The Banner Saga Reviews
If you happen to love Norse mythology or epic fantasy stories full of consequence and deft storytelling, then look no further than The Banner Saga. This is a beautifully crafted game that uses its intriguing cast, gripping tale and absolutely stunning artwork and soundtrack to transport you to a world filled with plenty of danger and surprises. The turn-based strategic battles might not be equally as thrilling to everyone who plays this, and the interface in this part of the game can be a bit clunky at times, but this doesn't detract too much from the collective offering.
The desolate landscapes, the constant fear of death, the beautiful artwork, it's all top notch stuff. I'm just not sure the core mechanics that make up the bulk of actual gameplay are strong enough.
The Banner Saga brings you into a world filled with monsters, prophecies, and myths, where your decisions matter and characters' lives hang in a delicate balance.
Yeah, I love the world and the existential agony of it all, but I just don't think it's a particularly well-realised strategy game too.
If you've got a hankering for strategic role-playing and an epic narrative with plenty of player choice, The Banner Saga should become one of your priorities on PS4. The combat, while a little uneven difficulty-wise across the game's campaign, nevertheless manages to hit the sweet spot between simple accessibility and strategic depth. You'd also be hard-pressed to find an indie with as much artistic inspiration: gorgeous character art, painterly backgrounds and an exceptional put to rest the misguided notion that indies can't turn out aesthetic appeal on a limited budget. Sure, it's not always perfect — the game's lack of guidance, difficulty spikes and voice acting may occasionally leave you feeling a little lost and alone — but perhaps that's just in keeping with the unforgiving Norse world that inspired it.
With agonizing decisions in an unforgiving Viking-inspired setting, The Banner Saga mixes strategic gameplay with choices that truly matter. .
Filled with strategic gameplay and impactful decisions, The Banner Saga is a gorgeously epic Norse-inspired adventure whose only real fault is that there isn't more of it. I can't wait for part two.
The designer Sid Meier famously said that a game is a series of interesting choices. It's a maxim fully embraced by The Banner Saga, which stitches those choices into its very fabric to form a tapestry that is wholly your own.
The Banner Saga comes to Nintendo Switch via a fantastic and faithful port, its dire tale of survival and strategy completely intact. It plays well, it looks fantastic, and every battle and dialogue choice is here for the taking.
The Banner Saga paints a bleak world with its dialogue, artwork and soundtrack, one that engages the player with every tough choice that it presents. With each decision, the player helps to write their own story of survival against the odds, although the overarching storyline can at times pale in comparison to the struggles of the caravan. Thankfully, it also presents a tough tactical RPG that rewards the use of careful strategy and punishes those who rush in without a plan. Those with a penchant for a tightly woven narrative and tactical thinking will enjoy the deep layers that The Banner Saga provides.
It grew on me, which I admit is both contradictory and paradoxical in a way, given that I have criticized the game for its redundant features, tediousness and lack of variety. The visuals are certainly compelling and the animation is the most captivating aspect of the game. In the end though, this says as much about the content as anything else. The presentation promises much and is highly polished but it lies at the surface, working to conceal the more problematic aspects of the actual game itself.
Get used to the clumsy controls and The Banner Saga is a great role-playing ride right the way through to its conclusion. Meaningful player choice and engaging storytelling are broken up perfectly by bouts of enjoyable strategic combat, which creates a wonderfully paced experience that's very hard to put down. This is a banner that we want to see soaring well into the future.
A riotous, non-linear RPG with great turn-based battles and a delectable 1980's style cartoon veneer, The Banner Saga is the first truly essential strategy title on PS4.
Hardship and displacement in a Nordic-inspired world make for a splendid, and splendid looking, RPG.
Distinctive writing, nuanced combat and impossibly beautiful art headline The Banner Saga. Strong workmanship went into the character builds. The rethought turn-based tactics are unique and sensible. And I just couldn't slow down the insistent narrative of this brave world and the bold new legend it's sewing together.
The hand-drawn visuals, interesting combat, and epic story mean The Banner Saga is crafted from flawless pieces - even if the final product is a little rough.
The Banner Saga is a good game when it comes to it's unique combat, art style, and atmospheric score but the awkward transition of the menus to console and the presentation of its plot hold it back from being great.
The Banner Saga is a unique tactical game that stands out among its peers thanks to its art style and visuals, as well as to its very challenging combat system. Were this game longer and with a more elaborate plot, it could very well be one of the finest in the Nintendo Switch catalogue.
Review in Portuguese | Read full review
If you are a patient person that likes this type of lore and gameplay style, The Banner Saga delivers on what it set out to accomplish.