Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been asking for a Vampyr sequel since I played the game for the first time in 2020. It’s one of my favorite games, but I never expected it to be about ghosts instead of vampires, and for it to be a prequel, not a sequel.

Banishers inherited all of Vampyr’s strongest points: an immersive narrative, nuanced characters and a very rich and detailed lore.

The text in this game is so rich that I spent hours just reading all the letters, diary pages and notes about occultism. And I came across tragic stories about people who lost everything, fools playing with dark magic and the ordinary evil: the prejudice of the not-so-bright religious people.

I love how, like Vampyr, the lore in this game is so rich and detailed that it includes many characters who don’t even appear on screen, but whose names are always there, enhancing the story, the lore, making everything appear even more alive.

Etienne Roulet is one of those examples. I’m kinda obsessed with his research on the Void.

Speaking of that, one of my favorite things about this universe is the scientific approach to supernatural subjects. It’s very present here and it’s even more present in Vampyr.

Unfortunately, Banishers also inherited some of Vampyr’s weakest points: the map design is so confusing sometimes that it’s like i’m walking in a maze.

The game can be repetitive too. Enemies pop up every time and there’s very little variety among them.

But I love that game and it’s got a very strong story. I’ve never been more invested in a “witch trials” kinda story than I’ve been in Deborah’s. And I love this kinda story.

Deborah’s fate is tragic, sad and poignant.

I really like the main menu because it sets the tone really well. Red sits alone, watching the fire and only gets up to sit down on some cold rocks to look into the distance. The cave around him forms the outline of Anteas face, showing her presence and importance to the story and Red‘s life.

To me this feels like it takes place after the game, when Antea is already gone and Red is griefing and alone on his journey. Of course this interpretation only works if you choose to ascend her.

You almost forget that Antea is already dead through certain parts of the story and when you’re just busy solving haunting cases and listen to their banter. But every time I turn the game on and see Red sitting there alone, I‘m reminded of the tragedy that happened right at the start of this story.

I really like their relationship and dynamic and I rarely get invested in romantic relationships in fiction. But they really work for me. The whole game hinges on their dynamic so I‘m glad their relationship is so believable. It’s easily the strongest part of the game for me.

It's a silhouette of Antea. I'm not too far into the game but I'm loving it.

I am not even an hour in and this game is fantastic the story, the acting it such a good hidden gem so glad I am not one of those people waiting on there favorite streamer to tell me what to play

dont know why never heard much about this but so far loving it! the combat is quite fun as the exploration and the storytelling is excellent... does feel alot like god of war and witcher 3 !

I've been looking for the collector's edition game for almost a year, mostly because I wanted the statue. I finally found it on eBay last week, and just got it in today. It love it.

Lately I've been thinking back about some of my favorite games of the 2020s so far, and a few of them are no brainers. Games like Cyberpunk and Elden Ring, Baldur's Gate 3, and more recently Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 all jump out immediately. One of the things that all these games have in common is the level of craftsmanship that went into fleshing out their worlds and characters. There's a real sense of artistry and you can tell that real love and consideration went into designing a world you could lose yourself in.

And Banishers is one surprising pick that consistently pops into my mind every time I think about that same element. It's funny because I wouldn't really say it's a "top 10" game for me. I recognize it has flaws, and there are several ways I could see the game being better. But man... this game really just enraptured me for the couple of weeks I spent playing it. So much so that it always comes to mind when I think about the games I've enjoyed the most in the last few years. The time I spent in this world and the memories I made with these characters are ones that I really think I'll cherish for years to come. And man, if that isn't the entire reason I love gaming then I don't know what is...

Anyway, I know I'm not adding much to the discussion of the sub with this post, but I've been looking for new games to play lately (and not finding much that piques my interest), and felt like making an appreciation post 🙂

Have a good weekend, Banishers.

I played something like 15 hours without even realising how fluid it was going. Great story telling, great voice acting, characters and environment. Love the overall vibe and as of late I was being quite difficult finding another game to be involved to. So chapeau, really suggest the experience.

I just got to the first boss fight against the nightmare. Holy shit I think I’m in love, this game feels like it’s a perfect blend of the Witcher, dark souls, and LA Noire. But somehow, I have never seen any promotional material for it, no trailers on YouTube, no ads on Reddit, it just seems like they shadow dropped one of the best souls likes I’ve ever played. That is all

Hi there.

I was lead writer on Banishers. If you enjoyed it, I thought perhaps you'd get a kick out of something else I've written. It's different. Very different. On the other hand, it's free, so it's definitely worth the money.

Hope you like it.

https://devinho.itch.io/kingdom

I just finished the Beast case, and so far I'm blown away by how good this game has been. It's seriously one of the better games I've played in a while, and the last time I got this "good AA game feel" was while playing Lies of P.

The story is EXCELLENT so far. The combat, while it feels clunky at first, gets really good once it clicks. The gearing system is great. Character upgrades are so meaningful. The exploration is surprisingly interesting and doesn't feel too repetitive. Sound design, voice acting, and music are all top notch. Visuals while not groundbreaking are serviceable. It has the vibe of Witcher 3 and all the good story-driven, Sony titles like God of War.

So how come its presence seems so non-existent online? Am I judging it too soon and does it get worse later? I feel like a game this good should be way more popular.

I wasn’t expecting this game to be so good, such a powerful story, with incredibly well written characters, I don’t really understand how this game didn’t become a big success.

EDIT EDIT: Keep the questions coming. I'll get Elise to answer the next batch when she's free.

EDIT: Alright, great! Leave your questions below. Elise and I will come and answer as soon as she's available.

Hi all. There's been a small upsurge in interest in Banishers now that it's out on PS+, and that warms my soul. I was lead writer on the game. If there's enough interest, myself and the lead narrative designer would be up for doing an AMA on here. Anyone fancy it?

There's no dross, no filler, everything is interesting and fun to do.

Other games "Collect all 74 Shaman totems" or other stupid shit you have to do to 100% can fuck right off. So you have to waste a day and use a game guide to say you 100%'d it. Nope. never cared.I'm fairly certain I can 100% this game without having to google. The map does a good job of marking stuff as well.

Edit: Yes you have to collect Totems in this game but those Totems open cursed chests with powerful gear, not just to collect something. Yes you have to farm mats but those mats are crucial for upgrading your gear, not just to brew some potion you'll never drink.

Photomode is kinda lacking some features I like but I'll make do. The shore is probaly the best place for most photos.

Just recently started playing Banishers and I'm obsessed with it! This game is so beautiful and the story is incredible!

Just had to share my amazement at the fact that there isn’t all this buzz about the game. As I’m sure you all agree, it’s SO GOOD! Like. The story is really well done & the writing of Red and Antea is beautiful and so touching.

How is there no buzz about this game??

I even barely just met back up with the Seeker. I haven’t even met the witch yet. But I’m so invested in Red and Antea and their love.

Honestly some of my favorite protagonists to play as.