Banishers Ghosts of New Eden is an action-RPG whose enigmatic universe, visibly nervous gameplay, and choice system have piqued the curiosity of the general public. Does it manage to place itself at the same level as the latest big names in the genre such as the reboot of God of War?
Banishers Ghosts of New Eden puts us in the shoes of Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith, Banishers whose role is to track down ghosts to send them back to the afterlife. Unfortunately, during an investigation, an entity takes the life of Red’s partner who then finds himself alone. But not for long, since he meets the ghost of his lover stuck between the world of the living and that of the ghosts. Together, they will try to find a way to undo the curse that has hit Antea. Here are our first impressions of Don’t Nod’s next game after playing it for two hours.
A fascinating mysterious universe
Banishers has a mystical universe that is original to say the least. A strange plague has ravaged the lands of North America and our protagonists will have to deal with its consequences. Antea and Red have a heightened sense of duty and they will try to help the different communities they will meet throughout their adventures. These people in need are haunted by a certain type of revenant and it is the role of the Banishers to hunt him down.
New Eden, the region where the plot of the game takes place, is inhabited by many strange creatures that we like to discover. Since these are such unique threats, it’s hard to know what to expect. Thus, we anticipate the clashes against the ghosts, because the universe of the title of Don’t Nod is immediately presented as elusive. There are a handful of creatures that will truly surprise and confuse with their unusual design.
Humans did not receive similar treatment. Although graphically Banishers looks good, the facial animations are not to the point. As a result, the cutscenes tend to leave marble, because the characters have a hard time conveying the slightest emotion through their faces. It’s the dubbing that will fill this blemish, because let’s be honest, the casting provides.
A recessed but effective investigation game aspect
On the gameplay side, Banishers is divided into two very distinct phases. We first arrive in a place and someone will give us a quest. We must then find the trace of the ghost who bothers our poor client or a person he knows. But first, you have to identify the type of spirit you have to deal with. No, it’s not the sequel to Phasmophobia. To do this, we will visit the places where he was seen and use the powers of Antea. She is able to hear and feel echoes of the past, especially when it comes to the final moments of a deceased person. Red then takes care of assimilating them thanks to his arm with mysterious properties.
Concretely, there is no big search to do, because the game will often tell us where these famous echoes are via Antea. The investigation aspect does not appear to be very advanced, even if it remains very well executed. However, this does not mean that the progression is linear. Once on a mission, we travel through a semi-open map that conceals secrets hidden everywhere. For example, it is possible to come across treasure maps that will push you to move away from the beaten track. In general, frolicking through forests, mountains and rivers has only one real use: to recover resources. They will then be used to improve his equipment or to obtain skill points which can be distributed at a campfire. However, we also take advantage of these outdoor walks to take part in fights.
Gameplay that sometimes struggles to convince
The two protagonists each have specificities both in terms of equipment and abilities. Red’s arsenal consists of armor, a sword, a bayonet and a torch. For her part, Antea can use her relics and her new form to launch spiritual attacks. In combat, it is possible to switch from one character to another, which opens the door to a wide range of combos. Antea being already dead, her gameplay diverges on several points from that of Red. To avoid abusing its ghost status, its use is limited in time. Thus, when it is selected, a gauge appears instead of its life bar. The latter empties slowly, but if the young woman takes a hit, it drops drastically. The same is true when using his powers. Everything she does has a cost and this gives a more strategic and pleasant dimension to the confrontations.
Contrary to the skills of our two friends, the fights are all that is more classic in an action-RPG. Enemies have levels, they drop materials on death, skirmishes can go on forever, anyway, it’s a proven formula. Know also that if the monsters prove too complicated to defeat, five difficulty modes are at your disposal. However, given the few varied and predictable attacks from the ghosts we faced, it is possible that a form of weariness sets in on Easy or Normal.
But your frenzied battles against the creatures of New Eden will be hampered by the control of Antea and Red. Their movements are far from fluid, not to say heavy, and it sometimes makes you cringe. Fortunately, the singular character of the gameplay of the cursed lovers manages to make forget this frustrating aspect of the experience.
The choice system, a false promise?
Don’t Nod Entertainment has built its reputation on delivering games where the player’s choices are meant to dictate the rest of the adventure. This is not the case every time, but that does not prevent this system from bringing depth to the dialogues of the various productions of the studio. Banishers was therefore no exception to the rule and occasionally, he will present the player with an important choice. The emphasis is on the consequences that will come with the chosen option. Perfect for spicing up the story.
But one concern persists. These famous reprisals, will they be felt only at the end of the game? If this turns out, we will not really decide the ins and outs of the adventure. The impression of freedom in the narration will be distorted, since only the conclusion will be influenced, which is a less exhilarating prospect.
We are waiting for it… with curiosity
In our opinion, Banishers Ghost of New Eden is intended to be an action-RPG with as much response as a God of War and as much mystery as a Lovecraft-style puzzle game. The investigation and tracking of ghosts part is successful, like the universe that tickles our curiosity. The clashes, despite original ideas, raise some questions. Combat movement lacks fluidity and Antea and Red’s control is a little heavy. As for the story, it promises to have its share of twists and difficult choices. Nevertheless, it is often difficult to enjoy the dialogue sequences because of the rather confusing facial animations.