Video Game Reviews by Jeb Haught

DEVELOPER: Terminal Reality

PUBLISHER: Atari

SYSTEM: Sony PlayStation 3 (Xbox 360, PC)

PRICE: $59.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 4 stars (out of 5)

"When someone asks you if you're a God, you say, "YES!" Excellent words to live by, this has been my personal creed ever since Ernie Hudson uttered the phrase in the movie "Ghostbusters" over, gulp, 25 years ago. Now the stars of the movie have collaborated with a famous game developer to create an authentic title based on the movies. Who could have known that busting ghosts would be this much fun?

Just like the movies, Harold Ramis and Dan Aykroyd wrote the original story for the "Ghostbusters" game. In fact, they also lend their voice talents and likenesses along with Ernie Hudson and the always-comical Bill Murray. Add an unstable Proton Pack, Ghost Traps, the Ecto-1 hearse-mobile and familiar phantoms like Slimer to the mix and the result makes new recruits actually feel like a "real" Ghostbuster.

New prototype weapons also make an appearance that are reminiscent of traditional weaponry. For example, the Shock Blast emits dark matter in a conical pattern just like a shotgun, and Boson Darts fire off compacted Boson particles like a rocket launcher. These weapons are very effective against certain enemies, but they only weaken most poltergeists.

The main focus of the game is capturing wayward spirits just like they did in the movie. First the ghosts need to be weakened with nearly any weapon, and then a "capture stream" is applied that holds them in midair. Now is the best time to slam them against walls, the ceiling and/or the ground to make them submissive enough to get sucked into a Ghost Trap. This linear method of wrangling ghosts can be frustrating at first, so make sure to purchase upgrades as soon as possible to expedite the process.

Online co-op play lets friends team up for some hardcore banshee bashing in several different modes, ensuring that fans can enjoy the awesome "Ghostbusters" experience even after the story ends.

'Battlestations Pacific' Brings World War II up to Date

DEVELOPER: Eidos Studios

PUBLISHER: Eidos Interactive

SYSTEM: Windows XP/Vista (Xbox 360)

PRICE: $49.99

ESRB RATING: Teen

REVIEW RATING: 3.5 stars (out of 5)

Eidos brought action fans and Real-Time Strategy enthusiasts together under one gaming roof with the release of "Battlestations Midway," and the sequel adds more of what made the original so fun.

In fact, with more than 100 war machines, new multiplayer modes, improved visuals and two full campaigns, the follow-up is so expansive that it had to be named "Battlestations Pacific."

There are hundreds of strategy games available on the PC, but very few of them let promising game generals switch from commanding an entire army to actually controlling individual units, and that's what makes this series so original. Having the freedom to pilot an airplane and drop bombs on enemy installations and then immediately transfer to a battle cruiser to shoot down enemy planes is why the series appeals to action fans. On the other hand, controlling the action from a traditional top-down view where every war machine functions like its real-life counterpart is enough to make strategy fans salivate.

Unlike the original, "Battlestations Pacific" offers players two entirely separate campaigns. Playing on the American side unfolds a story based on actual World War II battles while playing as the Japanese tells an alternative version of the war that was entirely possible. Too bad that not all missions are fun and exciting, especially those with time limits. I'm also not too fond of the slow-as-molasses submarines.

However, the welcome new cockpit view for all airplanes adds even more realism to the WWII experience. I also appreciate the ability to not only destroy enemy island defenses, but also take them over and use them to my advantage. Taking down enemies with their own weapons is the ultimate insult.

I'm sure that many of you lost interest as soon as you figured out that "Battlestations Pacific" is a WWII strategy game, but it only takes a few minutes of game play to discover that it isn't your typical RTS.

REVIEW SCORING SYSTEM

5 stars = Must Have

4 stars = Pretty Good

3 stars = Above Average

2 stars = Bargain Bin

1 star = Don't Bother

RATINGS KEY

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

E: Everyone

E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)

T: Teen (13 and older)

M: Mature (17 and older)

To find out more about Jeb Haught and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2009 CREATORS SYNDICATE INC.