I’m not going to lie, before sitting down in one of the powerful PC setups at Focus Entertainment’s closed-door booth at Gamescom, I didn’t really know what to expect from Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. I’d heard about the game and seen bits and pieces of the gameplay, but it wasn’t until about five minutes into my gameplay that I realized that this should be one of the games I’m most looking forward to for the rest of 2023. I say this because if you like action adventure games, loved the recent God of War games, and have been longing for a game that lets you fight ghosts with muskets (as I do), Banishers has all of that and more .
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden puts players in the duo of Red Mike Rice and Antaeus Duarte as they venture out into the wilds of 17th century North America to clear the land of ghosts and ghouls so colonists can live in peace. It’s played from a third person perspective and takes you through the story in different locations, and within minutes of playing, you’ll feel the influence of God of War on this game as it flows in the same way, and even has something similar to Santa Monica Studio’s puzzle sections and exploration opportunities have become very popular.
But just because it has clear inspiration from God of War, doesn’t mean Banishers is a ruthless clone. Actually quite the opposite. Here, you don’t just play one character, sometimes you can direct a second person. No, you can seamlessly switch between Red and Antea, and they’re now bound to each other after Antea’s untimely death. That means you can flick Red’s formidable arsenal of weapons, whether it’s a melee weapon or even a long-range musket, all designed to blast and mow down the monsters that inhabit the forests of North America. Then, when you encounter an enemy that resonates with spectral energy, Antaeus can be called into action to strike and weaken the threat so red can eventually dispel them. It’s a well-managed system that keeps the combat engaging, and your choice of a variety of enemy types and weapon sets also helps to elevate that.
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Exploration is the same deal as God of War. You mostly follow a core narrative, but sometimes you need to take on additional activities, venturing off the beaten track, sliding between rock crevices, discovering crates full of loot, and more. As I said before, Banishers doesn’t set out to reinvent the formula that God of War really nailed, it just wants to offer its own unique spin. This can be found in the occasional puzzle section of the game. You won’t be tasked with drastically manipulating the environment, but you’ll need to use Anthea’s powers to create ways to progress through the wilderness and reach new areas.
Add to that the signature Don’t Nod charm of deep-dialogue products. Throughout the story, you’ll meet a group of NPCs with whom you can talk and learn about New Eden and the people who live there. The dialogue system is designed in such a way that if you like this level of character development and world-building, you can get a direct answer from a person, or have a longer conversation with them. Every decision carries weight, and you must make choices that make sense and affect the story and the people you meet. From this perspective, Banishers feels like a Don’t Nod game through and through, even if the gameplay elsewhere tells a different story.
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It’s clear that Don’t Nod has a very clear vision for the game, as everything I experienced about Banishers felt well thought out and detailed. Looking to further add some clarity and depth to the world, from supernatural mysteries to intricate NPCs all the way to challenging boss encounters, this is a game with a lot to be excited about. Its design isn’t groundbreaking, and its gameplay oozes familiarity, but the background, story, and fluidity of the combat combine to make Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden one of the games I’m most looking forward to, but Still slated for launch in 2023.
