Although it feels like somewhat of a low-key release, there's been quite a bit of anticipation for Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden in some circles over the past few months, and it's finally ready to release this Tuesday, February 13th!
If you haven't heard of it, this is a story-driven Action-RPG from the studio behind Life is Strange and Jusant (DON'T NOD), and follows the tale of two spirit hunters who attempt to "dispell a malevolent curse through powerful rituals".
The first reviews for the game have gone live today, so here's what the critics are saying so far:
The Mirror UK (5/5)
"Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is the kind of game we don’t get very often; the kind that does a lot with very little, yet in a way that speaks perfectly to my tastes as someone who enjoys video games as a storytelling art form."
Push Square (8/10)
"Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden sees developer DON'T NOD reach a new development peak, as it marries an excellent narrative with engaging and enjoyable gameplay. Poor enemy variety and technical flaws hold it back from true greatness, but its excellent, story-focused side quests on the other side make a few drab combat encounters worth pushing through."
Polygon ("Recommended")
"While the combat is not spectacular, and the graphics are middling, everything else makes this a very special game. With superb writing, excellent performances, a clever central mechanic, and thoughtful, engaging stories, Banishers is Don’t Nod’s best game yet."
Rock Paper Shotgun ("Great")
"Don't Nod's new third-person goth-tragedy action-adventure RPG is full of swashbuckling ghost hunting, bound up in a story unironically about the power of love. Despite some repetition and busywork, it's a great time."
IGN (7/10)
"Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden’s memorable story and inspired investigative cases help carry it across its rougher patches."
GameSpot (7/10)
"Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is a love story about loss and sacrifice, propelling its choice-driven narrative forward amidst middling combat."
GamesRadar (3/5)
"Some gripping ghost stories justify gathering around Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden's campfire, but an open world full of routine skirmishes and mindless repetition might just scare you off again. As Dontnod's longest game yet, Banishers underlines the value of a tighter focus."
TheGamer (3/5)
"Banishers is a game I’m going to be thinking about for a long time, for better or worse. You’ll likely not find a better story than it any time soon, but there are plenty other better ways you could be spending your time."
As you can see, there's definitely a positive feel about Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden for the most part, even if some of the 6/10 and 7/10 reviews are dragging down its average score a bit. It's still early days in terms of its Metacritic and OpenCritic ratings, but we're expecting them to land somewhere in the 75-80 range.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden will be available for Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S in just a few short hours, and is available to pre-order now on the Xbox Store for £49.99 / $59.99 with some free DLC thrown in.