Sega Nerds

TGS07: Ghost Squad hands-on impressions

Posted by Graham. Filed under G, Japan, News, Nintendo Wii. Tagged with Exhibition/ Show, Ghost Squad, TGS.

 

One game I’m really excited about, has got to be Ghost Squad.  I love the arcade version, which I have played a ton of over the last few years.  I’d say it’s one of my favourite light-gun games, definitely one of the best in recent years.  So I was very happy to see the new Wii version of Ghost Squad up and running at this years TGS.

Unlike the last few titles I spoke about, Ghost Squad did not have a large, impressive booth to help show it off.  No sir, clearly Sega knew that the name of the title alone could sell the game… or maybe they just don’t care as much for the game. {The latter is most probably true}

There was a small area in the ‘Sega Zone,’ at TGS, which was home to several games, on multiple consoles, and this is where Ghost Squad was, between Doreamon and Miburi & Teburi- both Wii games.  Sega had just one Wii setup for Ghost Squad, though this is quite sad (for me), the queues were quite small for the game, so Sega know their audience.

Anyway enough drivel, how is the damn game?

Well I’m sure many of you have already read my review for the arcade version, from the ATEI show.  Well of course you have, no point in putting this link in here, eh?  So you should all know what the game is about.

First thing’s first, with the Wii version of the game, you get the funky ‘Wii Zapper.’  Basically a piece of plastic that you attach the wiimote and nunchuck to, to form a small MP5 gun looking shape.  While this new zapper is a lot smaller than the real arcade guns, which are pretty damn big, it feels surprisingly decent to hold.  The zapper (effectively) extends the size of the B trigger button, to make it form more of a real trigger, and so is good and easy to use.  While most light-gun games only need a trigger, Ghost Squad is a little different, and so the nunchuck attachment at the back of the zapper, does come into play and is not totally pointless… in case you are wondering.

So yeah, the Wii zapper, while looks a little tacky, and you look like a fool holding it, it get’s the thumbs up from me, and feels pretty natural to play with.

Graphically, the game looks good.  Some people have said they thought the graphics weren’t up to much, (eyes look at Nathan), but as far as I’m concerned, they look just as good as the arcade version of the game, but perhaps less shiny in some areas.  Inside buildings, you have a lot of small objects, which can be destroyed, and the graphics stay solid throughout.

Well, as you can tell by screenshot, the visuals won’t blow your mind, but they do look good, especially for a Wii game.

Gameplay wise, the game is just as good as the arcade.  Lots of action going on, plenty of enemies on screen all at once, and no slow down or frame-rate drops.

The Wii version of the game is going to have 4-player co-op mode, but at TGS we were only allowed to play with a maximum of 2 players.  It would have been great to test out this feature, as the arcade was only for 2 players, and the 4 player mode is meant to be a big part of the game’s selling point.  But either the mode has not been finished, or Sega ran out of wiimotes…

One thing you will notice from screenshots and videos, is that there is a sight on screen.  Normally this only appears in light-gun games, when the player is using a control pads, not a gun.  But it is different with Ghost Squad, the sight is there, even when you have the zapper in hand.  But don’t go bitching about it being a Wii fault, the arcade version has this too, it is how the game was designed.  After playing for a few mins, you probably won’t even notice/mind it.

I got to play in both single player and 2 player, and while the two modes I played were the same at TGS, the level I played on was a little different to how I remember in the arcades.  Of course, I may have forgotten how the arcade level played.  But it would be interesting if Sega have actually changed the game from the arcade.  Many moments of the level were the same, but the ending of the level, I’m sure, was different.  But the version I played was the TGS demo, with only one level, so Sega may have just made up that level for the show version, (again that’s just a guess on my part).

The sounds are pretty decent, though nothing to shout about.  They are just like the arcade version, and I’m pretty sure the music is also the same.  Good all round, and they get the job done.

Summary:

Overall the Wii version is just as good as the arcade version.  The graphics have been dumbed down ever so slightly, but nothing too bad, they still look good.  Surprisingly, (for some), the zapper works damn well, the game is easy to play, and is just as much fun as the arcade version.

I’m just waiting to see what extra features the Wii version has to offer.  But it’s good to see that light-gun games haven’t died out from consoles.

• Display Impression: 5.
• Graphics: 7
• Sounds: 7
• Control: 9
• Overall: 8

~G~