8 /10 13

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden represents Don’t Nod’s most ambitious narrative-action fusion, abandoning dialogue-only storytelling for genuine RPG mechanics without sacrificing character depth. Set in 1695 New Eden, the game follows Red and Antea, lovers bound by the Banisher oath to protect the living from restless spirits. When tragedy tears them apart, Red faces an agonizing choice: honor his vows or shatter sacred oaths to resurrect his beloved. Critics praised the emotionally sophisticated central dilemma, memorable character interplay, and well-executed combat systems, though pacing suffers from uneven side-quest distribution and occasional technical roughness. The game blends god-of-war inspired melee combat with witchy ranged abilities, detective work, and moral choice systems that genuinely impact story outcomes. Metacritic scores range 78-81 depending on platform, reflecting strong foundational design occasionally undermined by execution inconsistencies.

How to Play Banishers Ghosts of New Eden

Banishers combines investigative puzzle-solving, atmospheric exploration, and skill-based real-time combat. Players uncover haunting cases through dialogue investigation, environmental clues, and flashback sequences. Each case demands uncovering the spirit’s tragic history to make meaningful banishment choices that affect multiple story endings.

1. Controls – Controller-focused with smooth melee/ranged combat combo system; full customization available; learning curve mild for action-RPG newcomers
2. Progression – 16 main missions across multiple New Eden regions; 23 optional haunting cases unlock skill trees, equipment tiers, and meaningful story variations
3. Combat/Mechanics – Switch between Red’s sword/melee arsenal and Antea’s spiritual magic abilities mid-combat; difficulty scaling affects enemy variety, resource scarcity, and puzzle complexity significantly
4. Tips – Gather resources before boss encounters; investigate every haunting case for lore depth and stat bonuses; higher difficulties reward exploration through better gear drops and stat multipliers

Who Should Play Banishers Ghosts of New Eden

Banishers targets players seeking narrative-driven action-RPGs where story consequences reshape gameplay, not merely cinematics. The game rewards moral deliberation over reflexes, making it ideal for players valuing character investment and story branches equally to combat engagement.

• Narrative RPG fans – Players who loved Divinity: Original Sin 2’s moral complexity or The Witcher 3’s side-quest depth will appreciate meaningful haunting case resolutions
• Action enthusiasts – Those enjoying God of War’s melee-focused combat without overwhelming difficulty curves; skill-based but not punishingly hard
• Emotional storytellers – The Red/Antea relationship anchors every story decision; players seeking character-driven narrative over world-spanning epic plots find resonance
• Skip if – Multiplayer seekers, fast-paced action junkies preferring competitive gameplay, or players uncomfortable with dark themes (suicide, sacrifice, grief) should reconsider

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden Platform Performance

Banishers demonstrates exceptional optimization across current-generation platforms. PS5 and Xbox Series X deliver stable 60fps in performance mode (1440p dynamic) with minimal frame pacing issues; quality mode targets 4K/30fps with rock-solid consistency. PC performance scales dramatically based on hardware tier, supporting everything from 1080p/60fps on modest rigs to uncapped framerates on high-end systems.

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden System Requirements

Banishers demands mid-tier PC hardware for comfortable 1440p/60fps gameplay. Minimum specs support older systems from 2016 onward, though texture streaming and loading times benefit significantly from SSD storage. Recommended specs ensure stable framerates with ray-tracing enabled.

Similar Games to Banishers Ghosts of New Eden

Banishers occupies an interesting space between narrative-adventure hybrids and action-RPGs. Games with comparable emotional stakes, character-driven narratives, and meaningful choice consequences share similar design philosophies, though mechanics vary significantly.

• The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Side-quest depth rivals Banishers’ haunting cases; similar emotional companion arcs and morally complex branching choices, though larger scope and open-world traversal differ
• God of War (2018) – Melee combat foundations share DNA; intimate character relationships drive narrative; smaller scope than typical action games mirrors Banishers’ regional approach
• Vampyr – Previous Don’t Nod title; similar choice-consequence systems and urban exploration; lighter combat but stronger dialogue-writing focus
• Divinity: Original Sin 2 – Turn-based instead of real-time, but moral complexity and relationship dynamics between protagonists mirror Banishers’ character-first design philosophy

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden vs Competitors

Banishers competes across multiple market segments: action-RPGs, narrative adventures, and story-driven Indies. Unlike purely action-focused titles (God of War, Devil May Cry) or pure narrative games (Tell Me Why, Firewatch), Banishers demands success in both domains, creating unique positioning.

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden Story and World

New Eden, 1695: a colonial frontier plagued by supernatural forces where civilized settlers clash with native mysteries and ancient curses. The world-building subtly incorporates indigenous spiritual beliefs without appropriation, grounding the fantasy in moral complexity. Red mac Raith carries mercenary guilt; his lover Antea becomes his redemption path until her untimely death creates the game’s central dilemma. Every haunting case mirrors themes of sacrifice, duty, love, and the cost of conviction. The narrative forces genuine moral deliberation: does the living child matter more than the dead mother’s rest? These aren’t binary good/evil choices but competing values requiring players to confront their own ethical frameworks. Environmental storytelling layers backstory through environmental interaction and NPC dialogue, rewarding exploration without forcing exposition dumps.

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden Multiplayer and Online

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden remains entirely single-player focused with no multiplayer, co-op, or online features planned. The intimate character relationship drives narrative design, making solo storytelling essential to maintaining emotional impact.

• Single-player – Complete narrative experience designed exclusively for solo play; no co-op or competitive modes
• Difficulty scaling – Story Mode emphasizes narrative over combat; Normal Mode balances both; Hard/Nightmare modes dramatically increase challenge and resource management demands
• New Game Plus – Not confirmed; developers focused on single-playthrough experience with multiple endings
• Cross-platform – No cloud saves or cross-platform progression; each platform maintains separate save files

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden DLC and Expansions

Banishers launched with cosmetic DLC focusing on character appearance customization and equipment skins. No story expansions announced; developers confirm the narrative concludes definitively in base game, with all 23 haunting cases resolved through main campaign.

• Wanderer Set DLC – $4.99 cosmetic; includes Red outfit increasing melee damage 5% and silver sword/magic items for Antea; purely aesthetic beyond minor stat boosts
• Free updates – Post-launch patches addressed technical issues and balance adjustments; no substantial story content added
• Collector’s Edition – Physical release includes art book, steelbook case, and character rings; exclusive to Focus Entertainment Store
• Red Echoes Edition – Premium tier featuring leather notebook, ink set, and all physical collector items for higher tier buyers

Banishers Ghosts of New Eden Community and Support

Banishers maintains active developer engagement and thriving community discussion. The game’s emotional narrative complexity and controversial moral choices sparked genuine philosophical debate within player communities, creating lasting engagement past launch.

• Official Discord – Don’t Nod maintains active server; developers regularly respond to bug reports and balance feedback
• Reddit and forums – Dedicated subreddits host discussion about ending variations, haunting case resolutions, and character relationship analysis
• Patch support – Regular post-launch updates addressed technical issues and minor balance tweaks; developers responsive to community feedback
• Content creation – Strong streaming and video essay presence analyzing moral choice impacts and narrative branching; developers appreciate fan analysis and discussion