Ghost Squad

The amount of content is a bit disappointing. Three levels just aren’t enough nowadays, despite a handful of variations on each. The fact that they play out exactly the same way every time doesn’t help, either. Playing through solo or with a buddy is definitely worth an afternoon, though, regardless of the game’s relatively short legs.

The game is no masterpiece, but if you're in the mood for some mindless, old-school entertainment, it's $30 well spent. [Holiday 2007, p.82]

At around 30 bucks, Ghost Squad is a great addition to your library if, and only if, you are into light-gun games that aren't heavy on the realism (ie, most of them). It's absurd and comical, and those aren't necessarily bad things. In our case, we certainly had no trouble laughing our way through some surprisingly entertaining light-gun action.

Despite the enemy repetition, you'll insist on plowing throw the stages repeatedly, trying to attain a high score in order to build up your inventory of unlocked items. Between the friendly price tag ($30) and no need for additional lightgun add-ons, it's an enticing value.

It's a game that has the potential to be played for hours and hours if you want to go for high scores and all the unlockable items, but many gamers may find the 20-minute campaign to be far too short.

Ghost Squad isn't a revolution, or even an evolution of the arcade light gun shooter. The game is simple to play and the addition of a few Wii bonus options does add a little more to the package.

A solid on-rails shooter, although somewhat archaic, it’s still very enjoyable. Mindlessly shooting terrorists without having to think it always a great option, with the only flaw being the price.

Seems stupidly short at first, but then you start unlocking things and realise how much there is in there to get before you can claim you've finished. Online leader boards mean you're going to want to keep competing for a while.

Ghost Squad is fairly recent game, however it lives on past glories. There's not much game here compared to House of the Dead 2 & 3, but with 4 friends Ghost Squad provides hours of entertainment normally only available for a pound a time each in Alton Towers.

Arcade nuts that simply cannot live without Ghost Squad in their collection should be prepared to receive nothing but a strictly shallow gaming experience, while everyone else would be well advised to consider spending their hard-earned cash on Capcom's far superior Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.

So while Ghost Squad is a perfectly reasonable lightgun shooter which only significantly falls short in terms of its length, what really sticks in our collective craw is the price. Asking thirty quid for it would be a piss take at the best of times, but considering the US version is being sold for the same figure in dollars, making it around £15 in real money, that’s quite frankly unacceptable.

If you like shooting terrorists who look like they walked off the set of “The A Team”, and really who doesn’t, then Ghost Squad will provide plenty of enjoyable, mindless fun.

A deliberate '90s-arcade-game charm and some ridiculous non sequiturs give this incredibly brief light gun shooter an odd appeal.

It's funny for a minute or two, but still… thirty bucks is a lot for three levels and a few giggles.

Ghost Squad is fun while it lasts, whether you’re playing by yourself or with friends. The problem is that it lasts less than an hour. If you’re the type who plays to perfection and see yourself going back again and again for unlockables, it’s worth a look.

Sega's Ghost Squad takes less than an hour to beat and features plenty of insignificant extras. But instead of overcharging you, the company budget priced its arcade shooter $30, $10 more that it's worth.

While many players will tire of the gamelong before its last secrets are handed out, its simplicity makes it a strangely compelling experience. [Jan 2008, p.87]

If you’re looking for a cheap Wii shooter and have some friends around, give this a go. If not, stick to the arcades. You’ll find better there.

As things stand, not only does Ghost Squad feel completely archaic on a number of levels, it offers very poor value for money.

Ghost Squad is a short and Arcady kind of shooter that is pretty nice. But the price is too high for the normal graphics and thin content.

It’s difficult to recommend Ghost Squad. The action is exciting and the shooting is enjoyable, especially with the Wii Zapper, but the extremely short lifespan and primitive visuals lower the score.

This is throwaway fun that will only be enjoyed in short bursts and the novelty will wear off long before you unlock everything and max out the missions to their highest level.

It looks and sounds ok, but one play through and you’ve seen all you need to see. Mindless blasting can be fun, but this is soulless blasting.

A pleasing journey through various sections and routes, but even the quirky unlockables and increased difficulty isn’t quite enough to make Ghost Squad as satisfying as it should be.

The uncomplicated, quick-hit arcade feel of the game is a nice fit for the Wii, even if the coin-op legacy sometimes makes the gameplay a little dusty.