Info about Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden:

Official game description:
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About the Game
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In New Eden, 1695, communities of settlers are plagued by a dreadful curse. As Banishers, step into their lives, investigate the source of evil, unravel chilling mysteries, explore diverse landscapes, and interact with unforgettable characters whose fate lies in your hands.  
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is an all-new title crafted by renowned studio DON'T NOD, known for their acclaimed titles such as Life is Strange and Vampyr. Immerse yourself in an intimate narrative Action-RPG, taking you on an exhilarating journey between life, death, love and sacrifices.  
Play as a couple of Banishers, Red and Antea, experienced spirit hunters entrusted with the daunting task of dispelling a malevolent curse through powerful rituals. Protect the living from the threat of lingering ghosts and specters, and become a beacon of hope in a world consumed by darkness.  
Experience a heart-wrenching love story between Antea Duarte and Red mac Raith. When Antea is killed and turned into a spirit, you find yourself facing a choice. Will you uphold your oath and ascend her soul, or will you sacrifice the living in the hope of bringing her back? Your decisions will shape the fate of New Eden’s inhabitants - may they be living or dead, and determine the end of your journey.  
*   **BLAME** the living and sacrifice their lives, holding them responsible for their actions  
*   **BANISH** souls of the departed, condemning them to eternal suffering  
*   **ASCEND** souls, liberating them from eternal sorrow and granting them serenity
Banishers are specialized in combat against undead creatures, such as specters or ghosts. Combine Red's physical arsenal with Antea's supernatural powers in a dynamic combat system. Find your own style by mixing weapon attacks and spiritual abilities. Powerful synergies will lead you to defeat New Eden’s most dangerous enemies and bosses.  
Unleash the full power of the Banishers by unlocking new gear and supernatural abilities. By exploring New Eden, you will find ancient artifacts, trinkets and valuable resources to enhance your equipment in preparation of future fights. In addition to your arsenal, progress in Antea’s skill trees to upgrade her devastating spectral powers and unseal new combos.  
Investigate haunting cases in a mystical world full of dark secrets. Discover New Eden, a North America settlement marked by terrible stories and secrets of its tormented inhabitants. Understanding each resident’s motivations will be essential to guide your decisions throughout the game.

Release date: 12 Feb, 2024

Categories: Action RPG, Single-player Story, Choice-based Narrative, Investigative Gameplay, Real-time Combat, Character Progression, Exploration, Multiple Endings


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- Playtime Metrics: No data
- Time-to-fun: No data
- Player Archetypes: No data


Below are summaries of things people say about the game per category.
Each point is assigned a weight that represents how often it is mentioned across all reviews.
What players like:
- Compelling story, deep characters, choices (weight 0.99): The game features a compelling and emotionally resonant story with well-developed characters, impactful choices, and a rich atmosphere. The narrative explores mature themes and offers a deep, layered experience that often requires multiple playthroughs to fully appreciate. The game's world-building, lore, and side quests are also praised for their quality and integration with the main story.
- Unique, engaging combat system (weight 0.14): The combat system is praised for its unique character-switching mechanic, which adds depth and variety to encounters. Players enjoy experimenting with different builds and combos, and boss fights are often highlighted as engaging and well-designed. The combat is considered an improvement over the developer's previous title, Vampyr.
- Endearing main characters, strong relationship (weight 0.11): The relationship between the two main characters, Antea and Red, is a central highlight of the game. Reviewers praise their well-developed personalities, believable interactions, and the emotional depth of their connection. The voice acting for these characters is also consistently lauded.
- Meaningful, well-written side quests (weight 0.08): The game features well-written and engaging side quests that explore a range of emotions and themes. These quests often present morally grey choices with meaningful consequences, sometimes even surpassing the main storyline in terms of character development and drama. Completing side quests is worthwhile due to the interesting stories, unique rewards and their impact on the game's ending.
- Visually appealing, detailed graphics (weight 0.08): The game features beautiful and detailed graphics that create an immersive and atmospheric world. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail in the environments, character models, and animations, which contribute to the overall sense of realism and immersion.
- Impactful moral choices, consequences (weight 0.07): The game presents players with difficult moral dilemmas that force them to consider the consequences of their actions. These choices have a noticeable impact on the game world and the fates of various characters, leading to multiple endings and encouraging introspection on right and wrong.
- Unique, well-realized historical setting (weight 0.06): The game is set in a unique and well-realized 17th-century North American setting, which provides a fresh backdrop for the story and themes. Reviewers appreciate the attention to detail in the environments and the way the setting contributes to the game's overall atmosphere.
- Adjustable difficulty, user-friendly controls (weight 0.05): The game offers adjustable difficulty levels and streamlined controls, making it accessible to a wide range of players. Reviewers appreciate the ability to customize the controls and adjust the difficulty on the fly.
- Immersive atmosphere, great sound design (weight 0.05): The game's atmosphere is enhanced by its excellent sound design and music. The soundtrack effectively builds tension and complements the game's dark and melancholic tone, while the sound effects create an immersive and eerie experience.
- Excellent voice acting, decent dialogue (weight 0.04): The game features excellent voice acting, with the main characters and many NPCs delivering strong and convincing performances. The dialogue is also generally well-written and engaging.
- Well-designed, engaging boss fights (weight 0.04): The game features well-designed and enjoyable boss fights that integrate story and gameplay. These encounters are often challenging but not impossible, and they require players to use specific tactics and strategies.
- Rewarding exploration, Metroidvania elements (weight 0.03): Exploration is rewarding, with well-designed levels that offer shortcuts and hidden items. The game incorporates Metroidvania elements, with new areas becoming accessible as players gain new abilities.
- Simple, customizable progression system (weight 0.03): The game features a simple and intuitive progression system that allows players to customize their characters and equipment to suit their play style. The game avoids excessive grinding and encourages experimentation with different builds.
- Improved over previous game, Vampyr (weight 0.02): The game is considered an improvement over the developer's previous title, Vampyr, with smoother combat, better graphics, and more refined systems. Reviewers appreciate that the developers learned from their mistakes and built upon the strengths of their previous work.
- Captivating world, New Eden (weight 0.02): The game's world, New Eden, is captivating and well-designed, with detailed environments and a mystical atmosphere. The ghost case stories are touching and immersive, drawing players into the lives and tragedies of the town's settlers.

Common complaints:
- Repetitive and uninspired combat (weight 0.65): Combat is frequently criticized for becoming repetitive and uninspired. This is due to a limited variety of enemy types, simplistic combat mechanics, and a lack of meaningful character progression. Many reviewers found themselves growing bored with the combat encounters, even after unlocking new skills and abilities.
- Tedious, unrewarding open-world exploration (weight 0.46): The game world suffers from tedious exploration due to a combination of factors. These include: a large but empty map, limited and poorly placed fast travel points, repetitive level design with excessive backtracking, unrewarding loot, and frequent traversal mechanics that interrupt the flow. Many reviewers found themselves frustrated by the amount of time spent running through uninteresting environments with little to show for it.
- Inadequate fast travel system (weight 0.43): The game's fast travel system is inadequate, with fast travel limited to sparsely located campfires. This forces players to spend excessive amounts of time running through the same areas repeatedly, exacerbating the issues with the game's large and empty map design.
- Game length artificially padded (weight 0.42): The game's length is artificially extended through padding, including excessive backtracking, repetitive side quests, and an overabundance of collectibles. This leads to player fatigue and a feeling that the game overstays its welcome.
- Forced, unavoidable combat encounters (weight 0.41): Players are often forced into combat encounters with no option to avoid them. This can be frustrating, especially when backtracking or simply trying to explore the world. The inability to escape combat further contributes to the game's repetitive nature.
- Underwhelming RPG systems and loot (weight 0.39): The game's RPG systems, including character progression, itemization, and the economy, are underwhelming and lack depth. Gear upgrades offer minimal benefits, the economy is largely useless, and character builds offer limited experimentation. This makes exploration and looting feel unrewarding.
- Repetitive and formulaic sidequests (weight 0.39): Side quests, particularly the haunting cases, become repetitive and formulaic. These quests often involve a linear investigation process with simplistic moral choices and uninspired writing. The overabundance of these quests can detract from the main story and make the game feel bloated.
- Story and choices lack impact (weight 0.06): The story and choices lack impact, with predictable plotlines and limited consequences for player decisions. Some reviewers felt that the endings were unsatisfying or that the game telegraphed the 'correct' choices, diminishing the sense of agency.
- Lacks polish, technical issues (weight 0.04): The game suffers from a lack of polish, with reviewers reporting various technical issues such as clipping errors, stuttering, crashes, and poor optimization. These issues detract from the overall experience and make the game feel unrefined.
- Unlikable characters, poor chemistry (weight 0.04): Several reviewers found Antea's character unlikeable due to her negative personality traits and stiff voice acting. The relationship between Antea and Red was also criticized for lacking chemistry and feeling unconvincing.
- Narrative pushes a 'woke' agenda (weight 0.03): Some reviewers felt that the game's narrative pushed a particular agenda too strongly, with unbalanced portrayals of male and female characters and anachronistic social commentary. This led to a sense of disconnect and reduced immersion for these reviewers.
- Game underappreciated, lacked marketing (weight 0.02): Several reviewers expressed disappointment that the game did not receive more attention or achieve greater commercial success. Some attributed this to poor marketing or the game's niche appeal.
- Unlikable and forgettable NPCs (weight 0.02): Many NPCs are unlikable, toxic, or forgettable, detracting from the overall experience. The game's dark and grim atmosphere, combined with these negative character portrayals, can be mentally distressing.
- Dialogue and interactions are clunky (weight 0.02): Dialogue is tied to inspect actions, forcing players to stand still and wait for conversations to finish before progressing. Some characters don't react to world changes, creating immersion-breaking glitches.

Gameplay feedback:
- Moral choices impact story/endings (weight 0.11): The core gameplay revolves around investigating hauntings and making moral choices that impact the story, character relationships, and multiple endings. Players must decide the fate of spirits and settlers, choosing to banish, ascend, or blame, with consequences that shape the game world. The game avoids a 'choose your ending' selection, instead committing to the player's choices made throughout the game.
- Character progression and skill upgrades (weight 0.1): The game features character progression through skill trees, gear upgrades, and equipment. New abilities are unlocked, encouraging backtracking to previously explored areas to uncover new secrets and content. The game rewards a versatile approach, allowing free redistribution of ability points before each battle, encouraging experimentation with all mechanics.
- Semi-open world, linear progression (weight 0.09): The game features a semi-open world structure with linear paths, exploration, and environmental puzzles. The world gradually expands as the player progresses through the game. The game balances combat, map exploration, and reading/understanding lore.
- Character-switching combat and exploration (weight 0.09): The game features a combat system where players switch between two characters, Red and Antea, each with unique abilities and strengths. This mechanic is central to both combat and exploration, with certain areas and enemies being more vulnerable to one character than the other. The character switching mechanic flows quite well together.
- Repetitive, shallow combat system (weight 0.06): Combat is passable but becomes repetitive due to limited enemy types and lack of depth. The game's RPG systems feel somewhat tacked on, and side quests are often uninteresting. The game is not suitable for those who need a huge open world, consider emotions in a game unimportant, value character customization, or expect to play different classes.
- Gameplay similar to God of War (weight 0.04): The gameplay is similar to God of War, with some unique elements. However, some reviewers found the execution to be worse and the level design outdated. The game lacks replayability due to the absence of build variety.
- Core gameplay: Haunting investigations (weight 0.02): The core gameplay revolves around 'Hauntings Investigations', focusing on writing believable stories about people. Side quests revolve around solving hauntings, following a repetitive pattern of investigation, uncovering hidden truths, deductive reasoning, and deciding the ghost's fate. The core concept of ghost hunting is engaging.
- Well-implemented controls and mechanics (weight 0.02): The game's controls are well-implemented, and players can adapt to them without remapping keys. The compass system is well-designed, guiding players from intersection to intersection, preventing them from getting lost. Gameplay is simple but effective.
- Exploration puzzles and rewards (weight 0.01): Exploration involves solving environmental puzzles, such as timed puzzles with multiple targets to shoot at. Exploration is optional but rewards players with lore, items, and additional content. Exploration feels unrewarding due to low feedback, leading to a focus on only seeking out equipment chests instead of thorough exploration.
- Narrative-focused in New Eden (weight 0.01): The game involves piecing together the story from the actions of characters and the environment of New Eden. The two main characters are Red and Antea, banishers who make difficult decisions about spirits haunting the cursed lands of New Eden. The game is a narrative-focused open-world game with RPG elements and collectibles.
- Gameplay inspired by other games (weight 0.01): Gameplay is a 3rd-person action RPG with inspirations from games like "Tomb Raider", "Vampyr", "Murdered: Soul Suspect", "A Plague Tale", and "GreedFall". Gameplay is similar to Vampyr and the new God of War.
- Combat mechanics and difficulty (weight 0.01): Combat includes parry and gun mechanics. Combat includes light and heavy attacks, combinations, blocking, dodging, and charge attacks. Parrying is difficult because the timing for maximum damage is unclear.
- Setting: Colonial America (weight 0.01): The game is set in the early colonial times in the US, the 17th century, with buildings, attire, and attitudes reflecting this era. The game is set in Colonial America, featuring biomes such as forest, swamp, snow, and plains.
- Limited weapon/gear variety (weight 0.01): Weapon options are visually diverse but offer limited stat and passive effect changes. Gear system is simple, with only 2-3 items of each type being useful; stats become obsolete in endless voids, making special effects the priority, but most are ineffective.
- Mission and collection structure (weight 0.01): The game's task structure includes main story missions (gold icons), haunting event missions (cyan icons), and follow-up side missions (brown icons). The game features trophy, treasure, and note collection, along with side quests.

Performance notes:
- Good graphics and optimization (weight 0.1): The game generally exhibits good graphics and optimization, with many players reporting smooth performance on various PC configurations. Some users experienced initial texture loading issues or occasional lag, but these problems were often resolved or considered minor. The game leverages Unreal Engine 5, though some reviewers noted that it doesn't fully utilize all of the engine's advanced features.
- Steam Deck issues reported (weight 0.01): The game has some issues on Steam Deck, including getting stuck on the splash screen and requiring the on-screen keyboard to bypass an error. Performance on Steam Deck is described as choppy by some, while others report reasonably good performance with adjusted settings.
- DLSS optimization inconsistencies reported (weight 0.01): Some reviewers experienced inconsistent optimization with DLSS, with the technology not providing significant performance improvements. Additionally, there is no Nvidia optimization profile available for the game.
- Reliable save system present (weight 0.01): The game features a reliable auto-saving system and manual save options, which help mitigate the impact of any bugs or crashes encountered. Frequent auto-saves and multiple save slots ensure that players don't lose significant progress if an issue arises.
- Variable loading time reports (weight 0.01): Some reviewers experienced long loading times, even when respawning in the same location. Additionally, texture loading issues were noted, with textures sometimes failing to load properly or appearing suddenly. However, other reviewers reported fast loading times, indicating variability in this aspect of performance.
- Stiff facial animations noted (weight 0): Some reviewers found the facial animations to be stiff and dated. While the animations may allow for faster actions, they lack the detail and fluidity found in some other games.
- Intuitive and precise controls (weight 0): The controls are generally considered intuitive and precise, which is important for both combat and exploration. Mouse and keyboard controls are reported to be perfect once properly configured.
- Soundtrack accessibility/variety lacking (weight 0): Some reviewers noted the lack of a readily available soundtrack online and suggested that the background music could have used more variety. This indicates a desire for greater accessibility and depth in the game's audio experience.
- Minor bugs require save reload (weight 0): Some players encountered minor bugs that required reloading a save to resolve, such as unlocking an achievement or fixing a shaky camera. These issues, while not game-breaking, highlight the presence of minor technical imperfections.
- High-end PC/SSD improves experience (weight 0): Playing on a high-end PC and installing the game on an SSD can significantly improve the overall gaming experience. This suggests that the game benefits from faster hardware and storage solutions.
- Graphics compared unfavorably to older games (weight 0): Some reviewers compared the game's graphics unfavorably to older titles like The Witcher 2 or Elden Ring, suggesting that the visual quality does not fully justify the game's hardware requirements. This indicates a perception that the game's graphics are not cutting-edge for a 2024 release.
- DS5 controller enhances combat (weight 0): The use of a DS5 controller enhances the sense of impact in combat and makes the gunplay feel good. This suggests that the game is well-suited for play with a PlayStation 5 controller.

Recommendations:
- Worth buying on sale (weight 0.46): A common suggestion is to wait for a sale before purchasing, indicating that while the game has merits, its full price may not be justified for all players. This recommendation often stems from concerns about the game's flaws or repetitive elements.
- Focus on main story (weight 0.39): Several reviewers suggest focusing on the main story and limiting side content to avoid tedium and pacing issues. Some also recommend adjusting the difficulty to prioritize the narrative experience over challenging combat.
- Underrated, hidden gem (weight 0.07): Some reviewers consider the game a hidden gem or an underrated title, praising its unique qualities and expressing surprise at its lack of widespread recognition.  They believe it deserves more attention and stands out from other releases.
- Generally positive experience (weight 0.03): These clusters contain general positive sentiments and scores without specific details.  While positive, they lack the constructive feedback and actionable insights of other points.
- Hope for a sequel (weight 0.03): Many reviewers express hope for a sequel or future installments in the same universe, indicating a strong interest in seeing the world and characters further developed. This suggests that the game has created a positive impression and a desire for more content.
- Good for ghost story fans (weight 0.02): The game is recommended for players who enjoy ghost stories, the occult, and exploring themes of life after death.  Comparisons to games like Vampyr and The Sinking City suggest a focus on supernatural investigations and a dark, gothic atmosphere.
- One of Dontnod's best (weight 0.01): The game is praised as one of Dontnod's best titles, with reviewers expressing continued support for the studio's focus on story-driven experiences. This suggests that fans of Dontnod's previous games, such as Life is Strange, may find this game appealing.
- Vague, inconclusive feedback (weight 0.01): These clusters contain vague or conditional statements that don't provide much concrete information about the game's strengths or weaknesses. They offer little value to potential buyers seeking detailed feedback.
- Try the demo first (weight 0.01): Reviewers suggest trying the demo to assess personal preferences, indicating that the game may not appeal to everyone. This highlights the importance of experiencing the game firsthand to determine if its unique features and gameplay style align with individual tastes.
- Hyperbolic GOTY claims (weight 0): This cluster contains hyperbolic statements like "GOTY contender" and "Worst game of 2024" without providing specific reasons. These types of statements are not very helpful for potential buyers.

Other player notes:
- 17th-Century New England Setting (weight 0.04): The game is set in 17th-century New England during the colonization of America, specifically in 1695. The story revolves around a curse affecting the fictional settlement of New Eden, blending historical events with supernatural elements like ghosts, demons, and witchcraft, reminiscent of the Salem witch trials era.
- Perceived 'Agenda' Elements (weight 0.03): Some reviewers address claims of a 'political agenda' or 'woke' elements within the game, particularly regarding diverse characters and relationships. However, many find these elements subtle, relevant to the story, and not critically problematic, while others may be more sensitive to them.
- Not Very Scary (weight 0.02): The game is not particularly scary despite being in the horror genre, lacking jump scares and intense horror elements. The soundtrack is considered adequate and fitting, but not particularly outstanding.
- Game Length and Localization (weight 0.02): The game's length varies, with some reviewers reporting around 34 hours to complete, while others estimate up to 60 hours for a full playthrough. The game is translated into multiple languages and has German and French voice acting.
- Characters: Red and Antea (weight 0.01): The game features Red mac Raith and Antea Duarte, who are banishers and lovers. Antea becomes a ghost early in the game, and the story revolves around their relationship and ghost-hunting activities.
- Connection to 'Vampyr' (weight 0.01): Reviewers note similarities to Don't Nod's previous game, Vampyr, and some speculate about a potential sequel. Easter eggs connect Banishers and Vampyr in the same universe.
- Oppressive, Melancholy Atmosphere (weight 0.01): The game is filled with magic, symbols, ghosts, death, and decay, creating an oppressive and desolate atmosphere. It explores themes of social equality, human rights, and blends local myths with psychology, regrets, and personal ghosts.
- Inspired by Other Games (weight 0.01): The game draws inspiration from titles like The Witcher 3 and God of War (2018), featuring sword-and-magic combat, skill points, gear upgrades, and a map full of quest markers. It is a new IP with its own mythology, though not entirely unique.
- Weak Marketing Campaign (weight 0.01): The game is considered a commercial failure due to a weak marketing campaign and release date amidst major titles. Reviewers feel the game didn't receive the recognition it deserves and could have been more popular with better marketing.
- World Changes Based on Choices (weight 0.01): The game world changes based on player choices, and the story unfolds gradually, revealing the world to the player without feeling tedious. The game has an excellent premise, suggesting that you can replay the game to reconsider your decisions.
- Mixed Couple Relationship (weight 0): Red and Antea are a mixed couple, with Red being Scottish and Antea being Cuban-African, influencing their accents and attire. The relationship between Red and Antea explores obsession and different facets of love.
- Developed by Dont Nod (weight 0): The game was developed by Dont Nod, the creators of Life is Strange. Some reviewers bought the game because it was developed by DONTNOD, expecting an experience similar to Life is Strange.
- Role of the 'Banisher' (weight 0): The term "banisher" is explored, defining it as a combination of exorcist, warrior, judge, and executioner. The reviewer reflects on the potential real-world relevance of the game's 'banisher' knowledge.
- Reviewer's Playthrough (weight 0): The reviewer will update the review upon finishing the game. The reviewer is aiming for the "good" ending in their first playthrough.

Emotions:
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