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Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 22nd, 2011, 1:01 pm
by AJ Quick
I just played through the first few minutes of the game.

I actually really like the gameplay. I'm playing on the keyboard with a mouse, but I think using the dual sticks on a controller will make it even more fun. There is a lot going on and that makes it pretty exciting.

Somethings I don't like so far is.. the ghosts tend to majorly target the human player vs. the cpu players. (on single player). The comic cut scenes and other little text messages that pop up and need to be exited through. In fact there seems to be a lot of stuff I want to skip and its not very easy to do so.

We'll see how it plays on Xbox tomorrow.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 22nd, 2011, 5:09 pm
by beezer090
SPOILER ALERT



So, I just played through the first level on PSN. It's Ghostbusters! Ahhhh! I should be thankful they even make more Ghostbuster stuff!! Why am I hatin'?! I dunno...

First and foremost, I got the game for the story. I am slightly unimpressed, but optimistic. It's clever to bring back some of the canon characters, but I feel there is a bigger hole in the plot than the containment unit when Peck is around. Why would they take Poha to an insane asylum? I mean, the Ghostbusters wouldn't vouch that he's ok or take care of him? I mean, I guess they did just leave him at the end of GB2. Only the Mayor, Dana, and the 'Busters are seen on the steps of the museum. Poha is in the game just so they can have a canon baddie come back. I feel he's a gimmick. The other game had a tight story and made sense for the most part.

Gameplay wise, I just read an article that said it was inspired by Smash TV. The gameplay doesn't seem nearly as manic and I would have rather had quick powerups and awesome different guns than strategizing with the Proton Pack if that's the case. Shoot a couple big ghosts and some minor one-hitters, move on to the next room. Frankly, the game so far is boring. Let's hope it heats up!

Finally, the audio. The music is all original, sans the iconic pop song. The score sounds like it's ripping off some of the major movie score themes, but they couldn't get the rights to the actual music. It's kind of disappointing because it sounds very generic. The new recording of the Ray Parker, Jr. theme plays at the menu. There is no voice acting in the game. I think the story could have been set in L.A. or something and then you eliminate the problem of voicing the 4 originals and you're set to start.

These are first impressions. I hope the story gets better, though I kind of wish they would just publish the damn thing as a comic book. Reading through the story and dialogue is tedious. I don't know the rookies well enough and sometimes just bubbles are floating when characters aren't in the frame and so I have no idea who is talking. There has been virtually no humor, sadly, except for one chuckle, which was Poha doing all this for his love of Dana.
I'll fill you in after level 2 tomorrow.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 22nd, 2011, 9:47 pm
by Vee
I've only gotten through the first two levels of the PC version and it's not too bad!
Once again, my favorite part is just destroying everything. I feel like I've accomplished something if I can destroy everything in the room. The characters and comic segments are really neat, however they feel pretty dry and empty without voices and stuff.

The gameplay is pretty fun, and switching between weapons in each area keeps is fresh and challenging (for me at least). I really enjoy.

A few issues: The hit recovery is KILLER. More than once the team and I got caught in a crowded spot and were overwhelmed by the amount of enemies. When you get hit it takes a bit too long to recover. The enemies attack faster than it takes to get back to fighting, so if the computers are incompetent (which they mostly are in these situations) you're stuck in one spot and bound to die, and usually your teammates follow. HOWEVER you don't have to start the level all over again! You just have to start at the area you died in. I was so relieved when that happened.

Secondly, for the PC multiplayer, IT DOES NOTHING. :C This is probably because it's a clone of the Xbox version and multiplayer hasn't been set up yet. I was so sad when I entered the "lobby" and there was no option other than "Choose your character". This game would be awesome to play with friends, especially during the more challenging parts where you're fighting multiple enemies that require more than one weapon setting.
Those are really the only things I can complain about. I haven't noticed anything yet that is super terrible and I don't expect there to be and fixes or anything until later (or much later. :I)

Also, my favorite part: Possessed doctors. The way they attack is HILARIOUS. They flail around the room in the most ridiculous way. It's incredible.

EDIT:
Is anyone having as much trouble as I am with the yellow slime beast in the sewer level? It is kicking my ASS. I've tried to beat it about a dozen times. It's so stupid. I spend more of my time worrying about keeping my team alive because they keep getting stuck in the slime trails. It's a pain in the butt!

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 22nd, 2011, 11:29 pm
by Solid Malice
It's a good time waster with buddies. I'm enjoying it. Also, viva la couch co-op.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 12:27 am
by GBRyker61
I just played the demo on PS3. The game looks good. Hopefully, this game get better(DLC would be an improvement). Now for the serious negatives. First off, your stuck with a default control set up which has three buttons(L1, R1, and the Triangle button) tied to weapon selection. You push the right stick in the direction you want to fire at, while moving with the left. Atari, you don't use an analog stick to fire weapons, in any game. Secondly, there is no difficulty setting. Your stuck on either a normal or hard setting. I got into a room with yellow flying skulls coming at me from through the doors(which were conveniently locked) and got clobbered every time. Bottom line is I'm not happy that they did not give you a changeable control feature or difficulty settings. Using the analog to fire a weapon was a bad choice. In the 2009 GBVG you could fire the proton stream or any of the other weapons using the shoulder buttons while moving. Now, this is the demo I'm talking about. I like to play a demo to see if I like the game. If the full game is different from the demo, then I'll get it. If not, then Atari failed utterly spectacularly.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 1:14 am
by Foom Man
It's a competent game, but I think it lacks a certain punch. The narrative works, but it feels a bit unneeded for the style of gameplay they went for. I like the presentation and the features, but the first level was a bit "meh."

I think I need to try it with some friends before I make any final verdict.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 1:54 am
by ecto68
Am spewing downloaded it but video isnt up to scratch so wont run lol....

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 6:20 am
by GNRGB
I downloaded it for ps3 I like it so far although it gets a little out of hand when its 50 to 1 and the rest of my team are just running in circles shooting proton streams at the walls lol

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 6:59 am
by Neolarthytep
It's entertaining for multiplayer, but as a single player game i find it rather boring. Once again like with the main GB game I find that I hate the concept of blowing up ghosts instead of trapping them. The story is meh, and the new characters are all the regular guys personalities with different skins. Kinda funny how Venkman's character is now a girl. I also feel that they could have included voices instead of text, which in this day in age is just plain annoying, however now I'm just nit picking.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 9:41 am
by devilmanozzy
Loved the Cut scenes at the beginning of each level, and the story is pretty good. But the actually game so far (I'm on level 3 stuck fighting the Slime Abomination), is lacking. The weapons are "OK" but the issue is the stupid AI's on the cpu's. They are as dumb as rocks. I most of the time end up fighting by myself as everyone else is off'd.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 9:51 am
by VenomSymbiote
It's ok but as much as I hate to admit it Dead Nation is a better game. The weapon choices in this just come off as annoyances, especially when there's a rainbow of enemies on screen and you're running around trying to get the stupid AI up. I was playing local co-op with my cousin and it became more of an annoyance to try and keep us and the AI up when normal enemies started knocking everyone out in like two hits.

A thing I liked about GB:TVG was that each weapon was rather viable. You could use the Proton Stream for everything. In this you have to use the other two weapons which are just rather lame. I was also really displeased with the fact that you visit all the stages twice. It's more like 4 or 5 different stages total. It just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I really hope other Ghostheads had more fun with it than I did.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 9:56 am
by jessejames51
i downloaded it last night on psn and i have to say i like it a lot! the twin stick controls are awesome but i get confused with the contols every so often being used to playing the other game lol my only complaint is that i have yet to upgrade to an hd tv so the text on the comic cut scenes is difficult and for the most part impossible to read. sure the ai players are completely lost without me as the tend to switch to weaker weapons when i'm down and the last one standing likes to just kill him/herself off if not just run in a circle.......as annoying as that is at times i suppose it's acceptable as it adds that extra degree of difficulty which isn't really a bad thing. like foom said it does lack a certain punch but meh what can ya do! overall it's fun to play and it's better then nothing!

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 12:13 pm
by GhstbstrLMLIII
I downloaded it on the xbox this morning and played through single-player through the subway smasher. I'm still not a fan of the twin-stick shooter and as AJ stated, when the ghosts are swarming, they tend to swarm directly at the one human player.

For the cutscenes: I'm alright with the story so far, even if it is a little pushed, but unfortunately with all the great work IDW has given us recently, I think the art really takes a step backwards. And "Sammy" in the comic reminds me a little of how Venkman looked in Legion.

So, so far I don't think it's fantastic. But for 10 bucks - sure, I'm all up for it.

I am really looking forward to trying this out on co-op. I think the most fun will come from just cutting up with your friends while blasting away on the screen.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 12:47 pm
by hurricaneandy
I downloaded it on PSN and played the first few levels last night. Hate to gripe, but the artwork depicting the team in the cutscenes was awful, and the cutscenes in general were just way too long and wordy, I couldn't keep up with the speed they were changing text bubbles. By the time I got to actually play I was already sick of the game.
The game itself being only 10 bucks shouldn't be expected to be as good as GB:TVG, but it seriously looks like a just a cash in to me. I mean catching and trapping ghosts even on the DS version of GB:TVG is so much more satisfying than just running in circles blasting at things; which is all I seemed to get from this game. This game could've been any game and they just slapped the GB name/paraphernalia on it to cash grab.
I also dislike that the new recruits. Why can't we play as one of the 4 GB's? They're in the cutscenes, so make them playable! Obviously it wasn't a rights issue; instead it looks like SONY testing the waters for other people to be ghostbusters so they can find some proof through metrics to justify edging the original actors out of the movies. "they paid for the game whether or not it had venkman/spengler/etc... so who needs them for a new film?

I also had a bad day yesterday, so maybe once I play it more I'll change my tune, but the subject does say FIRST impressions.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 1:24 pm
by DarkSpectre
I'm liking it so far on the xbox. The 2 stick control is a little weird but evokes a sort of "Total Carnage/ Smash TV" feel. Although, I'm getting tired of the same locations being used. Why is the Sedgewick need to be used again? Plus what continuity does this game fall into because the chef ghosts were enemies on the Wii version.

But overall 10 bucks plus all the extras make it a nice little release.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 1:37 pm
by ctiggerrun
I played through the demo last night and it's not very good. It seems like it was a decision made by Atari to try to keep the license. Like when a comic company has the rights to a character and they're about to expire, they put out a quick piece of garbage to ensure they keep that license for a little while longer.

The game feels like a bad indie game programmed by one person. The comic art is badly presented (it's also inaccurate, those packs look terrible, but only us fans would notice :P ) the story is bland and the gameplay is uneven.

This is certainly not a game of the calibre that the Ghostbusters deserve.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 1:39 pm
by Croesus
Its a cool enough game but Jesus... any chance of some authentic sounding proton streams, the sound in the game are rubbish and gets right on my tits after hearing it about 1000 times per level. I think thats actually why I'm writing this instead of playing the game lol... just to get a way from that damn hissing sound.

Shooting ghosts is fun but I wish thr was a little more to it... all in all it will tide me over for a while until I can be arsed to play the real video game again :)

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 1:46 pm
by AJ Quick
I keep getting knocked down.

The ghosts really target the human players quite a bit.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 2:36 pm
by SchottGun
Wow. Joystiq is really trashing it.

http://www.joystiq.com/2011/03/23/xbla- ... #continued

I'll be playing it tonight so I will hold my opinion until I can get into it.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 3:15 pm
by Croesus
Oh my effing "£%"£$

No online co-op for the PC version!? WTF?

can ya do it on console?

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 3:29 pm
by Some_Guy
It's a fairly decent game, though it definitely needs to be played with other players. Single player is just a tad too hard since the Ghosts only detect player characters instead of AI.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 3:36 pm
by ParkBench
I downloaded and played the demo...thats about as far as I'll ever go with this thing....

Hopefully one day we'll get a good & longer GB game where we can actually, finally play as the actual Ghostbusters, even if its a RGB game.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 3:39 pm
by Some_Guy
ParkBench wrote:I downloaded and played the demo...thats about as far as I'll ever go with this thing....

Hopefully one day we'll get a good & longer GB game where we can actually, finally play as the actual Ghostbusters, even if its a RGB game.
Uuhhhhh...?

Image

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 3:52 pm
by Foom Man
Some_Guy wrote:
ParkBench wrote:I downloaded and played the demo...thats about as far as I'll ever go with this thing....

Hopefully one day we'll get a good & longer GB game where we can actually, finally play as the actual Ghostbusters, even if its a RGB game.
Uuhhhhh...?

Image

Maybe he was referring to the fact you played as the rookie. You do get to play as one of the original four in multiplayer though.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 4:00 pm
by ParkBench
Foom Man wrote:
Maybe he was referring to the fact you played as the rookie. You do get to play as one of the original four in multiplayer though.
Correct!

While some awesome modes in it, the online multiplayer stuff doesn't matter to me much, especially as it costs extra to have an account to play. I would be playing the game all the time if a couple of those modes were offline challenege maps, like Batman Arkham Asylum had, where you could play as the 4 guys. That game was ok, I had fun for what it was, but it was very short and could only play as the rookie(not at all a fan), and the game lost all its steam very quickly (its like $10 in stores now) with nothing in the way of DLC either .

I hope we get something better eventually. Like I said, a Real Ghostbusters game would be a ton of fun. I mean, if they can release something like Sanctum of Slime, RGB has gotta be possible.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 4:03 pm
by mavric1983
Very well done remake of the original arcade game, almost to the T. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZFiKxFnEmE Great, fun play for $10 and, just like Rock Band and Little Big Planet, a fun multiplayer party game. Controls are easy, story is interesting, and it is fun to blow the crap out of the surrounding areas. Replay value is about a 7, game play about a 7.5, multiplayer about an 8 (mostly cause it has one local as well as online much like LBP). Over all, I would give it an 8 out of 10. It isnt Uncharted or Assassins Creed, but it is a fun little game for friends and fans of Ghostbusters.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 4:27 pm
by Some_Guy
ParkBench wrote:
Foom Man wrote:
Maybe he was referring to the fact you played as the rookie. You do get to play as one of the original four in multiplayer though.
Correct!

Oh okay, you confused me there, haha.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 4:53 pm
by GhstbstrLMLIII
Alright. Mr. Waltz posted an interview he did in another section and it contained this:
12. Who did the artwork for the comic cutscenes?

TOM WALTZ: The artwork was handled by the developers. Neither I nor IDW was involved with any artwork responsibilities—ours was strictly story for Sanctum of Slime.
So, I apologize for my earlier comment about this being a step back in the animation/look/drawing quality for IDW. They didn't do this animation. And the most recent GB stuff from IDW looks great!

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 5:52 pm
by Foom Man
Having played through to the subway monster fight... I'm pretty much done with this. It's just not any fun for me.

Re: Just played Sanctum of Slime... First Impressions?

Posted: March 23rd, 2011, 6:10 pm
by Vee
Foom Man wrote:Having played through to the subway monster fight... I'm pretty much done with this. It's just not any fun for me.
THIS. That was the most tedious and pointless boss fight I've ever done. I barely had to move. It went on three times longer than it should have.

But I'm still playing. I want to know how it ends. : /