PlayStation Universe just scored an interview with ZootFly, the guys who were going to make a Ghostbusters video game until Sony Pictures Entertainment made them stop their project plans. Zootfly still plans to release their gritty looking TimeO game though, but not much is known about the game other than it's set in a New York shadow world where the city is literally your enemy as it attacks you with war machines. Most of the interview with CEO Bostjan Troha was disappointing and more appraising than it was insightful, but the last few questions and answers give us some interesting new details:

PSU: What is one of your favorite features in Time0?

Troha: The Frook. It's a device that helps Zed manipulate with objects, like a grapnel, except much more fun. For example, you can smash an enemy by frooking two dumpsters together. And, there's buildering & Zed is an avid climber, and he'll climb house fronts just for kicks.

PSU: Will ZootFly be utilizing the SIXAXIS controls in Time0? If so, any examples?

Troha: In a game like TimeO, SIXAXIS will be great fun. For example, you'll kick in doors by thrusting the controller forward, or break window bars by pulling swiftly it towards you.

PSU: What is the top resolution (1080p?) and frame rate you are looking to achieve in Time0?

Troha: Currently the game runs smoothly at 720p on an Xbox360. As for PS3, we'll have to do some more porting and optimizing to see what we can achieve.

PSU: Is there an estimated released date?

Troha: We're shopping for a publisher right now. However, if there won't be major changes, the game should be out by Christmas 2008.

I'm not sure I understand what frooking actually is, but damnit, I want to do it. They ruled out a Wii version, but TimeO will most likely come to Xbox 360 as well, though it's cool to know the PS3 version will be different. ZootFly has only been working on the game since November, so they're moving along pretty fast. Here's some new pictures of their progress.

We all know that Sony struck down upon thee with great vengeance, but when the good guys from Zootfly had their Ghostbusters game get temporarily terminated by Sony, who yuh gonna call? Online petitions I guess. A few readers brought to my attention that an online effort was put into action to help sway peoples' minds to allow the game to be made: "This petition is for all those parties who have control of the Ghostbusters IP. It is a plea to all those involved to allow permission to the Ghostbusters IP and let Zootfly to go ahead with the game." 

I'm not the petition type, but after seeing that 2,364 people had already signed it within the last two weeks I figure some of you would want to know about this effort. I still think that Sony will coerce Zootfly onto their PS3 future game roster, but as long as their hard work isn't wasted then I'm happy. All of their pictures and videos have been taken down, so if you never got to see the Xbox 360 footage, then picture a darker Alan Wake demo mixed with functional Ghostbusters guns. You can sign the petition here.

I never thought I'd see a Ghostbusters cosplay picture, but I was expecting this - Sony Pictures Entertainment didn't enjoy the Ghostbusters videos that spread across the net last week showcasing an ambitious video game that ZootFly was working on. The videos I posted have been removed from YouTube along with all other info on the game's development on the ZootFly site since the game project was pursued without Sony's permission. Sony would be foolish to pull the plug completely though - the early prototype that was running on an Xbox 360 using ZootFly's proprietary engine and it looked like it could be one of the better games of the year. Sony would be smart to put ZootFly on a PS3 leash and get some extra sales. ZootFly's TimeO game still looks cool though, you can read about their action thriller game here.

Yesterday I reported on the possibility of a Ghostbusters game that may be in development. Bostjan Troha, the CEO of Zootfly, has responded to IGN and confirmed what we've hoped for - the videos from yesterday were in-game footage of an early prototype running on an Xbox 360 using ZootFly's proprietary engine. Unfortunately though, due to licensing issues, development on the game has come to a stop as the ownership of a Ghostbusters IP is resolved. 

But ZootFly is currently working on an original game called TimeO, that is closely related to Ghostbusters. "The game follows the adventures of two die-hard New Yorkers. They get trapped deep in the shadow world of a parallel New York. The city itself is a war machine threatening to wipe out our world and they have three days to stop it." As you can see in the footage above and below, the setting looks slightly like a grim metropolis version of Shadow of the Colossus, as the dude clings to all angles of the large 'war machine.' I also can't help but think of "Save the cheerleader" from the television show Heroes with the dramatic text of "Three days, two worlds, one chance" that plays through both video previews.

Hopefully ZootFly can work everything out, because the only thing that's certain for now is that a lot of people want to play a next-gen Ghostbusters video game, regardless of who's making it and whether or not we'll ever see a Ghostbuster 3 movie. It would be awesome if there was co-op play where if you die, your partner can suck up your ghost and release you to let you respawn with a new life. I'll be keeping an eye on this game.

 

There's also a video showing off the Ghostbusters car, and another video of a car chase. Thanks for Brian for the tip on this story from AintItCool news. There's plenty of Ghostbuster mods existing out there, including "CryBusters" - a mod for Crysis, a game that isn't even out yet. With facial animation like in the video above, combined with the particle effects of the gun in the other video above, it looks too damn good to be a mod though. Supposedly a foreign company Zootfly is tackling the project. Either way, this is a game that I have to play, it looks like it's pretty far along, hopefully it doesn't get canned. I call Dr. Egon, you can be anyone else.