TLDR - 4/10
It's too bad Steam doesn't have a neutral option for game reviews. I wanted to like the game but I found myself getting bored and just forcing myself to beat the game for the sake of beating it. Side missions and combat gets stale and boring after some time.

Story - 9/10
I think the story telling is really good. I did enjoy tying the different stories and solving the overall mystery behind the main game. The world building and character back stories were interesting and fluid. You start to feel the emotions and understand the characters as you go along.

Combat & Gameplay - 4/10
The combat was interesting at first but gets stale and redundant fairly quickly. I enjoyed it initially but you get into forced combat while exploring more times than you'd want. It's also not difficult so it makes it boring quickly imo. There isn't much in terms of enemy variety either so that doesn't help.

Side Missions - 3/10
At first, the side missions are cool since you want to learn more about the characters and the world. After some time though, they get somewhat repetitive and annoying since the map is large and they force you to travel from one place to the next. You can only fast travel at the rest points so you always have to run to the nearest one before you can fast travel. It gets fairly annoying and eventually, I just gave up on some of the side missions.

Variety - 3/10
A lot of things get reused so there isn't much variety. There's a handful of different enemy types that get mixed around to make it feel a bit different but you notice really quick there isn't more to it. The missions also get redundant and follow the same formula after some time.

The Banishers game is very good and in my opinion meets all the expectations of its genre. It's definitely worth people trying it out. I would personally rate the game as 8/10. The game was good, even very good, but there were elements that needed a little fine-tuning.

We play as Red, who as a Banisher faces decisions that are morally very difficult, he fights ghosts, demons, specters and tries together with Antea (his partner) to solve the case that darkens the city of New Eden in the new world.

Speaking of the new world.
The game takes place during the great colonization of America, from the 1500s to the late 1600s. The world that the developers have built is beautiful, filled with breathtaking scenarios in nature, well-integrated puzzles in the terrain. Interacting with objects feels very natural and fit well into the world and gameplay. Its not entirely an open world game, since it is divided into many regions. Each region is unique with its own town, biome, people, stories and even enemies. But I assure you, the world is BIG, the regions are BIG, so if you worry about how huge the map is....you dont have to. Trust me. The world, the characters and even the enemies seem very realistic, which is very important in this game and I think that this "factor" holds the game on its high spot. At least for me.

The story is interesting, although slow at times. However, towards the end, it can pleasantly (or unpleasantly) surprise you with its twists and turns that Red and Antea have to face. The main idea of the story keeps the pace of the game going. As Red, we meet many characters who have their own stories and side quests. All of them are part of the climax of the overall endgame. Red and Antea decide their fate and how the game will end. Your decisions shape the gameplay, the story and even the world around you.

I noticed that a lot of people complained about the combat in this game. But in my opinion, most of them are overly negative complaints. The combat in this game is solid, and it even gets better as Red´s and Antea's abilities develop. You just have to grind a little. You can fight at close range with your sword, at a distance with your musket or you can combine it for some cool combos. Red and Antea can change forms and each form has its own abilities. Also each form has its own pros and cons, depending on how you develop your skill tree. ALTHOUGH...

What did I miss from this game ?

COMBAT - ...one thing I have to agree with the other reviews concerning combat is that it gets pretty repetitive after some time. It would require more enemy types, not always the same specters and ghosts. They are fun to defeat at the beginning but gets boring after you spend 50+ hours in the game. Also (this is just my opinion) they could have added more weapons...and by weapons I mean more weapon TYPEs, like spears, axes, crossbows etc. It would give more freedom to the combat.

MUSIC/SOUNDTRACKS - oh god...the music...lets forget about the combat for a sec....This GAME is seriously lacking in soundtracks and music. I think this is one is a great game, and music should be part of every great game. Its a missed opportunity...the developers were either not aware of this or maybe it didnt fit in their budget for the game...but the music is something that is MISSING from this game. There are so many scenes and moments in the game that with the right MUSIC could hit the spot and have been way more epic. Please developers...next time, dont underestimate the power of soundtracks and music for your game.

These two factors are the NEGATIVES for me.

FINAL WORDS

Other than that, it's a great game and anyone who likes this genre should definitely give it a chance. The end of the story has a moral lesson, it reveals the true nature of people and points out what happens when people lie and act without reason...and a game with a lesson and "good" ending is always worth to play. (If you like RPG, story telling games like me)

Horror and love, love and horror… be still my beating heart <3

Two lovers banishing ghosts together… where do I sign up?

Everything about this game feels so balanced. Between the story, fighting, exploring, gathering resources and finding clues to solve haunting cases. It all just flows together flawlessly.

There is a dark and somber tone, from the atmosphere to the music. Great main characters and voice acting. The writing is so engaging and has depth. It runs great on the deck. Excited to see where it goes :D

“I shall not wish you luck, I wish you salvation”

What a completely underrated game!!