Beware the Banishers: Unleashing the Terrifying Ghosts of New Eden - Exclusive Hands-On Preview!

Banishers: Ghosts Of New Eden is an upcoming action RPG with a third-person perspective and a captivating storyline, developed by Don't Nod Entertainment. This studio is renowned for creating the popular Life is Strange games and The Adventures of Captain Spirit. The influence of Life is Strange's narrative and choice-driven gameplay is noticeable in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. Players will embark on a ghost-hunting adventure, following the story of Red mac Raith and Antea Duarte, two lovers who are Banishers. In a tragic turn of events, Antea herself becomes a ghost. Players will have the ability to switch between Red and Antea as they collaborate to solve haunting cases across 1695 North America and endeavor to bring Antea back to life.

While the concept of hunting and eliminating ghosts may seem straightforward in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, it is the game's narrative and choice-driven gameplay that truly sets it apart. Don't Nod Entertainment is known for its exceptional storytelling, and this game is no exception. The incorporation of player decisions, such as the save or sacrifice choice system, into the action gameplay offers a unique and promising experience. Game Rant had the opportunity to have a hands-on preview of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden, spending a few hours immersing themselves in the game. They encountered key characters and ventured into The Dark Woods to hunt down an enigmatic creature known only as The Beast.

The preview commences in the early phases of a chapter entitled 'The Dark Woods', taking place sometime after Antea's transformation into a ghost. The chapter unfolds through the perspectives of Red mac Raith, a Scottish ghost hunter known as a Banisher. Like Antea, Red's mission is to safeguard the living from malevolent spirits and other supernatural entities. Deep within the woods, Red encounters several significant characters, including Thickskin, the esteemed town chief. Thickskin assigns Red a crucial task - to banish the Beast that is causing terror within the community. After reluctantly acquiring a rifle from Thickskin's resentful sister, Kate Newsmith, Red embarks on a spine-chilling journey through the eerie woods in search of the monstrous entity.

The level design in Banishers showcases its distinct historical backdrop and North American wilderness, adding depth to the game. The rural communities scattered throughout the terrain create an immersive experience, evoking the untamed nature of the landscape despite the ongoing colonization. Engaging with the local NPCs, with dialogue options to choose from, enhances the immersive nature of the game, offering glimpses into their distinct personalities and backstories. This hints at a promising world-building and character development aspect.

The map in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is both vast and enigmatic, with unexplored areas hidden by a thick fog. Even if only a portion is seen, it gives the impression of a substantial place where one can easily get lost. The maze-like routes, diverse pathways, and puzzle-like navigation elements create a sense of exploring an open-world, even though the main routes are linear. Tracking clues like yellow paint or rags aids in uncovering the way forward, adding to the mystery-solving elements of the game. Players use the unique abilities of Red and Antea to follow footprints and reveal hidden paths or spectral echoes, further enhancing the gameplay experience.

Through the game's third-person perspective, players control Red, who has the ability to shoot hanging ropes to uncover new pathways and discover objects. This can also create opportunities for Antea, who possesses unique spectral abilities, to reveal the way forward. An example of this is when searching for the Beast, players must use Red's weapon skills to reveal a pathway that Antea can use her ghost teleportation ability to escape the mines. Antea also provides ghost-like clues in the form of echoes that Red can listen to, helping solve puzzles. The collaboration between Red and Antea extends to other gameplay areas, including combat, where their strong bond is evident.

As Red, combat relies on sword-swinging and rifle skills, including a powerful chargeable sword-swipe attack. Additionally, Red can perform a special banishing move (activated by pressing E on PC) that instantly eliminates some enemies, turning them into Spectral Dust. Various collectibles, such as chests and healing wild plants, can be found, along with equipment to upgrade Red's weapons and clothing, such as leather and minerals. The combat system features a multi-branching skill tree that allows players to unlock different abilities for Red and Antea, providing a personalized RPG element to the gameplay.

Switching characters to Antea is quick and easy, both inside and outside of combat, except when Red's health is low. Playing as Antea means embodying a ghost, granting players the ability to deliver powerful, punching-style attacks and unleash charged-up manifestation abilities that can unleash significant damage in an area of effect. The combat dynamic between the two protagonists feels like a graceful dance, with Antea swooping in to assist Red when needed, while Red delivers the final blow to enemies. Adapting and gaining momentum during combat may initially pose a challenge, but mastering the controls and learning effective movements, such as parrying, dodge rolling, and swift sidestepping, becomes essential for survival, particularly against formidable foes proficient in both long-range and close-quarters assaults. Overall, the combat in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden feels seamless and fluid, although it should not be underestimated. Players face a challenging experience, but failure results in restarting from the last save-point rather than harsh punishment.

Just before encountering The Beast, players are introduced to the game's unique summoning system. This system offers various ritual-like methods to summon ghosts, specters, echoes, and scourges, providing an immersive experience into the world of a ghost hunter. This serves as a distinctive way to begin the upcoming boss battle, adding an intriguing touch.

Following the summoning and defeat of The Beast, players are presented with a player-choice-driven system. Here, they must make a decision to save or sacrifice. The significance of this choice is emphasized, as it directly impacts Antea's resurrection. This emphasizes the importance of making meaningful choices in the game.

To avoid spoilers, the influence of the save or sacrifice decision on the overall storyline and the fate of the Banishers remains uncertain. However, it establishes a captivating foundation for the overarching plot. This decision-based system complements the random dialogue encounters between Antea and Red, further immersing players in the game's narrative. Additionally, players can explore intriguing menu options called Haunting Cases, which add an extra layer of mystery to Antea and Red's captivating love story.

With its focus on action-RPG gameplay, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is sure to captivate many fans. The narrative, reminiscent of the Life is Strange games, has the power to easily engage players. While this preview was enjoyed on normal difficulty, the game offers various difficulty modes, including Story mode for those who prioritize the story-driven elements over combat, as well as more challenging levels for seasoned players. Ultimately, those who have a fascination with ghosts and the supernatural will be delighted, while those who appreciate both thrilling gameplay and compelling storytelling will feel right at home.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden releases November 7 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.