A full-scale action RPG that sees you venturing across the haunted wilds of a fictionalized colonial America as two ill-fated lovers, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden seems set to play to the strengths of its developer, Don’t Nod. As the creators of Life is Strange and Life is Strange 2, the studio is best known for its strong repertoire of touching story-based games.
In addition to presenting another compelling narrative, this upcoming title also appears to build on some of the more action-oriented ambitions seen in their lesser-known gems such as Vampyr and Remember Me. I went hands-on with an early build of the game for almost two hours and came away impressed by the stellar performances of its main cast and intrigued by my small taste of some of the challenging moral decisions that await when it launches on February 13 next year.
Worlds apart
Ghost hunting duo Red mac Raith and Antea Duarte were the clear stars of the show during my time with Banishers. I picked things up a couple of hours into the story, with Red washing up alone on a mysterious beach after a supernatural encounter gone awry. It is immediately clear that something is very wrong, and, separated from Antea, it is my first task to see the pair reunited.
Exploring the deserted beach and nearby caves, the tension is elevated by the game’s suitably disconcerting visual direction. The world is a harsh and untamed wilderness, dominated by muted colors and obscured by low-hanging mists. It’s strikingly atmospheric, and rather than appearing too drab and uninviting, it seems like the perfect setting for such a macabre tale.
Scant evidence of human life is scattered across the landscape in the form of dilapidated huts or ruined colonial fortifications, reflecting a period where the advances of humanity sit squarely at odds with the whims of mother nature. This underlying conflict is soon reflected by the protagonists themselves as, stumbling across what appears to be Antea’s visage in the stream of a gloomy waterfall, it becomes apparent that she is now a spirit.
As a Banisher, Red’s sworn duty is to exorcize ghosts to ensure that their souls pass peacefully into the afterlife - including Antea's. Their relationship is complex, however, with Antea acting as both Red’s trusted mentor and lover. Saying goodbye is not easy for the pair, so they instead opt to accompany each other despite the barriers posed by the distance between their respective worlds.
Fire and sword
Combat has never been this studio’s strong suit, but, as something that you will be doing a lot of as you begin to explore, it was a huge relief to see that fighting has received a major overhaul compared to previous games. The foundations here will feel immediately familiar to anyone who has ever struggled through one of the slightly janky brawls in Vampyr, but thankfully, all feels much tighter now.
An indicator is now visible around your character at all times when enemies are present, alerting you to their general locations and any incoming attacks - a much-needed addition that stops things becoming too hectic as the pace ramps up. While Red is armed with a rifle and a sword that can both produce the conventional mix of light and heavy attacks, Antea brings a suite of supernatural abilities to the table including charged attacks and ghostly projectiles. As in the investigation segments, she can be switched to at any time and her melee swings produce a special type of damage that is more effective on certain enemies.
Like Vampyr, there is also a sizable skill tree to work your way through, in addition to the expected array of improved weapons, armor, or other gear you unlock through story progression or by finding the many hidden chests throughout your travels. It’s not a groundbreaking formula by any means, but all of our combat encounters felt suitably smooth and provided a refreshing change of pace between heavier story moments, if nothing else.
Going off this strong first impression, I’m very interested to see what other tough decisions and combat mechanics will be left to discover when Banishers: Ghost of New Eden launches on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC next year.
Interested in games with great stories? See our guides to the best single-player games and best indie games for some recommendations.
