your game boxes before your kids get there grubby little paws on them.

Huh, that’s weird. I just got a sudden urge to go read my “Hannah Montana: Spotlight World Tour” instruction manual. Later, all!

The tagline for “Killzone 2″ is “War perfected.” While perfection is a tall order to fulfill for any game in any genre, “Killzone 2″ comes refreshingly close. Since its infamous debut trailer back at E3 in 2005, “Killzone 2″ has had enormous shoes to fill. So, could Guerrilla Games actually meet the ambitious expectancies of gamers across the globe? Rest easy PS3 owners, as “Killzone 2″ improves upon nearly every aspect of the FPS genre, and, in doing so, becomes an early frontrunner for 2009’s game of the year.

The story of “Killzone 2″ is epic. You play as Sergeant Thomas “Sev” Sevchenko, and you and you team, Alpha squad, are sent to the Helghast homeworld to help take down their leader, Scolar Visari. You will be aided by familiar characters, like Rico (Killzone) and Evelyn (Killzone: Liberation). You’ll also be taking orders from Colonel Jan Templer, who’s the main protagonist of both the PS2 and PSP entries. While many of the characters from previous games have returned, playing those games is not integral to enjoying “Killzone 2″.

Throughout the game you will explore vastly different areas of Helghan and each one is just as enjoyable as the next. Whether you on a mining train speeding to a Helghan refinery, or in the midst of a dilapidated, war-torn palace in search of Visari, you will always feel like you’re exploring someplace new. The levels in “Killzone 2″ are nicely varied, and they collectively give you an overall sense that each area you encounter was detrimental into the survival of the Helghan universe. Another nice touch is the condition of the planet. By the time you and your squad mates step foot on Helgan, you realize that vast amounts of war have already ensued, and the planet seems as though it could be torn in half at any moment. One final note on the story is that the cutscenes are major in scope. One of “Killzone 2’s” greatest assets is it’s ability to show fantastic cutscenes, where a lot is going on, and suddenly drop you into those intense situations, making you feel like your playing a movie.

Gameplay can be described in one word; innovative. “Killzone 2″ introduces a cover system that, at first, feels rushed and difficult to adapt to, (especially for those still playing “Resistance 2″). But by the end of the game you are forced to master its intricacies, and I soon found myself utilizing the cover system to the fullest extent. While the controls will take a bit getting used to, there are some variations provided, but none that seem to feel as adept to the game’s challenges as the default controls. If anything, it’s nice to at least have the option of different controls available.

Sev has a plethora of weapons available at his disposable during his time spent on Helghan. And while some are your average run-of-the-mill FPS artillery, others truly impress. The bolt gun rounds not only dig into an enemy’s flesh, but propel him many feet backwards into the air. And to add the proverbial cherry on top, the round explodes once the body hits the ground. The electricity gun fries anyone in sight, and while it seems a bit overpowered, it’s undeniably entertaining to use. Flamethrowers, RPG’s, grenades; “Killzone 2″ does not disappoint, and for the most part, there is an incredible balance between each of the weapons. However, this does bring up a major annoyance. You are allowed to carry two weapons at all times, but one must always be some sort of pistol or magnum. While these “peashooters” do contain infinite ammo, you would unlikely use them given the large array of better weapons at your disposal. Perhaps the developers thought the game would be too easy being able to carry two weapons of your choice. Whatever the case, it can be a distraction, and a fatal one on the harder difficulties.

Speaking of difficulty, “Killzone 2″ delivers. The AI of the Helghasts is phenomenal. They communicate, constantly use cover, and deploy in groups that will force you back into corners. “Killzone 2″ is not for the inexperienced gamer, however, if you go through at the medium difficulty setting, and make sure to utilize the cover system, you may just see the end. Sadly, part of the difficulty is due to design choices that can really be frustrating during harder parts of the game. Since you’re encouraged to use the cover system, you’ll also being spending a majority of time behind walls, unable to see what your enemies are doing. So, whenever an enemy fires a grenade or RPG at you (which usually means instant death), you will likely be unable to see the incoming threat, and die as a result. Again, this becomes increasingly annoying on the harder difficulties, but it also becomes something you learn to deal with.

All that said, the single player campaign is truly remarkable. Excellent pacing, gripping story and numerous thrills are all present, but if that isn’t enough, multiplayer will keep you going for months to come. Bots are included and add a nice touch. While various modes are offered, your traditional deathmatch is still where you’ll find the most fun.

Killzone 2 does have its problems, but they’re so few and far between in an overall remarkable package that they’re barely worth mentioning. “Killzone 2″ takes the FPS genre, and improves upon it in almost every single way. From its onset the game delivers constant thrills and is a real showcase for what the PS3 is capable of. “Killzone 2″ is not only a FPS to be in awe of, it’s an exclusive you should be proud to own.

[Rating: 5/5]

Hey kids, I finally have a mega badass “Prototype” trailer to show you. The game, which has had a somewhat rocky development cycle, seems to be coming along nicely, but details on its story have been fairly mum… until now. The trailer, which shows protagonist Alex Mercer tearing up the streets of New York, offers a lot of good details on what to expect from the games story. While the main premise is a tad cliche – Alex wakes up and has no idea who he is or why he has powers – the supporting characters seem rather interesting, and it looks like there will be a lot for gamers to figure out once the game hit stores shelves in June.

Executive producer, Tim Bennison, explains what exactly were looking at in the trailer. All of Alex’s powers look pretty chaotic – in a good way. Bennison refers to wanting the player to feel like the “ultimate badass.” If the game manages to impress me as much as its trailers have, then the crew at Radical Games looks well on their way to achieving that goal. Keep it tuned to TGH for more news on “Prototype.” The game is set to release on the first of June, so hopefully we won’t see any more delays. Latas, all.

Batman games don’t normally have the highest success rate in the gaming industry. Whenever a new Batman game is announced, it’s usually met with much excitement, however, when they’re released they normally disappoint without fail. Fortunately, Eidos and Rocksteady are looking to change all that with “Batman: Arkham Asylum.”

The game is being shown off on the GDC show floor, and if ya ask me, it’s looking pretty sweet. In the video below, Game Director, Sefton Hill, takes the liberty of explaining exactly how we will be disposing of the Joker’s baddies once inside Arkham. It looks like a pretty interesting take on stealth gameplay, (the explosive foam in the shape of a bat logo is a nice touch). What you see in the video is not actually part of the single player campaign, but a challenge mode that can be unlocked upon completion of the game. Apparently the game will be loaded with unlockables that will make Batman fans giddy in their pants.

“Batman: Arkham Asylum” is set for release in June for Xbox 360 and PS3. The special edition will be available for a hefty price of $100, however, it comes with a list of goodies, most notably a real live batarang.