Geek - Issue 8 2019 - 40

Ga
GHOSTBUSTERS:
and symbols to read as well as
decrepit shacks to explore.
There's also no shortage of nods
to the series' signature scares,
from wood-carved talismans
and walls covered in handprints
to stick figures fashioned from
branches and twine. If all this isn't
enough to have you rethinking
your jaunt in the woods, Kciuk
hints that Ellis' state of mind also
might have bitten off more than it
can chew. "His military service left
deep scars on his psyche, which
led to some mental problems,
causing him to leave the police
force." Ellis occasionally receives
calls from friends to help calm
him down, but a comforting
conversation from a familiar voice
is no match for the forest's mindbending tricks.
CURSED ENCOUNTERS
If the game's atmospheric
setting is capable of fraying your
nerves, then its supernatural
threats are capable of shredding
them raw. Blair Witch doesn't
swarm you with generic baddies,
but rather builds to fewer, more
meaningful encounters. You might
meet a shadowy creature in the
woods, whose quick movements
will have you second-guessing
what you've just seen, or your
surroundings might morph into
a monster that literally contorts

40

ISSUE 08

the trees around you. Regardless
of what type of foe you're
unlucky enough to face, all are
incarnations of the game's bloodcurdling namesake.
"The witch is more of a
presence or a force than a
being," Kciuk explains. "She's not
a monster you can encounter
and fight with, but she is your
enemy nonetheless. She'll twist
the forest around you to make
it as dangerous as possible, and
that includes sending some foes
after you."
How you react to the witch
and the haunted forest under her
control will not only determine
your fate in the short term but
also shape the game's larger
story arc. Blair Witch contains
several narrative threads with
corresponding conclusions and
the sum of your actions will
influence how each unfolds. If
you're brave enough, this sounds
like an invitation to replay the
game to experience all possible
outcomes.
Whether you're in it for the
mysterious, terrifying tale or just
want to spend some quality
time with a canine who'll both
affectionately lick your face and
scare off cursed forest creatures,
Blair Witch - available now -
welcomes you back to the creepy
outskirts of Burkittsville, Maryland.

THE VIDEO GAME
REMASTERED

LONG BEFORE THERE WAS
ANY TALK OF A reboot
or reimagining of the
PLATFORMS:
Ghostbusters film franchise,
PlayStation 4,
Xbox One, Nintendo
there was Ghostbusters: The
Switch, PC
Video Game. Considered a
RELEASE:
canon sequel when it was
10/4/2019
originally released in 2009,
the acclaimed action-adventure's story was penned by Dan
Aykroyd and Harold Ramis.
The original tale saw players assume the role of a rookie
Ghostbuster, learning the ropes alongside Stantz, Spengler,
Venkman and Zeddemore. The familiar cast of characters
featured the original actors' likenesses as well as their voiceover
work. In addition to Aykroyd, Ramis, Bill Murray and Ernie
Hudson reprising their roles, fan-favorite supporting characters
Janine Melnitz and Walter Peck - played by Annie Potts and
William Atherton, respectively - also returned to the series.
More than just a star-studded cast, the title featured familiar
cars, creeps and locales from the Ecto-1 and the firehouse HQ
to Slimer and the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. The game
also delivered spot-on gameplay that put players behind cool
gadgets such as Proton Packs and P.K.E. Meters. Between
the original movie's 35th anniversary, the game's 10th, and
the highly anticipated next film hitting in 2020, Ghostbusters
is about to explode like a pair of crossed proton streams.
With that mind, this hidden gem is getting an HD remaster,
complete with a budget price and the ability to save Manhattan
anywhere, anytime on the Nintendo Switch. If you're looking for
a great Ghostbusters game to fuel your fandom ahead of the
next film, well, you know who to call!

BASICS

■ Say, that
abandoned
building sure
looks inviting,
doesn't it? Is that
an eerie light
inside or just our
imagination?

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K
Geek - Issue 8 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Geek - Issue 8 2019
