As a grown-up, I have fond memories of my childhood, no social media, next to no gadgets and just a world of being outside and using my imagination. This was an era of VHS tapes and huge blockbuster movies that I begged my parents to go and see on the big screen. It’s no secret that I adored the Ghostbusters franchise as a kid, and I watched the two films over and over again. Being so young when they launched, I actually had it inside my tiny little brain that a Ghostbuster was a profession in real life, and I wanted to be one when I grew up. I owned the toy fire station, the Ecto-8 and even the uniforms, traps and proton packs, so it’s safe I have always been a big fan.

Ghostbusters Live On!

Imagine my excitement when we learned that Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed was on the horizon for 2022. Not only this, but I am also a huge supporter of anything Ilfonic and after the excellent production of Arcadgeddon which also launched on Xbox platforms this year, I knew this just HAD to be nothing but incredible. The development team have also had a wealth of experience with projects such as Friday 13th The Game and Predator Hunting Grounds and are now in a position where their games have a beautiful level of polish and shine with experiences that differ from the norm. So who you gonna call? Hopefully, your mates to join you in this asymmetrical multiplayer fun fuelled delight.

Introduction

Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed is now available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Playstation 4|5, Windows PC and features cross-platform and cross-generation multiplayer carnage for 2-5 players. If you’re a fan of titles such as the already mentioned Friday 13th The Game, Dead by Daylight and even Phasmophobia then this one will be right up your street. This is predominantly an experience that you’ll want to dive into with a handful of online friends, if possible, but playing alone with random players I have found to be equally fun.

The premise is very simple and that is for a team of four ghostbusters to jump into a mixture of locations and hunt some ghosts. You can opt to be a ghostbuster or even play as the ghost yourself if you so wish. Whilst I have had the game for a short period of time before launch, I thought it would only be fair to get this review into your hands once I’d had a chance to play on populated servers and try out the cross-platform play with my friends on the Sony side of the fence. At the time of writing jumping into a match is incredibly rapid with no more than a five to six-second waiting time. For the quiet hours, AI bots will backfill any vacant slots always giving you the opportunity to play, whatever time it may be.

Gameplay

Before you head into a match, you’ll need to decide whether you’d like to be a ghostbuster or the ghost itself. The premise of the game is for the ghostbusters to hunt down three rifts and destroy them and then capture and trap the ghost. Whilst this sounds easy on paper, you will have to gather your troops and try and work together to get the job done as your time will be limited. The ghost has a haunting meter and if this rises to 100% then the ghost will be victorious. You’ll have to be mindful of being attacked and slimed, so strategy, timing and precision is key and keeping civilians calm in this spooky atmosphere is a must.

GhostBusters Team

As a ghostbuster you’ll have the P.K.E. meter which is your friend, and you’ll need to have this to hand to detect paranormal activity and locate the hidden rifts. It reminds me a little bit of hide and seek as a child when someone would hint whether you were hot or cold in finding someone, this is essentially the same premise. The meter will indicate whether something of interest is close, it could be a rift or the ghost hiding amongst a plethora of items. The most enthralling part of being a ghostbuster though is the proton pack and particle thrower alongside the ghost trap. You’ll always need to be on your toes as the ghost will want to prevent you from destroying the rifts, this is their lifeline, and they can respawn if they are captured, and rifts are still available. The ghost will also be able to swoop in and attack and carry the rift away from your sight and hide it in another location.

Working together can get the job done and you’ll need all the might and power from your particle blaster and proton pack as you tether the ghost and the rift. Throwing the trap out across the floor and attempting to wrestle the ghost towards their impending doom is both intense and satisfying. It really is an absolutely thrilling game of cat and mouse with the possibility of different strategies. Once you have uncovered and blasted all the rifts into extinction, then you need to work quickly to find the ghost and capture him in your trap, do this and you win the game.

Be The Ghost

Becoming the ghost is great fun and maybe the character you’d like to consider if you are going lone soldier with the game. There are a range of different ghosts to choose from and you will unlock them as you progress through the game, all bring their own playstyle and abilities. The first one you get to play around with looks like a purple version of the original slimer, he/she is quick and nimble. As you weave your way in and out of rooms in an effort to protect the hidden rifts the ghostbusters are attempting to find, you can possess stuff like chairs, wet floor signs and a whole feast more as you recover from being tethered or want to regain stamina. Flying around quickly will drain stamina as will using abilities such as dropping a ton of slime over your opponents or unleashing a wave of mini ghosts to throw off the enemy team. The abilities have cooldown timers including an ultimate power which appeared to take 300 seconds to refresh. What I loved was the ghosts all differ how they handled whichever you chose, so every game felt like an alternative outcome.

Graphics

Visually Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed is absolutely superb and as someone who has religiously followed the games that Ilfonic has created, you can see how they have come on leaps and bounds over the years. It is clear from the get-go that the level of careful detail that has been poured into the aesthetics has been crafted as a love letter to the fans. Immediately I recognized the voice work from Dan Akroyd as Dr. Raymon Stantz as you are introduced to some engaging cutscenes which I won’t spoil as I’d love anyone to go into this blind.

Oozes Greatness!

Once the game opens up, you’ll be learning the ropes within the world-famous NYC firehouse which has countless nods to the era of the original movies. The Ecto-8 sits in its mesmerizing glistening beauty sits proudly as a memento in what becomes your central hub where you will hang out in between matches. Everything is illustrated exactly how I imagined and wanted it to be, it is cartoony but done exceptionally well and I wouldn’t like it any different.

Throughout the game, the map design is also solidly constructed with each of the five levels on offer. The size of each playground within the game feels just right and not too small or too large. The quality of lighting, reflections across marble floors and the glow of the tether from the particle throwers as a cascade of neon infused slime showers down from above just hits the sweet spot. The game is an absolute joy on the eyes, and I encountered zero frame drops or slowdown despite the amount of chaos happening around me. Everything displays at a solid locked 60fps on Xbox Series X with not a single bug encountered in my 20 or so hours during the game.

Create Your Own Ghostbuster

Seeing my gamertag on the iconic red and black name patch was impressive right off the bat but it wasn’t long before I was provided more to be pleased with when it comes to character creation. You’ll be able to unlock different colours for your uniforms, hairstyles, headwear, gloves, shoes and more. This opens the door to a variety of different-looking players than just walking around with the bog-standard grey flight suit we all know and love. Sometimes change is good, and these unlocks provide an incentive to grind through the levelling system.

Audio

The audio design is equal in quality to the brilliant graphical side of the game. Genuinely I can’t pick out any faults with the overall presentation and whilst there isn’t much of a storyline within the game, as it is an online/local multiplayer driven title, there is narrative here from original Ghostbusters cast. The fanboy inside me couldn’t help but smile when actors Dan Akroyd and Ernie Hudson voice act some of the dialogue here, again scratching that nostalgic itch I craved from this experience. Sound effects are spot on with everything sounding how you’d expect it to with witty quotes from the Ghostbusters themselves as you run around hunting. The only criticism I have within the entire portfolio of the game is the AI behaviour of the bot players. They don’t always perform how you’d like them to and sometimes wander around aimlessly doing tasks alone. That said though, with the cross-play structure of the game, I feel there will always be plenty of players to match up with going forwards.

Cross-Play & The Future

Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed features cross-play across all the available platforms with the help of Epic Game Services. Whilst there have been a few minor issues and bugs with the process I actually found the cross-play to function exceptionally, and proximity chat worked really well and added to the atmosphere. Hearing teammates in the distance actually encourages you to stick together more so you can communicate closely with each other. Epic Games integration is a system I’ve always found a doddle to get into games with each other on and Ilfonic are already on the case to iron out any niggles with the process with an upcoming patch.

Whilst the core gameplay loop is immensely fun, I will be interested to see if Ilfonic bring any future updates or game modes to the table to extend the longevity even further. I can see the game being something I’ll always dive back into for a few matches even when I have played it to death, but I found that it is incredibly moreish to play and before you know it, an intended couple of hour session has evolved into an all-night marathon.

In Conclusion

As someone who plays online multiplayer games 99% of the time, unless a campaign sweeps me off my feet, I am always striving to find games that are cooperative and require actual teamwork. Ghostbusters Spirits Unleashed is absolutely outstanding, brings the blend of teamwork and ticks every single box for an older gamer who absolutely obsesses over Ghostbusters and wants a casual laugh with their mates. It brings a massive great whack of nostalgia off the back of the latest movie Ghostbusters Afterlife and the revived interest in what appeared to be a forgotten franchise. This isn’t just for the older masses though; it’ll suit a younger audience who doesn’t take competitiveness seriously.

Even my five-year-old son who is Halloween mad was in awe of how exhilarating it was chasing ghosts or tormenting the Ghostbusters. Hearing his chuckle when gaming with his Daddy as he drops a glug of slime over everyone and runs and hides made my smile beam. This enjoyment transferred to me as I loved hammering through the levels, learning the mechanics and becoming the most annoying to locate ghost! With a generous offering of levels, cosmetics and challenges to uncover, there is a gameplay loop here that will reel you in for endless amounts of hours. Ghostbuster Spirits Unleashed has to take the crown for the online multiplayer game of the year for me and at its mid-range price point, it is well worth the cost for a well-polished and possessing time alone or with friends.