General Gaming Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden | ARPG for PC/PS5/Xbox Series | Developed by DONTNOD - reviews from OpenCritic posted

[best3444]

2 minutes ago, stepee said:

 

Have you played Vampyr? It’s this teams previous game. It’s on GP and honestly due to the art style I think it looks great in 24 - I just finished it myself in preparation for this and was reminded of how good it was. It’s a very cool game narratively and how it deals with your choices mattering. The combat is pretty mediocre though so that could be a deal breaker for you potentially. Honestly expect that to be the issue here.

 

Never tried Vampyr. That sucks to hear about the combat. 

[TheLeon]

Vampyr is kinda the reason I’m in the “wait and see” phase with this one. That game has its fans, and there’s a lot to like about it, but I didn’t get super far because actually playing it was kind of a drag.

[stepee]

4 minutes ago, TheLeon said:

Vampyr is kinda the reason I’m in the “wait and see” phase with this one. That game has its fans, and there’s a lot to like about it, but I didn’t get super far because actually playing it was kind of a drag.

 

Im not sure when you played it but tbf they did patch the difficulty. When it first came out it was just too damn hard which didn’t work for the game well. It was a lot more fun after that.  

[XxEvil AshxX]

sonuvabitch this game comes out tomorrow doesn't it....

 

 

 

EDIT: Review embargo? no review codes sent out?

[best3444]

3 hours ago, XxEvil AshxX said:

sonuvabitch this game comes out tomorrow doesn't it....

 

 

 

EDIT: Review embargo? no review codes sent out?

 

Came in to post the same thing. Not a good sign. 

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

Game Information
Game Title: Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

 

Platforms:

• PC (Feb 13, 2024)
• PlayStation 5 (Feb 13, 2024)
• Xbox Series X/S (Feb 13, 2024)

Developer: DON'T NOD
Publishers: Focus Entertainment, Maximum Games

 

Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 80 average - 83% recommended

Critic Reviews

Spoiler

Daily Mirror - Aaron Potter - 5 / 5

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is the kind of game we don’t get very often; the kind that does a lot with very little, yet in a way that speaks perfectly to my tastes as someone who enjoys video games as a storytelling art form. Don’t Nod’s latest effort transcends anything it’s made before, in my eyes, being a narrative-focused single-player RPG that places its characters firmly at the forefront, fully leaning into its unique premise to the point that Antea and Red’s nature as ghost hunters influence everything from dialogue options and combat, to the upgrade system and of course the world.

Digitally Downloaded - Matt Sainsbury - 5 / 5

The best art tells us something of relevance to the world around us. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a dark and intense fantasy of ghosts, vengeance, and human resilience through the bleakest of nightmares. It’s unfortunate that it offers such a strong allegory to the real world, yet it does and that makes it all the more thought-provoking, however inadvertent it was for the developers. Thankfully it’s also exceptionally good to play, even as it challenges your intellect and moral core.

GameGrin - Ariel Chloe Maria Mann - 10 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is astounding, and the way it tells a compelling story and connects you to the characters is really impressive. It's impossible not to recommend this masterpiece of a game.

NoobFeed - Jay Claassen - 98 / 100

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is yet another masterpiece from Don't Nod, with a captivating story, stunning visuals, and even voice acting to help drive the nail home. This game is definitely worthy of the title, and even though it has that one slight issue during the initial start, it's nothing when you compare it to the experience you're in for as you take on the role of a Banisher in a land plagued by ghosts. Another thing to note is the replayability when you consider the two paths at the start and how they affect the entire story as you progress, possibly making Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden a game that might build a fun little cult-style fandom.

BossLevelGamer - Dayna Eileen - 9.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an easy recommendation to anyone who values beautiful graphics, a powerful story, and endless hours of gameplay

Explosion Network - Dylan Blight - 9.5 / 10

Don’t Nod has released 2024’s first truly surprising video game release with Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. The 17th-century setting, ghost hunting and ethereal switching combat are all highlights, but building off what they do best, the characters, their relationships, and their story make this game unique.

Press Start - James Mitchell - 9.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is well beyond anything Don't Nod has ever done. It successfully merges their renowned knack for solid characters and great stories, engaging and enjoyable combat and a unique setting to create an experience like no other. It's a incredible fun and easily the studios most ambitious game so far. It doesn't get much better than this.

GamesCreed - Junior Onunkwo - 4.7 / 5

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has one of the best-written, captivating, immersive, and dramatic stories in a video game I’ve ever played, followed by incredible combat mechanics, abilities, weapons, and animations. Albeit, it needs a little more polishing to get a more playable fighting experience. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a game that’ll grab and maintain your interest, and I would recommend yet another fine project from Focus Entertainment to anyone. Yes, including God of War fans.

AnaitGames - Juan Salas - Spanish - 9 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has a particular charm; it is easy to be intoxicated by a well macerated aroma, composed of a story that grabs you, a magical universe and a combat system suitable for living with the necessary tension each confrontation against the unknown.

Atarita - Alparslan Gürlek - Turkish - 90 / 100

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an impressive game that showcases DON'T NOD's mastery of storytelling. It's a delightful combination of heartbreaking storytelling and fluid gameplay. I can definitely recommend it.

CGMagazine - Brendan Frye - 9 / 10

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

COGconnected - Michael Chow - 90 / 100

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a splendid experience crafted intricately by Don’t Nod. The game starts off strong, but a bit of the allure wears off over time as you peek behind the curtains of the various systems within the game. That said, the game’s intriguing narrative, relatively tough decisions, and overall solid gameplay elements make Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden one of the strongest gaming experiences of early 2024.

Generación Xbox - Pedro del Pozo - Spanish - 90 / 100

I thought this game was going to be good, it was going to be fun, it was going to have a good narrative, but it was going to be an interesting game that wouldn't catch on with the community. And I really want him to, because I was happily erring in my judgment. Banishers: Ghost of New Eden is a great game at all levels. It's a living demonstration of how to use your resources in the best possible way, how you can make an ARPG without sacrificing quality storytelling or fun combat, in a smart way.

God is a Geek - Mick Fraser - 9 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a powerful, emotional and compelling tale that shows off a side of Don't Nod that we've never seen so well-lit.

Multiplayer First - Alex Co - 9 / 10

I have no experience in making games, but I imagine crafting a AAA experience on a new IP is not an easy task, and Don’t Nod manages to do that and then some. Prepare yourself for the first surprise hit of the year, and if the game’s quality is any indication, this looks like the start of a new franchise — one that I can’t wait to dive into yet again. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is one haunting you owe it to yourself to experience.

PC Invasion - Raza Malik - 9 / 10

Most gameplay elements in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden have been done before, but they're pulled off way better in this title. The choices you make carry the already gripping story. Missing out on this experience may haunt you for years to come.

Hobby Consolas - Daniel Quesada - Spanish - 88 / 100

It's not going to be the game of the year, but it's a great example of both light RPG adventures and those games that eat your brain out with their decisions. Pure Don't Nod with an extra bit of show.

AltChar - Asmir Kovacevic - 87 / 100

If you're a fan of games like The Witcher and God of War, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an absolute must-play.

XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8.7 / 10

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.

GAMES.CH - Benjamin Braun - German - 85%

Banishers: Ghost of New Eden isn't a perfect game, but a great example, why games are much more than a sum of their single components. The dual character combat is fun and just one of the aspects, where Red and Antea form an inextricable unit. The world looks nice and is worth exploring. The heroes are pleasant and there is a lot of room for experimenting in the skill and perk system. What's partly absent is the moral dilemma within the decisions, which could have intensified this unique action journey.

GameBlast - Alexandre Galvão - Portuguese - 8.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden offers an immersive experience where the brilliant script meets solid gameplay and stunning visuals to create an original and captivating universe. The narrative rich in moral nuances and difficult choices keeps us immersed in an exciting journey, while exploring the open world of New Eden offers a variety of activities for fun. In keeping with its commitment to creating immersive and memorable experiences, Don’t Nod Entertainment is sure to leave a lasting mark on the hearts of players who venture into the otherworldly depths of its new game. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is, without a doubt, one of the best titles of 2024.

MondoXbox - Mirko Rossi - Italian - 8.5 / 10

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.

RPG Fan - Abraham Kobylanski - 85%

Devilishly good stories and beautiful haunting visuals in a cool dark fantasy world overcome the bland combat.

SECTOR.sk - Branislav Kohút - Slovak - 8.5 / 10

Long live the spirits! Or rather not? The main characters of the game know about it, but their destinies are affected by an unexpected event and certainty turns into doubt. You will fight and explore the landscape, but the most interesting are definitely ghost stories.

Seasoned Gaming - Bryan Finck - 8.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an emotional masterpiece and my early leader for Game of the Year.

Tom's Hardware Italia - Giacomo Todeschini - Italian - 8.5 / 10

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden takes the best of Vampyr, limiting its flaws and accentuating its merits, giving us a work of extraordinary quality.

Use a Potion - 8.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden blends together captivating storytelling and compelling gameplay mechanics into one heck of an enjoyable experience, with the pacing of the adventure balancing out its combat, explorative, and investigative elements perfectly. Best of all? It feels unique, with your role as a Banisher making for plenty of morale dilemmas that’ll keep players hooked in until the very end.

It could be a bit guilty of being on the easy side whilst the frame rate hitches were a little bit annoying, but neither issue stopped me from having a really good time with the game. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden might not have been on everyone’s radar, but it stands out as one of the early surprise hits on 2024.

Wccftech - Alessio Palumbo - 8.5 / 10

There's little doubt Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is Don't Nod's finest action game yet. I would also venture to say it's one of their best games, period, and it's also a great action RPG in its own right thanks to enjoyable combat, a big world with lots of content to explore and interesting stories to experience, and particularly for the amazing couple of lover protagonists.

WellPlayed - Zach Jackson - 8.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a compelling tale of love and loss brought to life by phenomenal writing and performances with solid combat to boot, and it serves as a reminder that good storytelling remains a crucial element of video games.

PSX Brasil - Rui Celso - Portuguese - 84 / 100

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden disappoints a bit with its technical problems and lack of simple features, but DON'T NOD has managed to create a magnificent and addictive world that makes the player want to go all the way to the end – after all, you are responsible for the fate of Red and Antea.

Spaziogames - Domenico Siciliano - Italian - 8.4 / 10

Despite a stiff combat system that sometimes feels imprecise, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden presents a compelling story about love, human misery and crucial social themes.

The Games Machine - Daniele Cucchiarelli - Italian - 8.1 / 10

An excellent action-RPG that follows in the footsteps of God of War and The Witcher 3 while proposing a very different but equally fascinating setting and two really cool main characters. Net of a few technical stumbles and some design naivete, Don't Nod's most ambitious project hits the mark rather well.

Video Chums - A.J. Maciejewski - 8.1 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden surpassed my expectations thanks to its incredible sense of exploration, gripping story, and gorgeously-presented characters. Sure, it's easy but the adventure is still well-worth going on for any curious ghost hunters out there. 👻

Cerealkillerz - Nick Erlenhof - German - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a journey into a wonderfully dark, serious and sometimes harsh world. You can expect many tough decisions, great characters and interesting twists, especially in the so-called "Haunting Case" side missions. Apart from that, the combat is unfortunately disappointing, remaining far too repetitive and clunky, and there is too much aimless wandering in the search for mission objectives. However, fans of the occult and the supernatural à la The Witcher or detective stories should definitely pick it up.

Checkpoint Gaming - Luke Mitchell - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden heavily leans into the premise of challenging decisions with dramatic consequences, and manages to pull off an emotional and haunting love story where those choices do feel like they truly matter. Red and Antea feel like fully-fleshed out, interesting characters, forever linked to one another but struggling to let go. New Eden is full of communities plagued by supernatural creatures and dark secrets that make each of them intriguing to explore. An over-reliance on combat and a little too much hand-holding when it comes to solving cases is disappointing, but Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden can still be chalked up as yet another storytelling triumph for DON'T NOD. Life for the living. Death for the dead.

Cinelinx - Becky O'Brien - 4 / 5

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a solid game that will leave you happily playing for hours at a time as you're sucked into the ghostly world of 1695 New England.

Dexerto - Sam Smith - 4 / 5

Banishers isn’t going to appeal to those who demand continuous action and top-tier combat. The fact is, there are just so many games that do hacking, slashing, and shooting so much better. Banishers is for those who want to be told a scary story and face some difficult moral choices along the way.

It’s for those who relish the opportunity to play as a pair of seventeenth-century supernatural detectives and solve some spooky mysteries while coming up with a solution to an inevitable, and much more personal problem.

Banishers felt like we were living in a Washington Irving story such as The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, so if you think this sounds like a vibe, then we’d highly recommend it.

Digital Trends - George Yang - 4 / 5

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden delivers both slick action and tough moral choices.

Enternity.gr - Stylianos Almpanidis - Greek - 8 / 10

After 30 hours that it takes to complete the main story of the game, the only thing that is certain is that Banishers: Ghost of New Eden manages to keep the interest undiminished and many will return to it for the alternative endings it offers.

Entertainment Geekly - Luis Alvaro - 4 / 5

“Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden” thus stands out due to the storytelling prowess of Don’t Nod, offering a rich, emotionally charged journey that melds action, adventure, and narrative depth into a memorable experience. While not without its flaws, the game marks a significant step forward for the studio, hinting at the untapped potential for future titles in this vein. It’s a journey worth taking, not just for the thrills and challenges, but for the questions it poses about love, sacrifice, and the afterlife.

Eurogamer - Ruth Cassidy - 4 / 5

Don't Nod drops the melodrama for a poignantly performed story about grief and injustice, where the difficult choices tug at your heart and principles.

Eurogamer.pt - Vítor Alexandre - Portuguese - 4 / 5

As a medieval epic, although it can be inserted in the category of ghost hunters, where there is room for the Souls saga and vampire games, the most salient trait that many will identify when playing is how these influences also pour into an adventure that is also a beautiful love story, a romance in the sense that it seems to command the fate of the characters. It is clear that the developers wanted to make a different game here, to attribute a broader purpose to Antea and Red's relationship, far from retaining the gaze on their occupations and in giving more depth to the narrative, surprising the player and leading him to experience more emotions.

FandomWire - Luke Addison - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden oozes class, with a 20 to 30-hour story and plenty of off-the-beaten paths to explore – most with a reward at the end. You’ll be pitted with some disgusting and distressful story moments, some out-of-the-book thinking, and some genuinely hard decisions. The combat and accompanying skill trees will keep you invested and satisfied, whilst allowing enough different combinations you’ll feel each playthrough is different enough to warrant another one, and at the center of it all is a love story between two lovers who want nothing more than to be together forever, but the forces at play seem intent on stopping that. My only hope is that the game sells as well as the lasting memories it has left me with deserve, and we get a new, genuinely unique franchise from this.

GBAtemp - Prans Dunn - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden offers an original, engaging narrative-driven experience with impactful in-game decisions.

GGRecon - Joshua Boyles - 4 / 5

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an example of Don’t Nod doing what Don’t Nod does best - deliver an enthralling, story-driven title that had me hooked in its world and characters from the opening titles. It’s elevated by inspirations from other titles with bigger budgets in this genre and is all the better for it with a stunning world that invites you to explore.

The combat sections fall a little flat, and the run-time feels ever so slightly too long. However, the weight of the storytelling more than offsets these frustrations and will drive players through to see the ending of this magnificent adventure.

GameMAG - Russian - 8 / 10

While not a masterpiece, Burnishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a very solid game. And the unique dark fantasy setting is a huge advantage.

Gamefa - Mostafa Zahedi - Persian - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a breath of fresh air among games I've played in recent years. Haunting Cases are amazing and world design is impressive. on the other hand, it suffers from different issues like low enemy variety, camera positioning and sporadic frame rate drop. That being said, it still delivers an amazing experience from start to finish.

Gamepressure - Matthias Pawlikowski - 8 / 10

I didn't wait for Banishers, and I didn't expect the game to be such a pleasant surprise for me. It's a wonderful and quite long adventure, filled with side stories. Banishers is a game haunted by the ghost of satisfaction – satisfaction from good gameplay and a great story. I want more.

Gamersky - 心灵奇兵 - Chinese - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a great adventure game that tells a love story mixed with life and death, set in the colonial era. It looks at remembering the sacrifices and bloody history.

Gaming Nexus - Jason Dailey - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a deeply emotional collection of human stories, of both the protagonists, but also the settlers of New Eden. The combat is nothing great, but the stories within certainly are. You'll be surprised at how easily you can empathize with late 17th century colonials, which is the magic of developer Don't Nod.

GamingBolt - Shubhankar Parijat - 8 / 10

Don't Nod has taken several key lessons from Vampyr and applied them to great effect with its second action RPG. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden might not be revolutionary in anything that it does, and from a gameplay standpoint, it can sometimes feel a bit too straightforward for its own good, but with a well-realized setting, captivating story, excellent protagonists, and genuinely compelling choice-and-consequence moments, it's an easy game to recommend to fans of the genre.

GamingTrend - Cassie Peterson - 80 / 100

Banishers: Ghost of New Eden is a grim and gripping tale of two lovers coming to terms with love and sacrifice. Don't Nod have built another beautiful world to enjoy.

Hey Poor Player - Andrew Thornton - 4 / 5

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.

IGN Italy - Francesco Destri - Italian - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is Don't Nod's most ambitious and solid game, and despite some flaws in pacing and repetition, it remains an action-adventure loaded with feeling and with a solid combat-system.

IGN Spain - Estrella Gómez - Spanish - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a story full of love, spirits and sacrifices. This game has a very satisfying and challenging gameplay, as it forces players to face a series of ethical dilemmas, following DON'T NOD's usual tone. Immersive and beautiful, this experience is capable of enchanting any type of player.

INVEN - Kwangseok Park - Korean - 8 / 10

The narrative, crafted through repeated moral dilemmas, allows players to immerse themselves deeply in the story. While the depth in combat may be somewhat lacking, the captivating world of New Eden undoubtedly provides the thrill of an adventure.

Nexus Hub - Andrew Logue - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is easy to recommend as a compelling action-RPG with well-written protagonists and rewarding systems, though the second half of the game loses the plot - both literally and figuratively.

Oyungezer Online - İpek Atam - Turkish - 8 / 10

Don't Nod's best work yet. The impressive story, the immersive period atmosphere, the well-written characters and stories, and the smooth and enjoyable action are blended together, and it works very well.

PCGamesN - Ford James - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a hauntingly beautiful tale of two lovers embarking on a treacherous journey that tests their relationship through tragedy. With a world and combat that emulate the God of War reboot, and side quests similar to The Witcher 3, this is one of 2024's early must-plays, even if its moral decisions are restrictive.

PlayStation Universe - Tommy Holloway - 8 / 10

Despite some frustrating design choices, pacing and technical issues, there is a prevailing magnetic chemistry to Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden that is felt within its narrative and mirrored in its gameplay, in large part thanks to its two brilliantly written and acted protagonists. Its thoughtful dissection and unique exploration of grief ultimately resonated with me in a way that allowed me to forgive most of its other sins.

Push Square - Liam Croft - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden sees developer DON'T NOD reach a new development peak, as it marries an excellent narrative with engaging and enjoyable gameplay. Poor enemy variety and technical flaws hold it back from true greatness, but its excellent, story-focused side quests on the other side make a few drab combat encounters worth pushing through. The studio's best game to date, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a new IP we hope is here to stay.

Rectify Gaming - 8 / 10

I believe that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden fills a specific niche in terms of genres, offering a unique blend of consequential story telling whilst also delivering a satisfying action role playing experience. It’s not perfect by any means, but it is a huge step forward in terms of creativity in the gaming medium and I’m all for it.

Screen Rant - Rob Gordon - 4 / 5

Overall, Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden is an interesting and innovative action RPG with a few flaws here and there that stop it from being perfect. Its emotionally strong core story will keep players pushing to the end, while its key moral mechanic does have enough complexity to make players think about their decisions. It may have its clunky moments, but it's nonetheless something beefy for players to sink their teeth into.

SomHráč.sk - Gabriel Klimo - Slovak - 80%

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a solid action RPG with a beautiful story, enjoyable gameplay, and gripping atmosphere. There's plenty of issues, though, which drag the game down a bit and the overall experience is just good, not great.

The Beta Network - Anthony Culinas - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has turned out to be another strong IP for developers, Don’t Nod. The game features unique, real-time character-swapping to access different techniques and a solemn story that works best when it’s focused on the protagonists, Red and Antea. While the enemy variety is lacking and the investigation elements can be a tad tiresome, this 25-hour action RPG should absolutely be on your radar.

TheSixthAxis - Dominic Leighton - 8 / 10

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.

Try Hard Guides - Erik Hodges - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghost of New Eden is an intriguing tale of heartbreak and hauntings set in the backdrop of colonial America. Though slow to start, it’s packed to the brim with chilling paranormal cases to solve and haunting ghost combat; you’re sure to have a spookily good time with this title.

WhatIfGaming - Ali Hashmi - 8 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a heartfelt love story, and both Red and Antea are incredibly memorable leads. The detailed haunting cases, difficult choices, and dense atmosphere add up to one of DON'T NOD's best narrative titles in years. Banishers gracefully improves upon the foundation laid by Vampyr in more ways than one, but it's often bogged down by repetitive combat that takes too long to get going. Despite that, it's an adventure worth embarking on, that's refined and respectful of your time.

Everyeye.it - Riccardo Cantù   - Italian - 7.8 / 10

Ultimately, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a solid action RPG, but its value is limited by a general lack of polish in the core mechanics.

Xbox Achievements - Richard Walker - 78%

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.

Gameffine - Jay Krishnan - 77 / 100

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden tells a compelling, emotionally charged story that's supported by a layered cast of characters and great performances. It does stumble a bit when it comes to combat and encounter design and the awful lip-syncing does undermine the otherwise stellar voice acting. But if you're someone used to AA experiences, the pros far outweigh the cons. For $49.99, you're getting a well-written, lengthy single-player campaign with a slew of engaging side content that may take you anywhere from 25-50 hours to knock off.

Gaming Age - Matthew Pollesel - 7.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden represents Don’t Nod’s latest attempt to try and make the whole action thing work. This time out, though, they’ve taken the novel approach of trying to play to their strengths, by creating a narrative-heavy action game with a heartfelt story and multiple endings that depend on your choices. 

Does it work? I can definitively state: kinda, sorta, depending on how you look at it.

Stevivor - Steve Wright - 7.5 / 10

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden's rough edges are easily compensated by its charm. I had a ball meeting the inhabitants of New Eden and making judgements accordingly.

TechRaptor - Tyler Chancey - 7.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is underwhelming as an action RPG, but is a must-play thanks to solid character drama and challenging moral decisions.

Worth Playing - Chris "Atom" DeAngelus - 7.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a great example of less being more. What it does well, it does very well, but those elements are bogged down in a needlessly large, open world that's been padded out with thin gameplay. When you reach the meat of the game, it's usually worth the effort, but there's so much dilution that it has difficulty shining through. The poor performance also makes the tedious elements feel more so. Like its main characters, Banishers is stuck in limbo between excellence and blandness, and I can only hope that any sequel will focus on quality over quantity.

XGN.nl - Stefan Stuursma - Dutch - 7.5 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an enjoyable adventure, with a strong narrative focused on emotions and personal grief, and combat that is both fun to play and customizable to your liking. Sadly, an unstable frame rate and issues in both pacing and choice impact,  do take away a bit from that shine.

PC Gamer - Tom Sykes - 74 / 100

This ghost story is stretched a little thin, but still well worth exploring.

GamePro - Samara Summer - German - 71 / 100

Melancholic adventure with strong stories and good ideas, but which often gets in its own way.

But Why Tho? - Arron Kluz - 7 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden continues Don’t Nod’s recent success with a gripping new experience. While its combat isn’t anything groundbreaking, the world that it transports players to and the story that it tells within it are well worth checking out.

Capsule Computers - Travis Bruno - 7 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden tells a wonderfully written and emotionally gripping story that is hampered by repetitive enemy encounters and stale combat.

ElderPlayers - Ali Mohammed Al Hajri - Arabic - 7 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden was able to distinguished itself with the way it achieved things and presented a good story, and it would have been excellent had it not been for the overlapping of all the stories with each other, in addition to interesting characters. It failed to provide a good visual level and a stable technical performance with frustrating repetition in the enemies and in the design of some areas, making the game in a lower position than Was expected of her.

GameSpot - Richard Wakeling - 7 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a love story about loss and sacrifice, propelling its choice-driven narrative forward amidst middling combat.

IGN - Travis Northup - 7 / 10

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

Infinite Start - Mark Fajardo - 7 / 10

Perhaps the optimal approach to grasping Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is to view it as a high-investment endeavor. Initially, progress may feel sluggish, and the narrative might seem disjointed. However, with increased time and effort, the experience undergoes a marked improvement. Admittedly, transitioning from a lackluster encounter to a satisfactory expertise may not represent the most favorable exchange. Nevertheless, enthusiasts of ghosts, the occult, or dialogue-rich adventures are likely to discover it worthwhile.

Metro GameCentral - Nick Gillett - 7 / 10

A sprawling action RPG with a poignant love affair at its heart, whose enjoyable combat and supernatural detective work is all in pursuit of a morally ambiguous goal of your own choosing.

PowerUp! - Adam Mathew - 7 / 10

When it comes down to that final eulogy, I have way more fond memories of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden than I do regrets.

RPG Site - Adam Vitale - 7 / 10

Banishers: Ghost of New Eden's excellent characters and storytelling are diminished by its mundane world structure and repetitive combat.

RPGamer - Zack Webster - 3.5 / 5

Banishers is not quite the unqualified win I wanted it to be, but it’s easy to appreciate on its merits. While the combat overstays its welcome and the exploration leaves a lot to be desired, there’s enough here to like for those who like strong narratives with great characters.

ZTGD - Ken McKown - 6.5 / 10

Quote not yet available

Gameblog - KQuent - French - 6 / 10

In the end, we see that it's a game that has a lot of good ideas, but didn't know how to execute them all in the right way.

GamesRadar+ - Jon Bailes - 3 / 5

Some gripping ghost stories justify gathering around Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden's campfire, but an open world full of routine skirmishes and mindless repetition might just scare you off again. As Dontnod's longest game yet, Banishers underlines the value of a tighter focus.

Slant Magazine - Aaron Riccio - 3 / 5

Though the length of Ghosts of New Eden’s campaign is useful in establishing the intimate relationship between Red and Antea, it makes the rest of the game feel padded, especially if you’re doing the enjoyable, story-rich sidequests. There just aren’t enough enemy types or Manifestation skills to keep combat feeling fresh, and what you learn within the game’s first 10 hours is more or less what you’ll be doing for the subsequent 20 to 30.

The Game Crater - Tom Wilson - 6 / 10

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden falls short of its potential. Its central protagonists lack the chemistry and development to make meaningful choices feel impactful. Its combat and exploration feel like they've been lifted from better games, barely iterating on established formulas and, in some cases, making them worse. While there are some enjoyable side quests and the occasional glimmer of hope in the main subplot, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden never reaches the heights it should.

TheGamer - Joe Parlock - 3 / 5

Banishers is a game I’m going to be thinking about for a long time, for better or worse. You’ll likely not find a better story than it any time soon, but there are plenty other better ways you could be spending your time.

ACG - Jeremy Penter - Buy

"A sometimes flawed but brilliantly unique title from Dont Nod"

Chicas Gamers - Juanma Luengo - Spanish - Unscored

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is destined to be one of the games of the year. It may go unnoticed among the mountain of releases that still await us in 2024, but it is still a truly interesting option for lovers of single-player games with an absorbing story. A great job by DON'T NOD who, using the base of Vampyr, the narrative of Life is strange and many ideas, especially from God Of War, have managed to create a game that shines with its own light. Hopefully sales will be good and we can have a sequel to this new IP in the future.

Console Creatures - Patrick Tremblay - Recommended

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden promises an unforgettable adventure, offering a well-balanced mix of combat, exploration, and narration to captivate players from the first moments.

Polygon - Tauriq Moosa - Polygon Recommends

Banishers is a spooky, loving tale about two incredible people. I cried a few times, both for these two characters I grew to adore, and for the very sad stories of others just trying to make it in a difficult world. While the combat is not spectacular, and the graphics are middling, everything else makes this a very special game. With superb writing, excellent performances, a clever central mechanic, and thoughtful, engaging stories, Banishers is Don’t Nod’s best game yet.

Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Alice Bell - RPS Bestest Bests

Don't Nod's new third-person goth-tragedy action-adventure RPG is full of swashbuckling ghost hunting, bound up in a story unironically about the power of love. Despite some repetition and busywork, it's a great time.

Skill Up - Ralph Panebianco - Unscored

Video Review - Quote not available

cublikefoot - Claire Ferrin - Recommended

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden does many things well, including the combat, the exploration, and the narrative, but I can’t say that any one of these is anything more than just “good”.

gameranx - Unscored

Video Review - Quote not available

 

[Keyser_Soze]

This is only $50 not a bad price. 🤔

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

 

 

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a deeply moving exorcism epic

WWW.POLYGON.COM

---

It’s a whole game made of Witcher 3 contracts that will make you cry

 

Quote

The eradication of ghosts and demons is a classic plot foundation. From Ghostbusters to The Exorcist, stories about heroes who rid people or places of spooks provide a strong canvas for a range of human experiences. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is not only a good example of this genre, but one of the best-written, most visually intriguing and impactful I’ve ever encountered.

 

Quote

Banishers is a spooky, loving tale about two incredible people. I cried a few times, both for these two characters I grew to adore, and for the very sad stories of others just trying to make it in a difficult world. While the combat is not spectacular, and the graphics are middling, everything else makes this a very special game. With superb writing, excellent performances, a clever central mechanic, and thoughtful, engaging stories, Banishers is Don’t Nod’s best game yet.

 

[best3444]

Hmm...83 is definitely not bad but not sure I'd spend $50. Maybe it hits gamepass.

[best3444]

Watching reviews is confusing. They claim it's a very good game but then score it in the 7's...

 

If easy allies still does reviews I'll wait on that. 

[skillzdadirecta]

29 minutes ago, best3444 said:

They claim it's a very good game but then score it in the 7's...

Because 7 doesn't mean bad or even mediocre by most scales of 1-10. Gamers have gotten review score really wrong for decades. If a game doesn't score in the 9's it sucks which is nuts. 

 

2 hours ago, Keyser_Soze said:

This is only $50 not a bad price. 🤔

I didn't know it was only 50... was already thinking about getting it day one to support the devs. This seals the deal for me even if I don't actually play it for weeks 

[best3444]

Just now, skillzdadirecta said:

Because 7 doesn't mean bad or even mediocre by most scales of 1-10. Gamers have gotten review score really wrong for decades. If a game doesn't score in the 9's it sucks which is nuts. 

 

Well I personally think a 7 is just ok. 8 good, 9 great. 10 a masterpiece. This game has my interest but I wish there was a demo to try. 

[skillzdadirecta]

Just now, best3444 said:

 

Well I personally think a 7 is just ok. 8 good, 9 great. 10 a masterpiece. This game has my interest but I wish there was a demo to try. 

Sounds like your "7" is actually a "5" on most reviewers scale of 1-10... Doesn't "5" typically mean "mediocre" which is "ok"? That was always my understanding. I took 7's to mean good and anything above a 7 to mean great and 10 to mean masterpiece. That's the way I understood most review scales.

[best3444]

11 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Sounds like your "7" is actually a "5" on most reviewers scale of 1-10... Doesn't "5" typically mean "mediocre" which is "ok"? That was always my understanding. I took 7's to mean good and anything above a 7 to mean great and 10 to mean masterpiece. That's the way I understood most review scales.

 

I read a bunch of reviews now and this will be a very good game. With a $50 price tag this is worth a buy. I might bite tomorrow 😬 

[best3444]

One review I really go by is ACG. He said it's worth a buy and he only says that if it’s truly a good game. 

[skillzdadirecta]

Hey @Keyser_Soze where are you seeing this for 50 bucks? It's $59.00 wherever I look.

[TheLeon]

GMG has Steam keys for $42. The specs aren’t too beefy, I can probably run it fine on my laptop.

[best3444]

48 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Hey @Keyser_Soze where are you seeing this for 50 bucks? It's $59.00 wherever I look.

 

It's only the PC version that is $50. Console runs at $60. 

[skillzdadirecta]

Ah ok... Oh well I'll get it for 60. EDIT: Technically it's 50 for me still because I have coupons at Best Buy  Have to buy the physical disc though.

[best3444]

4 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Ah ok... Oh well I'll get it for 60. EDIT: Technically it's 50 for me still because I have coupons at Best Buy  Have to buy the physical disc though.

 

Why aren't you playing this right away?

[skillzdadirecta]

4 minutes ago, best3444 said:

 

Why aren't you playing this right away?

Playing other games... I'll get around to it eventually. 

[best3444]

Someone please talk me out if getting this tomorrow. I can't afford it but I want to play it. 

[Mr.Vic20]

6 minutes ago, best3444 said:

Someone please talk me out if getting this tomorrow. I can't afford it but I want to play it. 

Sorry, I just played it and I love the atmosphere, the music, the characters, and the game play (so far) leaves nothing to complain about! 

[best3444]

5 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Sorry, I just played it and I love the atmosphere, the music, the characters, and the game play (so far) leaves nothing to complain about! 

 

How in the hell did you play it? I'm extremely tempted to buy this on my deck. 

[Mr.Vic20]

Just now, best3444 said:

 

How in the hell did you play it? I'm extremely tempted to buy this on my deck. 

Its up on Steam now, they much have launched early. I just played through the intro that get you to New Eden. I'm saving this for the weekend, but I'm now looking forward to playing it, where as I was just curious before playing. My wife was very much engaged as well, which is always nice when I'm taking up the main screen in the living room in the evening! 

[best3444]

7 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Its up on Steam now, they much have launched early. I just played through the intro that get you to New Eden. I'm saving this for the weekend, but I'm now looking forward to playing it, where as I was just curious before playing. My wife was very much engaged as well, which is always nice when I'm taking up the main screen in the living room in the evening! 

 

Ok I'm sold. I did my research and I'm buying this for my deck. Thanks a lot for  the impressions. 

[best3444]

I think I might buy this on my xsx. I'm now debating if I should go deck or xsx...

[best3444]

Well this review I just watched said it runs great on deck but looks much better on console and PC. So I'm still deciding. 

[Mr.Vic20]

4 minutes ago, best3444 said:

Well this review I just watched said it runs great on deck but looks much better on console and PC. So I'm still deciding. 

Its a movie/game experience, so I recommend the big screen for this one. 

[best3444]

3 minutes ago, Mr.Vic20 said:

Its a movie/game experience, so I recommend the big screen for this one. 

 

Ok I agree. Xsx it is!

[best3444]

Purchased and downloading now. 

 

[skillzdadirecta]

Out of curiosity, do we know how long the campaign is?

[Commissar SFLUFAN]

3 minutes ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Out of curiosity, do we know how long the campaign is?

 

I've seen about 25 to 30 hours.

[best3444]

1 hour ago, skillzdadirecta said:

Out of curiosity, do we know how long the campaign is?

 

30 hours. Basically every review said that. One guy took 36 hours and he said it was all worth while content too. 

[best3444]

@skillzdadirecta @stepee

 

I'm about to play now! I know you guys don't care about my personal opinion but I'll let you guys know what I think. I'll probably play 2 hours or so.