Seriously impressive Ghostbusters game in the works?

by Kevin Kelly { Jan 15th 2007 at 9:33AM }

We don't know whether this is a game in development, a mod, or just some fan's incredibly sick handiwork ... but there are some really slick looking videos on YouTube showing off what looks like a new Ghostbusters game. While the videos just show a member of the 'Busters running around destroying things with a proton pack, isn't that what you'd really love to do? Just don't cross the streams.

Other vids show a seriously pimped out Ecto 2, and footage of a CGI Peter Venkman (who looks a bit zombified), but that proton pack ownage is the sweetest by far. We haven't seen the rest of the team, but if they could sign on Aykroyd, Ramis, Murray and Hudson ... this thing could really own. Sure, Slimer would probably make a requisite appearance, but we can accept that if a possible finished product looks anything like this.

Ain't it Cool News has a writeup on the videos (without much more info), and they're all attributed to game developer ZootFly. They're based in Europe, and "are a team of passionate game developers bent on world domination. With cool games, that is." We've contacted them for further info, but for now check out the other videos after the jump, and figure out who ya gonna call.

[Thanks, Matt]

Ecto 2 - pimped for bustin'.

Peter Venkman hits the local news.

It may handle like a beast, but it's got all the options.

Tags: Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Ghostbusters, Harold Ramis, Proton Pack, Who Ya Gonna Call, ZootFly

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

samfish @ Jan 15th 2007 9:45AM

Ghostbusters is the greatest movie ever, if you ask me.

Aside from a light saber game, if there was ever a game that just NEEDS to be on the Wii (judging by the footage), it's a Ghostbusters game!

Hunta2097 @ Jan 15th 2007 9:47AM

PLEASE be a real game!

If it's not a real game, can someone give these guys the cash to MAKE it into a proper game!?

The Ghostbusters games of the 80's were ALL pants (although that didn't stop me playing, I was only there for the 8-bit renditions of the theme). I think the Ghostbusters franchise is overdue a refresh.

The only thing that makes me think it's a fanboy-job is the Bill Murray dialog is sampled directly from the film (and the CGI of him scares me).

]-[

Justin @ Jan 15th 2007 9:49AM

Yeah Sam...doubt this is going to show up on the F'IN Wii! The Wii couldn't handle your mom cause she has too many polygons!

Justin @ Jan 15th 2007 9:51AM

Hunta that is not CGI on Bill Murray...

Hunta2097 @ Jan 15th 2007 9:54AM

Also, you can already get a Ghostbusters game for the Wii - it's called Luigi's Mansion!

Perhaps Nintendo could release an improved 1st-person perspective version of that? It won't be the same without the music though.

Bustin' makes me feel good!!

]-[

IslandLife @ Jan 15th 2007 9:59AM

Yeah I agree Jack, looks a lot like Gears of War.
And will people please stop crying for every frickin' game to appear on the Wii. Just go and buy a PS3 or Xbox 360 for goodness sake!

Joe @ Jan 15th 2007 9:59AM

Well from the looks of it. If this is a real game the Wii or the Handhelds could not do it justice. So it would have to be a PC,360 and PS3 game.

I just hope this is real Ghostbusters is a great movie.
So the game could be good if done right. One thing it would need to make it great is if the real people in Ghostbusters do voice overs. I would so much prefer the real people of fake people.

NintendoFanbot @ Jan 15th 2007 10:00AM

They don't capture the smugness of Venkmen (or Murray) all that well.

If this is real it will add to reasons to for looking into a 360, but from what I've seen, it looks like it could be done on Wii, though not in PC-quality resolution.

The facial animation, speech and sound effects aren't all that potent. Blast those sound bytes, for goodness sakes!

And Rick Moranis damn well better be unlockable. And he should go up and ask people (Jeanine especially) if they want to play Super Mario Bros.

See? That's WHY they have to make a Wii version. You control the Statue of Liberty with a NES Advantage joystick. Symbol of virtue! :D :D :D

Alex @ Jan 15th 2007 10:18AM

looks like a hl2 mod to me.

Just look at the targeting reticule in the first video. It looks very similar to hl2. And all the damage/physics would be easy with the source engine.

The reason why I dont think it's GOW, is in the driving video. The small part of GOW in which you drive is MUCH different. I realize it's a mod, but still.

my money's on a hl2 mod.

crono141 @ Jan 15th 2007 10:21AM

Everybody is clamoring for a Wii version of everthing because the wii users realize how outdated and worthless a dual analog setup is for 1st and 3rd person shooters.

phranctoast @ Jan 15th 2007 10:27AM

Aiming with the wiimote for 1st person and third person sucks on the wii.

I much prefer the analog.

bm @ Jan 15th 2007 10:31AM

It's a mod.

The face looks typically amateurish, and the game looks like a boring mod of some generic shooter where they spent all their time on the beam effect. Really, where the hell are the ghosts? If this was a professional production, we'd see some ghost designs. And what the fuck did they do to the Ecto-1? That looks incredibly boring, and the pimp factor makes it even more nauseating.

CompWizrd @ Jan 15th 2007 10:37AM

Oddly enough, using the Dodge Magnum for the Ecto looks great.

IslandLife @ Jan 15th 2007 10:38AM

@chrono141
Wow, that must explain why Red Steel and FarCry were so great on the Wii and did so much better than Halo. Wow, chrono141 thanks for helping me to see the light of fanboyish ways!!

Jonah Falcon @ Jan 15th 2007 10:38AM

You'd lose your money, Alex. That's a Gears of War mod. For one, the player avatar gives it away (over the shoulder cam).

Paul Martin @ Jan 15th 2007 10:43AM

Should be on the Wii. Just imagine the game play that would be possible. Holding the the Wii remote as a Proton gun, and using your Nunchuck to throw the trap and activate it would be pretty awesome.

(And I DO own an Xbox 360, thank you very much. The Wii just has better control. Period. And I've been gaming since the Atari 2600.)

MoonfirePewPEwPEw @ Jan 15th 2007 10:45AM

"Wow, that must explain why Red Steel and FarCry were so great on the Wii and did so much better than Halo. "

I would use satire to put you and your misinformed reply in your place, but I decided against it since it would be a waste of my time and you probably won't get it. I will instead insult your intelligence, what little there is, due to your reply that doesn't use any coherent logic whatsoever and doesn't refute his statement.

tldr: "DiaF".

ez054098 @ Jan 15th 2007 10:45AM

I hope this is real and it is for the 360 or PS3.

Jeff @ Jan 15th 2007 10:47AM

Yup first thing that came to mind was a Hl2 mod.

And dont be silly with your "looks like GoW". Just because its third person doesn't make it gears of war...There are other third person games you know.

Oh yeh and the face is almost identical looking to HL2 rendering engine.

Mod. Shame but its a mod.

bassbeast @ Jan 15th 2007 10:51AM

I suppose "over the shoulder" suddenyl became "under the legs" for the running sequences. How the hell is it supposed to be a GoW mod, when the source code isn't open to the public? I don't know the legitimacy of this video, but it sure as hell ain't a "mod" of GoW. It doesn't even look Unreal 3 engine-based.

Marc @ Jan 15th 2007 10:55AM

Looks like the Source engine to me too.

chenry @ Jan 15th 2007 11:00AM

It looks like a mod... the voice going "do not cross the proton beam" doesn't exactly scream high production values.

Jeff @ Jan 15th 2007 11:00AM

Oh yeh and somebody explain to me how gears of war has been modded this extensively since its release about 3 months ago?

What with it being a 360 game without an SDK and all...Yeh....seems totally likely.

Dafties its an HL2 mod. Nothing to do with gears of war. Whether or not the camera is a "copy" is debatable but just because it has a 3rd person camera doesn't make it GoW

rEnEgAdE @ Jan 15th 2007 11:01AM

Half Life 2 MOD - because of the targetting reticule and the the vortex above the skyscraper being the same one used to show the portal storm at the end of HL2 and throughout Episode One. FACT

Steve Flack @ Jan 15th 2007 11:04AM

Why did they mess with the already perfect Ghostbusters logo?

-Steve!

Mike @ Jan 15th 2007 11:05AM

I agree with #25. Bill Murray in the video looks a lot like the characters in HL2.

Justin @ Jan 15th 2007 11:10AM

CompWizrd - You are sorely mistaken...that is a Chrysler 300c touring edition not a damn dodge magnum...where do you kids come up with this stuff? Just look at the grill!

just check this out and believe your eyes bro...
http://www.cwwcardesign.com/cars/chrysler300t.html

fyreblazer @ Jan 15th 2007 11:10AM

@bassbeast

1. The redicule is pointing up which is why it looks like it's through his legs. Same thing happens on GoW when you aim up and do the rodeo run (which it looks like the player is doing).

2. Why can't it be a pro mod? Just because the GoW source code isn't open to the public, doesn't mean it wasn't sent around to other developers.

3. Stubbs doesn't look like it uses the Halo engine (at least to me) but it does. It's all about how you use it.

First thing that came to my mind is that the run & the over the shoulder zoom look alot like GoW.

Gerwurztraminer @ Jan 15th 2007 11:12AM

My understanding is (and I don't know where I heard this so it may not be the case) that there had been a Ghostbusters 3 film in the works but that Bill Murray wanted nothing to do with it. I think that film instead morphed into Evolution with David Duchovny.

Anyway, my point, if Bill Murray didn't want anything to do with a third film, I don't think he'd go for a game (unfortunately). I hope I'm wrong though.

alexadroog @ Jan 15th 2007 11:17AM

Why did they mess with the already perfect Ghostbusters logo?

-Steve!

yeah well I think it would be cause of copyright issues

JJ @ Jan 15th 2007 11:19AM

Justin... you do realize a 300c touring is basically a magnum with a chrysler 300 front end clipped on right?

Not like it matters the 300/Magnum/Charger are all the same platform car. Just different sheet metal (and the magnum being the wagon).

If this is a european company it makes sense... since Dodge wasnt over there at the time, the European chryslers got their version of the Magnum.

But since the Magnum was theoretically "first" in terms of the wagon version of a 300, one could call it a magnum and not be too far off the mark.

Carl @ Jan 15th 2007 11:19AM

I don't like the proton beam. This looks too much like the thing from elebits. You need more of an orange sine wave with electric blue static surrounding it.

Jeff @ Jan 15th 2007 11:31AM

@29 and GoW supporters in general:

1. Yes the view seems to possibly be inspired by gears of war camera. Its third person and its over the shoulder and it acts the same.

2. Anybody that knows the source engine (has modded with it or played HL2 extensively...as i have) would recognise it instantly in this video. The physics, the reticule, the mentioned skybox, the facial animation features, the lighting effects. Its undeniably the source engine.

Oh and that driving section is clearly pre-animated. The car doesn't have any physics affecting its clearly following fairly poorly animated set path.

Stop with your wishful thinking you GoW fanboys. Its really not the greatest thing since sliced bread. You guys just see what you want to see.

rEnEgAdE @ Jan 15th 2007 11:33AM

To round this up and hopefully work out exactly what this is, here's my view:

The videos show a half life 2 MOD
(targetting reticule, skyscraper vortex actual elements from HL2)
based on the ghostbusters franchise
(not using logos, accurate vehicles / weaponry avoids copyright infringement),
with a control scheme influenced heavily by Gears of War
(over the shoulder camera, shakey camera while running).

There is little chance of this appearing as a "product" for sale on steam, and we almost certainly won't see a commercial release (again copyright issues, poor sound production SO FAR).

Judging by the elements present in the video, a dedicated mod team could expect to be well into alpha stages
(materials, maps, models, vehicle physics, player camera already being present)

but they are wishing to keep it under wraps to avoid being shut down by the lawyers, (as has happened with several mods being served with cease and desist orders for using other franchises for their mods).

Namrepus221 @ Jan 15th 2007 11:34AM

In the movies/cartoon the Proton Pack had more of a "wand" than the one in the video. Which looks more like the Slime Shooter from the second movie or the Gattling Gun from Terminator 2.

I'm calling Mod on this.

chimpy @ Jan 15th 2007 11:36AM

THIS IS A GEARS OF WAR MOD .. look at the official picture and in the top left is the FACE OF A LOCUST FROM GEARS OF WAR (in the lightening at the top of the tower)

http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31247

Fernando Rocker @ Jan 15th 2007 11:47AM

Why you people keep saying that the Wii cant handle good graphics????

Its far more powerful than the Gamecube, and the Gamecube has the better looking game from last generation: Resident Evil 4... so, expect games with the double of quality of Resident Evil 4 (just wait and see Metroid Prime 3)

rEnEgAdE @ Jan 15th 2007 11:54AM

well that shot me down :)

Still, what are the chances of all this custom content (clearly proton packs aren't in GOW) being downloadable via Xbox live? If anything this would have to be a completely new game using a similar engine to GOW. The sounds would merely be placeholders until voice artists were confirmed to be onboard. Going onto the Zootfly webiste reveals they have a proprietary 360 engine, so chances are it's something brand new. Just why put an image of a locust there? to indicate 360 only?

FrankTheCrank @ Jan 15th 2007 11:55AM

Who you gonna call???

GHOSTBUSTERS!!!

hehe...couldn't resist.

MosquitoControl @ Jan 15th 2007 11:55AM

Ok, first of all, THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A GOW MOD!

NONE! THERE IS NO SDK AVAILABLE! THERE IS NO WAY TO MOD THE 360!

Now, someone said the source code may have gone to another developer. But that wouldn't be a mod! And they wouldn't give the source code! Another developer would get the Unreal Engine 3 to build a game on, not the Gears of War source code. Why would Epic give away something worth that much money? Yeah, it looks like the Gears locust in the top right, somewhat, doesn't mean it is.

Also, people are really jumping on this being GOW due to the camera angle, but nothing else looks very Gearsish. Yes, the camera angle does, but they were just ripping off CNN war footage, and we've known about this for over a year now. There's an excellent chance other people started working on similar ideas after seeing GOW footage a long, long, long, long, long time ago. And, as others have mentioned, it's probably not even this, the guy controlling the camera is pointing it to the sky. Fire up Max Payne and run with the camera pointing up, see if it looks like Gears...

My money would have been on HL2 as well.
And a mod. It does NOT look terribly impressive. The art for somethings does, but the explosions don't look particularly current and the world looks like a city block placed inside of a box, small and constrained with absolutely no life.

Doesn't mean it can't be fun. But it doesn't look very good. It reminds me of a shinier version of the Godfather game, which also felt restrained and lifeless.

But do any of you understand how modding works?
Ok, there's absolutely a good chance Microsoft would decide mods are a great way to go and release on on Xbox Live. But it would be made by an official team, not amateurs. But no official team is getting the Ghostbusters license for a mod. For one, I'd imagine the Ghostbusters license is already owned. For another, I'd imagine there's no chance in hell they'd use it for a simple mod instead of a full-blown game. And Epic won't just let people take Gears and base games off of it. They'd give the Unreal Engine 3 and tell people to make their own damn game.

MosquitoControl @ Jan 15th 2007 12:01PM

It's probably also worth reminding people that not only is what's featured here not incredible, but Zootfly's reputation isn't incredible, their past games haven't exactly been critical darlings ( http://www.metacritic.com/search/process?sort=relevance&termType=all&ts=panzer+elite&ty=0 ) and licensed games are improving but still tend to be total crap more often than good games.

So you guys seem to be getting very excited about a Ghostbusters game based on footage that looks a bit lifeless and dull because it has a license.
C'mon, it's almost as dumb as my roommate spending months excited about the Superman game because he'd get to be Superman. No matter how many times I reminded him that licenses tend to be closely guarded, restricting game design and hurting the game, he swore that it'd be tons of fun. It wasn't.
It's never worth jumping like crazy for licenses. Too much of the design decision isn't in the hands of the studio for the games to ever reach greatness, with a few exceptions that usually come when the studio is given full reign.

Snaileb @ Jan 15th 2007 12:11PM

MosquitoControl = pwned.

Okay, MC, that was very informational and entertaining. But you're last post, Com'on. Just let the gamers get their youtube wishes fufilled with a licensed movie game. (even if it will be crap)

Pro's :

1)If this IS a real game , then it's possibly based off the next movie.

2) (again, if it's real) That means the next movie will be a little more darker and gritier.

Con :

If this is some asshole making it for fun, and the people who own the rights to this game/movie see it , but wanted to make the GB3 movie more PG rated, then this, including everything I just said means nothing.

This rant, brought to you by Snaileb.

MosquitoControl @ Jan 15th 2007 12:21PM

Well, the youtube profile says they're prototype movies.

Zootfly's last game was cancelled - no publisher wanted it. But they still had the engine.

I'd imagine this was something they threw together as fun, as a proof of concept, and to pass around to publishers to say "hey, look at our engine!"

No game actually being made, just them doing a level, and a cinematic to prove that the engine is viable in an attempt to get some work. They did Ghostbusters because it was fun and will catch some headlines.

Like here.

You'd better believe some publishers are getting in touch with them, at least preliminarily, and discussing ripping the Ghostbusters logo and faces out of this and making a GhostPunkers game.

Daniel (EAL) @ Jan 15th 2007 12:23PM

It just amazes me how games and old movies just keep coming back again and again, it would not suprise me that this game takes off big time and then they go and make another ghostbusters movie (anything is possible).

Just goes to show that a 80 year old can get into games for a 60 year old re-make.

deaftly @ Jan 15th 2007 12:36PM

this is def running on the gow engine and anyway harold ramis is making a ghostbusters 3 with ben stiller in it.

Itekei @ Jan 15th 2007 12:36PM

What's so impressive about that video?

MosquitoControl @ Jan 15th 2007 12:40PM

"this is def running on the gow engine and anyway harold ramis is making a ghostbusters 3 with ben stiller in it."

1) Untrue. Zootfly has their own engine. And there's no such thing as the "God of War engine," it's the "Unreal Engine 3."

2) Rumor. Rumor. Rumor. Ramis is making nothing so far. Ramis has a script. He has no stars. He has no studio backing. Ramis MIGHT be making a Ghostbusters 3 with Ben Stiller. MIGHT.