Summary
Those who love PlayStation’s specific brand of video game stories, present in hits like the newGod of Wartitles, should check outBanishers: Ghosts of New Eden. Developed by Don’t Nod, the studio behind theLife Is Strangeseries,Banishersis a supernatural adventure talethat places a premium on cinematic storytelling while folding in elements of RPG and action-game design, in a mannerthat is reminiscent of newerGod of Wargames.
Though they are a continuation of the long-runningGod of Warnarrative,God of War(2018) andGod of War Ragnarokare remarkably different from the rest of the franchise, making fundamental changes to things like camera placement, combat, traversal, and narrative presentation.God of Wartakes a grand premise and grounds it in real, relatable human emotions and struggles, leveraging naturalistic cinematic techniques to elevate its narrative themes.Banishers:Ghosts of New Edentakes a similar approach.
Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden Is a Good Companion to God of War
Banishers' Presentation Is a Lot Like God of War’s
The differences betweenBanishersand Don’t Nod’s previous releasesshould be immediately apparent at first glance. While a game likeLife Is Strangeboasts a more stylized and simple visual style,Banishersmoves further in the direction of photorealism. The impressive graphical fidelity of the game and its tight camera perspective, which impacts the feel of combat, exploration, and interactive narrative moments, means that the game certainly looks likeGod of War, in the literal sense.
The structure ofBanishersalso sports a few similarities toGod of War. LikeGod of War,The Last of Us, andA Plague Tale,Banishersfeatures two protagonists, and the gameplay and story are both designed around their close relationship.
Between dialog-heavy cutscenes, players can engage with narrative-laden side quests, semi-open-world exploration, and third-person combat encounters that are built around similar design principles asGod of War’s; combat inBanisherspits players against a conservative number of enemies, encouraging thoughtful blocking and dodging and a mix of methodical melee and ranged combat maneuvers. The third-person action gameplay is supported by light RPG systems, offering players the ability to craft high-level builds.
The combat ofBanishershas been criticized for feeling clunkyand unpolished. So, while it may share some fundamentals withGod of War’s combat system, it doesn’t appear to be as universally appreciated.
Banishers Is Far More Than a God of War Clone
Several parallels can be drawn betweenBanishersandGod of War, with Don’t Nod’s Philippe Moreau directly citing Santa Monica’s work as inspiration for its gameplay. However,Banishersdoes a fair bit to differentiate itself from its inspiration. For one thing, the game is more linear overall, not fully adopting the open-world design ofGod of War.
At the same time,Banishersleans a bit more into narrative RPGelements with a heavy emphasis on player choice and the player having the power to alter the outcome of the game’s story. The core gameplay ofBanishersis also unique as, while players can control multiple characters inGod of War Ragnarok,Banishersallows for seamless transitions between the two leads, letting players swap between them on the fly.
Despite some low points,Banishersis a worthwhile adventure game that draws heavily from prestigious titles likeGod of Warwhile still boasting its own distinct identity. For anyone interested in the newerGod of Wargames or the narrative-drivenLife Is Strangeseries,Banishers: Ghosts of New Edenmight be a perfect fit.
