Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Review

Emerging from the sea of gaming sequels, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden presents an intricately crafted narrative that injects vitality into the gaming landscape. Embarking on a journey as a spectral detective in an alternate 1600s America, saturated with supernatural allure, proves to be an unforeseen delight.

Don’t Nod, the mastermind behind the game, seamlessly blends themes of death, drama, and romance into a captivating tapestry, leaving players pondering why such a captivating blend hadn’t graced screens earlier. While Banishers boldly explores uncharted territories with its innovative gameplay elements, such as seamlessly switching between living and spectral characters and its flawless investigation mechanics, it also draws inspiration from the familiar structure of action-adventure games.

Despite its flaws in combat mechanics, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden appeals to enthusiasts of the unconventional, offering a myriad of emotionally charged moments and exhilarating spectral encounters.

The Era of Crevice Crawlers Continues

Within the gaming sphere, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden steps into the arena as the latest challenger in what I whimsically dub the “crevice crawlers” genre. These third-person narratives, characterized by their solemnity and deliberate pacing, have entrenched themselves as a cornerstone of the gaming industry.

However, amidst the rubble of familiar tropes, Banishers introduces a unique setting, injecting a breath of fresh air into the landscape. While the game treads a path similar to its predecessors such as God of War and The Last of Us, it grapples with the challenge of breaking free from the shackles of convention, despite its invigorating narrative backdrop.

Delving into the Ethereal Unknown

Despite its lack of innovation, Banishers delivers a compelling experience through its robust storytelling and endearing characters. Stepping into the shoes of Red, the passionate Scotsman, and Antea, the formidable ghost hunter turned spirit, players are tasked with unraveling the mysteries plaguing the town of New Eden.

As Banishers in a mystical alternate reality, the duo embarks on a quest to vanquish spirits and confront their own inner demons. The journey is fraught with poignant moments and moral dilemmas, offering players a glimpse into the complexities of love and loss amidst the supernatural.

Unveiling the Supernatural Mysteries

The supernatural reimagining of colonial America serves as a captivating backdrop for Banishers’ tale, where death and the afterlife loom ominously over the protagonists. The narrative intricately weaves together themes of redemption and sacrifice, presenting players with morally gray choices that shape the course of the story. However, the game’s simplistic approach to decision-making often feels restrictive, detracting from the depth of its supernatural mysteries.

In Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, players are thrust into a world where the line between the living and the dead blurs, where spectral entities roam the earth alongside mortal beings. As Red and Antea, players navigate a landscape fraught with supernatural dangers, where every corner hides a spectral secret waiting to be unraveled. From the haunted forests to the desolate moors, New Eden is a world teeming with otherworldly intrigue, beckoning players to uncover its darkest mysteries.

Unraveling Mysteries Amidst Combat

Banishers seamlessly integrates its paranormal investigation mechanics into combat, offering players a dynamic gameplay experience. Swapping between Red’s brute strength and Antea’s spectral abilities adds depth to encounters, albeit marred by clunky controls and repetitive enemy encounters. Despite its flaws, the combat system introduces innovative elements that inject excitement into confrontations with otherworldly foes.

As players traverse the ethereal realms of New Eden, they encounter a myriad of supernatural entities, each with their own unique abilities and weaknesses. From vengeful spirits to malevolent demons, the denizens of New Eden pose a formidable challenge to even the most seasoned Banishers. Combat encounters are a test of skill and strategy, requiring players to adapt to the ever-changing battlefield and utilize their spectral powers to overcome their spectral adversaries.

Is Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Worth Your Time?

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden presents a captivating narrative woven with themes of love, loss, and the weight of our choices.

With a commendable choice system offering multiple layers of narrative decision-making, it immerses players in a world where every action holds consequence. The game boasts stunning visuals, both in terms of landscapes and effects, complemented by stellar acting that brings its characters to life.

Pros:

• Compelling Story: The game delves deep into themes of love, loss, and sacrifice, offering a narrative that resonates long after the credits roll.
• Rich Choice System: Players are confronted with meaningful decisions that shape the trajectory of the story, adding layers of depth to the gameplay experience.
• Stunning Visuals: From picturesque landscapes to breathtaking visual effects, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden offers a feast for the eyes.
• Superb Acting: The voice acting in the game is top-notch, breathing life into its characters and enhancing the immersion.
• Flexible Skill Experimentation: The ability to respec for free allows players to experiment with different skills easily, encouraging diverse playstyles.
• Dynamic Character Switching: Active and meaningful switching between characters adds depth to both exploration and combat, keeping gameplay engaging and dynamic.

Cons:

• Sluggish Combat: Despite its strengths, combat in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden can feel sluggish at times, detracting from the overall flow of the game.
• Bullet-Spongy Enemies: Some enemies exhibit bullet-sponge tendencies, prolonging combat encounters unnecessarily and leading to frustration.
• Ease on Lower Difficulties: The game may feel too easy on lower difficulty settings, diminishing the sense of challenge for experienced players.
• Passive Skill Effects: Certain skill effects lack impact or interactivity, resulting in a less engaging gameplay experience.
• Lack of Enemy Variety: While the game excels in many areas, the lack of enemy variety can make combat encounters feel repetitive over time.

How long is Banishers Ghosts of New Eden?

Your playstyle will significantly influence the time you spend journeying through the haunting world of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. Here’s an estimate based on different approaches:

Story Only:

• Estimated Time: 20-25 hours
• Description: If you’re focused solely on unraveling the main narrative without delving into side activities or haunting cases, you can expect to complete the game within this timeframe.

Story + Some Haunting Cases and Side Activities:

• Estimated Time: 25-35 hours
• Description: For those who wish to immerse themselves further in the world of Banishers, engaging in some haunting cases and side activities alongside the main story will extend your playtime. This approach allows for a deeper exploration of the game world and its mysteries.

100% Completionist:

• Estimated Time: 40+ hours
• Description: If you’re determined to uncover every secret, complete every haunting case, and achieve 100% completion, be prepared to invest considerable time. This playstyle involves thorough exploration, meticulous completion of all side activities, and exhaustive attention to detail.

Ultimately, the length of your journey through Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden will depend on the depth of your exploration and the extent to which you engage with its various elements. Whether you choose to focus solely on the main story or embark on a comprehensive quest for completion, the haunting world of Banishers awaits your exploration.

Is Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Coming to Xbox Game Pass?

As of now, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is not available on Xbox Game Pass. However, this doesn’t rule out the possibility of the game joining the Xbox Game Pass catalog in the future.

Don’t Nod, the studio behind Banishers, has a track record of collaborating with Microsoft, with titles like Life is Strange previously being included in the Xbox Game Pass library. Therefore, while Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden may not be available on Xbox Game Pass at the moment, there’s hope for it to be added in the future.

Stay tuned for updates on potential additions to the Xbox Game Pass lineup, as Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden may find its way onto the subscription service in due time.

The Final Verdict

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden emerges as a captivating journey through the ethereal realms, blending supernatural intrigue with heartfelt storytelling. While its pacing may falter at times and its combat mechanics lack polish, the game’s innovative gameplay elements and compelling narrative make it a worthy addition to the crevice crawler genre. Bid farewell to the decaying flesh of New Eden’s inhabitants, for their spectral saga will linger in the minds of players long after the journey concludes.

As players delve deeper into the mysteries of New Eden, they uncover a world shrouded in darkness and despair, where the line between the living and the dead is blurred. From the haunted forests to the desolate moors, New Eden is a world teeming with otherworldly intrigue, beckoning players to uncover its darkest secrets. With its richly detailed world and compelling narrative, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a hauntingly beautiful experience that will leave players breathless.