How to get Essence for Antea in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden on the surface feels and looks like a typical third-person action game, but once you dive into the world — it’s something more. When you can switch between Antea and Red at a moment’s notice, gameplay such as combat becomes something deeper.

This can be attributed to their own set of skills they can each use. Red’s skills are easier to come by. However, Antea needs Essence, and we’ll show you how she gets it in Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden.

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden – How to get Essence for Antea

Essence is important for her. They help Antea expand her powers and make her stronger throughout the game. But to become powerful, you may need to sacrifice some goodwill to get her Essence. Plus, much like A Plague Tale: Requiem, you can do different playstyles like stealth if you opt to invest in her powers. Antea’s abilities allow the combat to be more dynamic than hacking and slashing. If you get the right skills for her, Antea can be a very powerful Banisher. 

Related: A Plague Tale: Requiem — How to use Photo Mode

Obtaining Essence isn’t as clear cut as Red’s skill points, who earns them as he levels up. For Essence, you must do Haunting Cases. These are activities that will have you investigating people who are being haunted by a ghost they’ve wronged. Upon your investigation, you’ll find not everything is what it seems. Since the game features a choice-based system, you’ll need to rely on your morality to get through these activities.

At the end of these Haunting Cases, you’ll have a choice to either Blame the person who’s wronged the ghost, Ascend the ghost so they find peace, or Punish the ghost. Both Ascending and Punshing the ghost may give Red XP. However, if you Blame the person, then you’ll get Essence for Antea. Once you have some Essence, you’ll earn an Essence point that be used to purchase her more powers or make her attacks stronger.

By Blaming the person every time you do the Haunting Cases, you could make the game go in a certain direction. Since your goal as a Banisher is to protect them, it may be a bad one. Each time you have to make that decision, you need to understand the consequences of it — and there are always consequences. 

What if I don’t want to Blame people?

My favorite thing about Banishers: Ghosts of Eden is that you have complete free will. However, during the early hours of the game, you as Red will have to make an oath to Antea. Your choices are to Ascend her or save her. To save her, you’ll need Essence. Even after you make the oath, you still have the freedom to make all the choices you want. But making a promise to her and not keeping it will have dire repercussions. So make sure you’re prepared to deal with the fallout afterward.

Before getting into Banishers: Ghosts of Eden, which has a depressing theme around it, read our review for A Plague Tale: Requiem. It may prepare you for the emotional weight that will come with Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden. 

Banishers: Ghosts of New Eden is available now via Steam, Xbox Series X/S, and PS5.