Review: Ghostbusters VR – Now Hiring: Chapter 1 – PS4/PSVR

I haven’t even seen the new Ghostbusters movie. It’s not that I don’t want to, it’s that I just have such fond memories of the orignal from when I was a kid that I don’t want it tarnished by a remake which, according to word-of-mouth, is a little bit crap. So I’m on the fence, you could say. What could possibly tip me over and get my arse out of the house and into a cinema? How about a companion VR game?

To me, Ghostbusters VR – Now Hiring: Chapter 1, is a difficult one to judge. On one hand I could really see this being a cool interactive experience to supplement the movie and maybe get those who’ve not yet seen it to go and get themselves a ticket, but on the other hand it feels like it could be its own standalone game.
[Note: Yes, I know this is listed as an app on the PlayStation Store, but I’m still treating this review as if it was for a game. To me, it’s a game. It has similar mechanics to other PSVR games and in some way it’s more game-like than some “proper” PSVR games.]
It’s very well put together and the initial moment where the game loads you into the first scene – outside the Ghostbusters Firehouse HQ – was a proper “wow!” moment. The level of detail was great and the graphics were really, really clean, crisp, and clear – something that’s a mixed bag when it comes to PSVR games.

You play Ghostbusters VR with two PS Move wands – DualShock 4 won’t work here – and it works fine enough. Movement is of the teleportation variety. Not exactly amazing but it worked as well as I’d have hoped, though it’s still a shame that we’re not getting free movement in many PSVR games, including this one. You turn left and right by using the face buttons on the Move wands while grabbing objects is done with the triggers. Pretty standard stuff, then.

The story is that you’ve been invited to an interview at Ghostbusters HQ, but when you get there nobody is home. Instead, that ugly green slimy sack of goo is causing mischief. This provides a few really nice interactions where you get to nosey around the building, sit in the classic Ghostbusters car, and you even get to use the Proton Pack to put the messy menace back in his place. And that’s it. Literally. Once you’ve done your assigned task, another ghost breaks free and you end up behind the wheel of the Ghostbusters car… And then it’s all over. “Episode 2 coming soon!” is what greets the eye just when it seems things are getting good.

It’s not exactly clear if Episode 2 will require more payment (Episode 1 is $6.99) and there’s no word from Sony as to when it’ll release, something that’s annoying when the game ends on a cliffhanger. As it stand, I’m intrigued. I like what’s been presented and I want more. But do I want to pay $6.99 for every ten-minute episode? No. It’s bad value for a good product, but we’ll see.
*Note: We normally try to capture gameplay of the game’s we review. Ghostbusters VR does not allow for video capture. 

Review Disclaimer: This review was carried out using a digital copy of the game bought at the expense of the reviewer. For more information, please read our Review Policy.