Let me start by saying that I haven’t ugly-cried at a video game since my horse died in Ghost of Tsushima… but the final scenes of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden are absolutely heart-wrenching. This game completely wrecked me, and now I need you to experience it too.
Released in February 2024, Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is one of the latest instalments by Don’t Nod Entertainment, best known for the brilliant Life is Strange series. But the developer also has some hidden gems, including 2018’s Vampyr, an action RPG following Jonathan Reid, a doctor-turned-vampire torn between his Hippocratic Oath and his newfound thirst for blood.
These difficult moral choices are a hallmark of Don’t Nod’s games. If you had to choose between saving Chloe or Arcadia Bay at the end of Life is Strange, you’ll know exactly what I mean. You know what you should do for the greater good, but the attachment you develop to Don’t Nod’s brilliantly written, three-dimensional characters makes that choice gut-wrenching. Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is no different.
A haunting tale of love and loss
The game follows banishers and couple Ruaidhrigh ‘Red’ mac Raith and Antea Duarte in 1695 as they travel to colonial New England to investigate a malevolent curse afflicting the town of New Eden. They’ve been summoned by their friend Charles Davenport, who, by the time they arrive, is already dead. After summoning Charles’ ghost, Red and Antea learn of a rare and powerful entity—a Nightmare—haunting New Eden. That night, they confront the Nightmare, but it claims Antea’s life and throws Red off a cliff. But Antea isn’t gone—her spirit lingers—and together, she and Red must find a way to defeat the Nightmare and ascend Antea.
A choice that will break you
Well, that would be the morally just thing to do, wouldn’t it? After reuniting, the two make an oath: they will either help Antea ascend by banishing as many ghosts as possible or use a dark ritual to resurrect her—at the cost of sacrificing the living inhabitants of New Eden, many of whom are completely innocent.
The choice seems easy at first. Red and Antea have always been committed to their duty as banishers, and Antea deserves her ascent. But as the story unfolds, the depth of their love becomes painfully clear. By the time I had to reaffirm the oath later on, I actually paused for five minutes, seriously weighing up what it would mean to bring Antea back.
The weight of every decision
Of course, Don’t Nod doesn’t make the decision simple. The various Haunting Cases scattered throughout New Eden present morally complex scenarios, and not everything is black and white. There’s often the temptation to sacrifice the living, even though Red and Antea wouldn’t truly want to go down that path. (And let’s be honest, it also depends on how much you want to ‘play God’ with each conclusion!) In some cases, you might think you’re making the best possible choice, only for a follow-up quest to reveal devastating consequences. (One particular case in The Harrows still haunts me.)
A breathtaking world worth exploring
But the well-written characters aren’t the only highlight of Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. The game world is breathtaking, with stunning landscapes and an abundance of puzzles, collectables, and mini-bosses to keep you occupied. And the boss fights aren’t just generic battles—they’re well thought out, and the boss designs are genuinely impressive.
Although the story itself is fairly short if you stick to the main questline, there’s so much more to do if you’re an achievement hunter like me. Just a warning, though—you’ll need a second playthrough to mop up all the achievements. And yes, that means committing to an ‘evil’ playthrough (which absolutely killed me, but I had to see how things played out).
A few minor flaws
That’s not to say the game doesn’t have its flaws. It could’ve used more enemy encounters while exploring the map, and I personally wasn’t a fan of the perk system. Several of the ‘perks’ come with drawbacks, which made me avoid equipping half of them. By the end of the game, I hadn’t even spent all my perk points because they just didn’t seem worth it. Levelling up my gear seemed to do the job well enough when it came to combat, anyway.
But honestly, that’s just nitpicking.
Image courtesy of Don’t Nod Entertainment / Focus Entertainment.
A game that stays with you
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is one of the best games I’ve played in a long time. I felt deeply connected to Red and Antea, as well as the people of New Eden, many of whom are forced to make difficult choices to survive. And I cannot stress enough how heartbreakingly sad the ending is. Even the ‘best’ ending out of the four available is bittersweet.
I found myself genuinely devastated for Red when the credits rolled. And if I’m being honest? I’m still not over it.