Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Review Summary – Everything in One Place

In this day and age, when there's an almost ridiculous number of phenomenal games coming out, being aware of the critics' thoughts on a new release is more important than ever before. That's where our review summary series comes into the picture, giving you a broad but in-depth idea of what you've got in front of you! So far, we've taken a look at:

Just to list a few! And, what do you know, our next stop is none other than Dontnod's Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. Now, we've already discussed what makes Banishers a must-play for fans of narrative-heavy games such as God of War and The Last of Us, but we want you to have more context still. That's where this article comes into the picture!

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What do the Reviews Say?

As per usual, our first point of contact is Banishers' OpenCritic page. This aggregate score should give you an idea of what you're getting, quality-wise, and whether this is a good game without so much as a single spoiler! And, indeed, we're looking at some incredibly impressive scores for a relatively small-scale AA production. More specifically, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden enjoys a 'Strong' OpenCritic rating thanks to 65 critic reviews in total. 86% of critics reviewing the game recommend Banishers, with the game's aggregate score sitting at a lovely 82/100 in total.

So, broadly, there's a very compelling game here: the only question is that of its audience!

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"The heart of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is the heart-warming, heart-breaking, tragic, magic love story..." - God is a Geek

Mick Fraser reviewed Banishers for God is a Geek, and he scored it a delightful 9 out of 10, citing fantastic voice work, the explorable overworld, and compelling choice-based progression as the game's strongest features. In comparison, Banishers's combat is slightly clumsy at first, and it takes a bit until the system truly opens up.

"Should you spare a woman whose actions for the greater good have condemned settlers to death? Should you appoint yourself judge, jury and executioner to a man whose only crime was losing his mind in the wake of accidentally slaying his best friend? Knowing that these choices won’t only affect the characters in question but also Red and Antea’s future and, ultimately, the outcome of the game’s central mystery adds genuine weight to your decisions – and keeping the oath you swore isn’t always a simple matter of right or wrong," Fraser says. "It helps that Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden has some of the best writing and voice work I’ve heard outside of a first-party Sony blockbuster."

"A fantastic piece of storytelling." - The Sixth Axis

The Sixth Axis' writer Domic L had the good fortune of being assigned Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden for reviewing, and he too gave it a high 8/10 score. Though it suffers somewhat from uneven pacing, according to Dominic, Banishers serves up an "enthralling" narrative with genuinely interesting combat and decision-making options. "While [Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden] 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," he said.

Dominic also points out Banishers' mature take on the eponymous frontier ghost story: "My partner sat alongside me as I played through much of the game, and it started some very deep and meaningful conversations, not least when she was particularly taken aback by a crucial decision I made that she didn’t agree with," he said. "Players are going to come away from Banishers with their own tale, and their own outlook on the characters they encounter, and that’s a remarkable achievement for what could otherwise have been a more prescribed adventure." High praise indeed.

 

"An accomplished and emotional action adventure." - Rock Paper Shotgun

As for Rock Paper Shotgun, one of our favorite gaming sites, here we circle over to Alice Bell. "Despite some repetition and busywork, it's a great time," she states plainly. "What warmed me more to the game, and what kept me hanging around for 40-odd hours when I could probably have sprinted through in 20, was the story - Red and Antea's partnership, and the cases they dealt with."

Rock Paper Shotgun did not, of course, rate Banishers - as is the site's purview. Bell was very happy with her experience overall, however: "The annoyances, such as they are, will weigh heavy on some people, and the invitation to care earnestly, and to enjoy a story that is unironically about the power of love, will be anathema to others," she says in her conclusion. "But gosh, it's a nice game - an oasis of solid single player story in a dry season of live service - and the biggest step forward in this particular direction that Don't Nod have taken for years."

That's a strong recommendation if we've ever read one. So, why not jump right in, then?

Play Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden on PC with 2Game!

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In this day and age, when there’s an almost ridiculous number of phenomenal games coming out, being aware of the critics’ thoughts on a new release is more important than ever before. That’s where our review summary series comes into the picture, giving you a broad but in-depth idea of what you’ve got in front of […]