Have you ever wondered what being a ghost hunter in medieval times would be like? I know it’s a peculiar question, but Don’t Nod has answered it in a compelling and immersive way.
In Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, you will take the role of two ghost hunters trying to figure out what nightmare is plaguing a young, newly developing America. With the release of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden on the horizon, let’s see if being a ghost hunter is for you with our review.
Once upon a time…
On the surface, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden may seem like a typical third-person action game, but as you spend more time with it, there seems to be a lot more going on. First, our two leads, Antea Duarte and Red Mac Raith, have a relationship together. This element strengthens the narrative as it invites more intimacy and higher stakes to the overarching plot. Without giving too much of the story away, tragedy strikes this couple within the first hour of the game. Throwing the game on its head during the setup made me way more invested in their story rather than their occupation.
The story of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is in familiar territory. As ghost hunters, Mac Raith and Duarte have to investigate a Nightmare that has been plaguing the residents of New Eden. As the story goes on, the hauntings of New Eden deeply affect both heroes. When that happens, the game shifts to a higher gear and forces you to deal with the ensuing horrors.
Related: A Plague Tale: Requiem — Skills and perks guide
With the game being a single-player experience, everything hinges on the story. I’m pleased to confirm that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is strong enough that it will pull in players who don’t typically play this type of game. There’s another reason why the story is so powerful, but that topic will have its section later.
Be the world’s greatest detective
In terms of gameplay, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden takes inspiration from games like The Witcher 3. You will be hunting monsters, but banishers typically fight ghosts. Most of what is done in the game has been done before. You investigate hauntings all over New Eden, piece together clues as if you’re a detective, and then deduce who is wrong and who is right between the living and the dead. Many games have mechanics like this, but it makes far more sense in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden.
While the gameplay doesn’t reinvent the wheel, it’s the execution that sets it apart. Unlike Alan Wake 2, where switching between characters takes you two to a new world, you’re still in the same plane of existence. Because of that, certain powers and abilities as an apparition help the other character out during their searches. This makes puzzle-solving and combat a little more interesting as well.
Fight your demons
As I was playing Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, the combat was going to be the highlight of this review. But as I went deeper, how I fought felt like a bonus. At the start, the combat feels generic, and that can hamper the other amazing qualities of the game. But as you grow and get more skills, everything about the combat becomes richer and more stylized.
Red is great for ranged combat because of his gun and melee skills. But Antea has more energy-based powers and she can extend Red’s combos. Her powers make the fighting far more interesting and diversify how you brawl. It reminds me a lot of A Plague Take: Requiem’s combat. When you grow and play and get more tools, the fighting gives you chances to be creative in how you down enemies.
Choices start as ripples in the water
I believe for this review of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, the choice system deserves its entry. It is probably the richest and deepest I’ve ever played. When games have a choice system to create your narrative, it tends to be shallow. When you pick a choice, more often than not, the result isn’t that impactful. Here, it’s very much the opposite. That can be because of what happens to both characters at the start. Remember when I said the story is amazing for another reason? Well, here we are!
The choices I made throughout the game could be felt. Every Haunting Case you investigate starts as clear-cut black and white. Then, as you go on, things start to dip in the grey. This is my favorite aspect of Banshiers: Ghosts of New Eden. You think you know what’s going on, but as you talk to more people regarding the case, things suddenly aren’t as they initially seemed. The choices you make also directly affect the relationship between Antea and Red.
But the interesting part is that you have complete freedom still even after you’ve made the oath. For every person you punish, you gain more Essence. If you Ascend or Punish a ghost, then you face dire consequences. Banishers are supposed to protect people — if you punish the living, that goes against their code. When you make those choices, you have to understand what will come next — it may be your fault.
There’s no single choice that will be easy to make. Everyone seems to have good intentions for what they’ve done. This just makes it hard to pick who to punish and who to save. When the time comes to make that difficult choice, you must sit and think about everything in the investigation leading up to that point. Talk about immersion.
While Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has ghosts and other scary entities, A Plague Tale: Requiem has rats. Use this guide on how to best them.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is available for preorder via Steam, Epic Games, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.
- The narrative is well-executed, making you constantly question yourself and your decisions.
- Combat grows as you do and creates some amazing moments. You feel like a true warrior if you get the right skills.
- The choice-based system is extensive and satisfying. With everything being morally ambiguous, all of your choices will be hard no matter what. The consequences have meaning and weight.
- While the combat is a highlight, it's also a weak point. Some engagements with harder enemies feel clunky and unnecessarily demanding.
