The newly-announced game Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will see Ernie Hudson and Dan Aykroyd return as original Ghostbusters Winston and Ray. The asymmetrical multiplayer title, created by Friday the 13th: The Game developer IllFonic, will see four ghost hunters fight to capture a player-controlled paranormal predator. The multiplayer Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed game was recently announced by IllFonic, and it appears that two veteran ghost hunters will come along for the ride.
Following Friday the 13th: The Game and Predator: Hunting Grounds, IllFonic will once again transform a beloved property into an asymmetrical multiplayer experience. Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will allow players to create their own paranormal investigator and capture horrific haunts with the powerful Particle Thrower. Each 4-person Ghostbuster team will face off against a single supernatural threat, with the ghost being controlled by another player. Different ghosts will have different abilities, too, including the power to hide by possessing objects or the ability to summon minions. While 2009's Ghostbusters: The Video Game is widely regarded as the most worthy successor to the original film, IllFonic will create a wholly original ectoplasm experience.
Developer IllFonic recently revealed Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed and confirmed that series stars Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson will return to voice Ray Stantz and Winston Zeddemore. Both characters were a part of the original Ghostbusters lineup, and the new game will see them pass the torch to a new generation. Winston appears to be running a new Ghostbusters operation, which will recruit and train players to capture ghosts. Meanwhile, Ray will appear as the owner of Ray's Occult Books to give players some veteran ghost hunting wisdom. A trailer featuring Ray and Winston, posted to YouTube by IllFonic, can be found below:
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed developer IllFonic is no stranger to adapting beloved properties or working with Hollywood legends. Predator: Hunting Grounds brought back Arnold Schwarzenegger in a piece of downloadable content, allowing the action icon to step back into the muddy boots of Dutch Schafer. Like Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, the multiplayer Predator title lets a team of four elite soldiers face off against another player controlling the titular alien hunter. The game allowed IllFonic to give Dutch Schafer's story some closure, since Schwarzenegger has never returned to the franchise after the original 1987 film.
Despite its asymmetrical multiplayer focus, Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed seems to serve as a new chapter in the hilarious action franchise's story. Winston appears to be given a focus as the new leader of the Ghostbusters, while Ray's Occult Books will allow players to meet up with its occult owner for some advice. Bringing back Dan Aykroyd and Ernie Hudson may grant Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed legitimacy in the eyes of the series' fanbase.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed will release in 2022 for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Sources: IllFonic, IllFonic/YouTube