Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is designed mainly for an online multiplayer experience, but it is possible to play it single-player offline. When playing offline solo, the game teams players up with AI busters against a bot-controlled ghost, but still encourages players to game co-operatively as a team unit, just as they would join forces to bust the ghost in the Ghostbusters movies.
Likewise, when playing as the ghoul with bots in pursuit, there are some handy advantages that players can draw upon. Whichever team players opt for when playing Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed solo, there are several tips and tricks to get the most out of the gameplay experience and progress quickly in a ghoulish game of hide and seek.
10 Stick Together Like Slime
As tempting as it might be to wander off and leave the bots to their own devices, busting with bots works best when players stick as close to the AI as much as slime sticks to the skin. Although players can't control the movements of their AI pals, for the most part, they seem to know where they're going and are good at detecting both ghosts and rifts, which is especially handy when the P.K.E. meter is on cooldown.
It's also beneficial to stick together to reduce any Horrifying effects on the Haunt meter, particularly after being slimed, as this is more likely when exploring alone.
9 Stronger Proton Streams
When players blast ghosts with their Proton Packs together, they are more likely to catch the ghost quicker as it's harder for the ghost to escape, so the same principle works when playing with AI Busters. If players see the AI tethering a ghost, join in if it's a stronger ghost pulling away quicker to slow it down or throw the trap directly underneath it for a quick catch while the AI holds it in place.
Like the Busters do in the movies, it's often most effective to throw the trap when the ghost is caught in a tether, and trapping is much easier in a team.
8 Get Involved To Level Up Faster
If players want to ensure they level up their gear quickly and evenly, it's key not to let the AI do all the work or complete all the busts. To level up the P.K.E. meter, use it as a weapon by blasting minions to dust and stun the ghost. Players can also perform the same action to detect rifts, which also helps it level up.
Being the player to bust the ghost with a trap also gets the player more points to level up quicker.
7 Support Civilians
Although the bots don't always do the priority task, they can help keep civilians calm to reduce the chances of them exiting the building. That said, the AI doesn't actively seek to support calm civilians in the mini-game mechanic and only helps the scared ones. They also won't chase panicked civilians, so it's up to the players to look out for civilians making a run for the exit.
When the match starts, it's also a good idea to support a few civilians to give them an extra layer of defense, so they are harder to spook, and they'll also help spot ghosts for the Busters.
6 Upgrade Gear Regularly
It's crucial to upgrade gear regularly at the Firehouse to get the most out of equipment and ensure the team has the strongest on hand. Upgrading the player Buster's gear is also important as players cannot customize the equipment of other Busters in the AI squad.
Adding different secondary gadgets into the mix can help level the playing field with tougher ghosts and which players can also swap out during matches, such as the Ionizer Pods to slow down speedy ghosts making a run (or float) for it. There are also primary gear upgrades to unlock to help level the playing field.
5 Enter Ectovision
Ectovision is another ability that all ghosts have in their spooky bag of tricks and lets ghosts see where civilians, Rifts, and Busters are on the map for a short time before ghost energy depletes. Players must hold the left trigger on an Xbox controller to activate this ability, and it's only possible to use it for a limited time.
The Busters show up in blue, and civilians appear in different colors according to how fearful they are, like yellow or red. This tactic can help players locate the most haunted civilians faster and spot Busters.
4 Use Special Abilities To Overwhelm Busters
When playing as the ghost, getting close to the Busters is dangerous as the chances of getting tethered are higher. However, sometimes it's necessary to swoop in and steal back a Rift, so it can be helpful to use one of the ghost's abilities to clear the area.
Using one of the ghost's special or ultimate abilities like a slime attack grounds and overwhelms the Busters so they either have to self-revive or spend time resurrecting each other, giving the ghost time to grab the Rift safely and hide it elsewhere.
3 Haunt One Room At A Time
When playing as the ghost, players can make quicker progress by haunting one room at a time, rather than trying to cover the whole grounds. A sneaky choice is to focus haunting on the main room nearest the exit, so the busters have less chance to calm worried civilians.
Haunting one large room fully before moving on to the next can help raise the Haunt meter quicker, making for a faster victory for the ghost when playing a solo match against the AI, who aren't always the quickest to find the ghost.
2 Resurrect The AI
When playing as a Buster, another way to contribute to team success is to resurrect the AI when they are downed by the ghost. Helping to revive each other takes much less time than self-reviving, so can help speed up the ghost-catching process and get back in the game.
The AI automatically helps the player in the same situation too, so this is another good reason why it's best to stick together. It's particularly important when hunting stronger ghosts with tough special abilities and devastating slime attacks.
1 Possess Objects At A Height
A sneaky way to make the most of the ghost's significant advantages when it comes to game balance is to possess objects to hide or haunt at a height. In the Whitestone Museum level, players can hide inside the pterodactyl dinosaurs hanging from the ceiling or sit in a box on top of a high shelf and watch as the Buster AI loiters below, aware the ghost might be around but not able to locate and shoot it from the distance required.
The AI can discover players hiding in objects PropHunt style by using the P.K.E. blast function, but it's only possible from certain distances and heights, so ghost players can simply hide during the end countdown to win.
Ghostbusters: Spirits Unleashed is available to play now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.