'Ghostbusters Sanctum of Slime' for the Xbox 360

The "Ghostbusters Sanctum of Slime" game is now available on Xbox Live's Marketplace. As a fan of the franchise, I'm always hoping to find the perfect ghostbusting video game. While this one isn't revolutionary, it is lots of fun. It costs 800 Microsoft points and is rated E10+. It was also released for the PS3 and PC.

Story
Players are part of a team of new recruits. New York City is once again filled with ghosts and it's the rookies' job to take them down. While there is no voice acting in the game, the text provides the familiar "Ghostbusters" humor. The story is told through a comic book style. It's an interesting choice, but it can make the small text a challenge to read.

Game Play
The game is played using a top-down view. Players go from room to room in four different environments. Altogether, there are 12 levels. Up to four people can play at a time. The AI rookies aren't terrible, they revive other players and seem to join in the battles. Although when the action is at its height, they tend to slow down. They will even stand right in front of an enemy's laser beam! There are three different types of proton beams used to fight the ghosts. Each ghost has its own color, so players know which beam to use. This may sound like the easy way out, but it can be difficult when fighting hordes of ghosts. Players need to quickly cycle through the colors to land on the correct one, then cycle through again for a different ghost. The only thing about the game play that felt out of place was getting points for destroying lamps, tables and other furnishings. It would have stayed truer to the "Ghostbusters" movies if players were encouraged to make the least amount of mess.

There is an online multiplayer mode that is basically the same as the single player campaign but without the story element. While it may seem like a bad idea not to include new maps or content, the multiplayer is good for a quick game. It's not great and does feel a bit recycled, but it's still fun busting the seemingly never ending parade of ghosts.

Replay Value
While the game is good for what it is, there is little replay value. The levels are short and there's no room for exploring. May collectible items can be found, but many players probably won't find them a good enough reason to replay. It's entertaining in small bites and it's something that gamers and non-gamers alike will enjoy. It's easy to get the hang of and might be fun with larger crowds.

"Ghostbusters Sanctum of Slime" is by no means a "perfect" game. It does have a place for die-hard fans who want an action packed title, though. Since it's rated E10+, adults can enjoy the game with their children. In fact, I'm certain my 11-year-old son likes this game way more then I do.