Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a solid action-RPG with an intriguing world full of worthwhile stories and characters to meet. Combat is a weak point (though upgrades help somewhat) and for as well written as the Haunting cases are, they all follow a very similar template. However, it’s a testament to DONTNOD’s skill that even despite these foibles, we had nothing less than a great time with Red and Antea. It’s not as flashy or as deep as some other titles out there, but for our money Banishers is more than worthy of your time and money.

Banishers is the perfect example of successful resource management. DON'T NOD and its sublime taste for narrative, successfully walk the ARPG terrain with an absolutely incredible game.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden may well surprise you - in a good way. It includes way more than you may expect, the story and the world are fascinating, and it plays extremely well indeed. It isn’t perfect, but it’s obvious that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has been made with a passion that will be appreciated.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden masterfully weaves a narrative that not only captivates but also challenges players to reflect on their own moral compass.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a fantastic video game. It is the type that raises the medium and shows how incredible these experiences can be. The combat is good enough to rarely hinder your enjoyment as you help or harm the local populace. In an era where new single-player IPs are hard to find, this one deserves to succeed.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden effectively blends all the most characteristic gameplay elements of the action-RPG genre, combining them with a high-quality narrative plot. The result is a traditional and solid title, capable of entertaining the player thanks to a well-balanced combat system, an always interesting exploration component, and a unique and meaningful narrative. A game that all lovers of the genre and good stories should add to their collection.

The heart of Ghosts of New Eden springs from the tender relationship between Antea and Red, the pain of their separation and the desperation of their situation – achingly conveyed by the two voice actors, Amaka Okafor and Russ Bain. It is this coupling that holds Banishers together, amplifying the difficult decisions the plot forces you to take.

As the industry shifts more and more towards mediocre service-based AAA games, the value of traditional AA games is becoming more and more obvious, and Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a prime example of that. It’s not without flaws, but the bold decision making in world design and innovative storytelling separates it from the pack and makes it the best game by Don’t Nod to date.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a super solid action-RPG that delivers an absorbing and emotional ghost story on top of combat that, well, it gets the job done. Antea and Red are a fantastic pair of leads, the writing and acting are on point and 17th New England is every bit as effective a setting as you would hope for a spooky tale of lovers torn apart. If you can make do with a world that's more linear than most modern efforts and combat that isn't going to give Geralt of Rivia any sleepless nights, you're in for a right treat.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden combines the best of old-school action RPGs with a touch of novelty. The game's strongest points are its brilliantly portrayed characters and moving stories, which reminded me of my best moments spent in The Witcher 3.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a fantastic piece of storytelling, and it gives you a compelling world, people and lore for you to delve into. While it labours in some areas, you can put your own personality and feelings into this largely linear adventure, making this a game and a tale that deserves to be experienced.

While it could use more enemy variety and some areas that are more open, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a highly engaging action RPG featuring a love story I wanted to see through to its haunting conclusion. There are a lot of RPGs releasing in the first couple of months of this year, and with many of them being higher profile, it would be easy to overlook Banishers, but I hope players don’t do so. This is the exact sort of title we need studios to invest in more often.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden marks a new milestone in the Don't Nod career in terms of ambition. The creators of Life is Strange succeed once again thanks to their narrative skills, but has a lot to improve in the combat aspect.

A fine AA open world action RPG with a compelling story and decent combat, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden might be one of the bests games you've never heard of. It deserves more than a ghost of a chance.

Generous in its narration as in its gameplay, Banishers firstly offers a level of writing which without any harm maintains the good reputation of Don'tnod in the matter, offering multiple narrative arcs with striking choices which consolidate all the coherence of the 'universe. At first a little summary, the clashes benefit from an exhilarating evolution, enabled by a concise skill tree and a natural progression of the characters, very complementary on the ground. We also retain certain lengths, marked by dispensable intrigues, a slow increase in the power of the gameplay and a somewhat frustrating research part.

These little bothers don’t matter in the end, as Banishers‘ rough edges are easily compensated by its charm. I had a ball meeting the inhabitants of New Eden and making judgements accordingly. I reckon you will too.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden’s memorable story and inspired investigative cases help carry it across its rougher patches.