Has footage from a Ghostbusters video game popped up online? Many fans on the web hope so, but I’m sitting here with my fingers crossed, hoping that this nonsense is totally fake.
You can see the footage, which has popped up on YouTube, in one place by clicking here. Apparently this is the work of a European game company called ZootFly, but the big debate is whether this is the opening salvo in an officially sanctioned game or just some programmers fucking around. I would guess that it’s not official – at least I hope so, since the whole thing looks like yet another generic over the shoulder shooting game – but with proton packs!
What really sells me on this being totally fucking awful, though, is that image above, which I guess is for the game footage. Whoever created that image may not have seen an actual Ghostbusters movie. Here’s a hint for them: Ghostbusters is not Aliens.
Would a Ghostbusters game be cool? You bet, and I guarantee that the license holders just don’t realize how much goodwill there is out there for the property – goodwill that could translate into game sales if the game itself is halfway decent. But don’t listen to the internet fans – Ghostbusters should never be gritty like this. Ghostbusters shouldn’t be cartoony, but it is lighthearted to an extent. The rhetorical question is ‘Why do fanboys need everything to be dark and grim?’ and the answer is ‘Because it makes them feel slightly less ashamed of being adults and liking things aimed at children.’ But good news, guys – just because you were kids when Ghostbusters came out and just because it doesn’t feature slaughter and nudity, doesn’t mean it’s for kids! It’s aimed at everybody! You can like it without shame!