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Game Review: The LEGO DIMENSIONS GHOSTBUSTERS Level Pack Is Fun Fanfare

We’ve been talking about LEGO Dimensions a lot lately, and for good reason. It’s not only the best LEGO game the folks at TT Games have ever created, but is the cream of the crop when it comes to the toys-to-life genre, which has a lot to do with how the toy pad tech was harnessed. To reiterate from my original review (which you can read here), it is the first toys-to-life game to actually make the toys themselves the star.

As important as it is to make that point, it’s equally important to highlight the studio’s successful incorporation of 14 franchises, in a way that is both cohesive and interesting. Seeing characters from select universes like Scooby Doo, Back to the Future, Jurassic World, and Lord of the Rings run around in the same multiverse is exciting on its own, but is further enhanced by the additional level packs that have hit shelves post launch. While not all of them have been worthy of the hefty $30 price tag, the brand new Ghostbusters pack might be, especially if you’re a fan of the original film.

Ghostbusters Level Pack (22)

Like previous level packs (which feature Doctor Who, Back to the Future, The Simpsons, and Portal 2), the Ghostbusters pack included in LEGO Dimensions’ third wave of add-on content brings a brand new level (“A Spook Central Adventure”), a character minifig (Peter Venkman), a vehicle minifigure (Ecto 1), and a gadget minifigure (ghost trap). Additionally, if you don’t have the Stay Puft fun pack already in your arsenal, the new level pack will unlock the Ghostbusters-themed “Adventure World: New York,” which gives you free-play access to Ghostbusters H.Q., Sedgewick Hotel, Dana’s Apartment, and more. There you’ll find an immersive environment, and cool side missions to tackle.

Though relatively short, the hour-long “A Spook Central Adventure” is a fun level that depicts some of the source material’s best scenes. On their quest to save New York from Gozer, Venkman, Batman, Wildstyle, Gandalf, and the rest of the team meet at Ghostbusters H.Q., investigate the Sedgewick Hotel, and take on the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man at the end. The DLC hits the film’s main beats—including a hilarious recreation of Dana’s fridge scene—and adds a LEGO twist to them. While that is a fun approach, it’s something that is better appreciated by those who’ve actually seen the film, and get the fun references. If you haven’t (for some reason), the plot isn’t nearly as interesting as the Ghostbusters-themed level already in the base game.

Ghostbusters Level Pack (10)

That being said, the accuracy and attention to detail of everything included in the pack continues to demonstrate how well TT Games’ understands and caters to franchise fan bases. It’s fun to see LEGO Venkman and co. using their proton packs to rid the hotel of ghosts and melt items. Similar to other abilities found in Dimensions, the tool is easy enough to master: you simply point it in the desired direction and hold a button to unleash the charged particle beam.

As far as actually capturing ghosts is concerned, you’ll also have the ghost trap at your disposal. Though cool, there’s a downside that I found rather annoying. Once your ghosts have been rounded up, you’ll have to grab the trap and bring it close enough to the swirling mass in order to… take care of them. Dragging the slow-moving characters to repeatedly grab the trap can feel like a tiresome chore. Admittedly, the toypad’s teleportation ability—which brings figures to where your character is standing—does come in handy, but isn’t enough to combat how clunky the gameplay can feel.

Ghostbusters Level Pack (13)

The puzzles are also far too simple. Not including the creative ways the toypad is used to progress in the base game unfortunately takes away some of the fun as a result. To be fair, this is an issue that’s present across the board for the level packs, but with Venkman and the gang’s puzzle solving abilities already feeling boring, the absence of the other abilities is even more apparent. It feels like a missed opportunity.

Another odd feature from the pack is the fact that they used audio directly from the film instead of recording their own. There are, of course, tweaks that help integrate the characters and story into the LEGO world, but at the end of the day, the difference in audio quality between the Ghostbusters and the rest of the characters was jarring. From a fan standpoint, the old-school sound is nostalgia-inducing. But from a technical standpoint, it’s weird. The music, on the other hand, is great. I’m glad TT was able to incorporate some of the film’s most recognizable songs.

The Verdict

When it comes down to it, the Ghostbusters level pack isn’t one that you necessarily need to have. It’s fun fanfare for sure, but if you’re looking for more of the unique gameplay found in the campaign you won’t find it here. If anything, it has us hoping to see a separate LEGO Ghostbusters game one day.

Rating: 3 out of 5 burritos

3 burritos

Pros

  • Brings the film to life in a fun way
  • Proton pack tool is easy to master, and fun to see in action
  • Nostalgic dialogue

Cons

  • Grabbing the ghost trap feels like a chore
  • Using audio from the film is odd
  • Puzzles are too simple

This review was completed using a PS4 copy of LEGO Dimensions, and the Ghostbusters Level Pack provided by Warner Bros. Interactive. The base game hit stores on September 27, 2015, and the level pack launched on January 19, 2016 on PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Wii U.

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