The Ghostbusters are back with a new game that seems like it’s been in development heck forever. Ghostbusters the Video Game is the spiritual successor to the movies, penned by the original creators (Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis). It also features the vocal talents of the original cast, including Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, and Annie Potts.
Noticeably missing are Rick Moranis (in retirement) and Sigourney Weaver. Filling in for Weaver is Alyssa Milano as Peter Venkman’s love interest. Try not to think about the actual difference in age between the actors. Alternately, just think of Lost in Translation.
Ghostbusters actually has a long development history in gaming, harkening back to 1984 with the original Ghostbusters game for the Atari 800. In 1986, the Ghostbusters Role-Playing Game was released by West End Games and was rereleased in 1989 as Ghostbusters International. The Role-Playing Game features simple mechanics, with just four attributes describing each character: Brains, Muscles, Moves, and Cool. Talents, which are essentially skills, are assigned to each trait and can be improved.
Ghostbusters was notable for its Brownie Point system, which allowed players to influence die rolls, a mechanic that has since seen widespread use, most notably with Action Points in Dungeons & Dragons. Speaking of the D20 Modern system, I created a ghostbusting gaming supplement titled Blood & Spooks: The Ghost Hunter’s Guide.
More recently there’s InSpectres in the vein of Ghostbusters, players portray ghost-hunting entrepreneurs trying to keep their business afloat long enough to get rich. And of course there’s my own fan conversion for D20 Modern.
Although there are no official Ghostbuster miniatures, there are suitable substitutes. If you’re looking for prepainted miniatures, Horrorclix’s Ghostfinders fill that role admirably. For the more talented miniature painters, there are Heresy’s Inspectors—they even have miniatures of the evil dogs. To see what a little miniature sculpting and painting can do with these miniatures, see Evilcartoonist’s fabulous work at TheMiniaturesPage.
A new Ghostbusters film hasn’t been made in a decade, but with these accessories and games, you’ll know exactly who to call.
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