What would you do for the one you love? Would you forsake your oath to keep a promise and sacrifice others? This is what players will face in Focus Entertainment and DON’T NOD’s action-rpg Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. When I first heard of this game and saw its trailer, I” admit I was stoked and could not wait to check it out. That day has come, and I was not disappointed! I want to give an enormous thank you to Focus Entertainment and DON’T NOD for this reviewing opportunity!
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden takes place in an alternate world where ghosts haunt the living is a fact and follow two Banishers, Antea and Red. Banishers are people who hunt ghosts that torment the living. The ghosts are either banished into the void to suffer their torment or are ascended, being allowed to pass on and become free of their suffering. Antea and Red come to the settlement of New Eden in 1690s New England to help a friend banish a powerful ghost. Unfortunately, the ghost is too powerful, and Antea dies. Red, now Haunted by Antea’s ghost, goes on a personal mission to resurrect her, forsaking his vows as a Banisher.
Now, onto the game itself! The controls for Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden are easy to learn and memorize. I strongly suggest using headphones for this game as its sound design is amazing along with the soundtrack. The voice acting is top-notch, but I would strongly suggest having subtitles on as at times you may not understand what Red is saying, Red is Scottish and has a strong Brogue.
When it comes to gameplay, players take on the role of both Antea and Red by switching between the two as they explore the world. The main mechanic of the game I love is the choices/consequences. You’ll have to investigate hauntings and unlock clues about the person being haunted and the ghost that haunts them, at the end of the investigation players will have to decide what will happen. Players can either banish or ascend the ghost or Blame (sacrifice) the living. The choices made by players will affect the world around them and how they will proceed, which is something I love because that means replayability!
Overall, I LOVE Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden! The combat, exploration, decision-making, the story, it’s a heartwrenching captivating story that pushes you to your moral limit. With the choice/consequence mechanic adding high replayability, players who love a good story will find a lot of enjoyment in this. On my scale of 1-10, I give Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden a solid 10!
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden will haunt you on February 13th, 2024 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
