The Banner Saga Reviews
The moment when Banner Saga starts to make sense is basically the last minute of the game. It gathers its meandering thoughts into a forceful statement at last, but that message doesn't redeem all the wasted breath before it. The game winds up in a neat place, but it's a shame about the road you take to get there.
Regardless of some of our complaints, we invested many hours into this game, enjoying every bit of its refreshingly simple gameplay. We also couldn't tear ourselves away from the breathtaking background drawings and impressive character art that portray a new and mysteriously beautiful world that awaits to be discoverd.
The Banner Saga is a very good game with some obvious flaws. Some are due to budget, some are due to poor design. That doesn't stop the game from being fun, although it can make it occasionally frustrating. Still, it's worth playing and seeing and hearing.
As a package, The Banner Saga is addictive, attractive, compelling, enjoyable, and truly challenging on the higher difficulty level. Some will find fault with the price, given that the Xbox One version is £15.99 and the PC and iOS editions have been available for a third of that in their time, but we say that the price is fair for what you get here. It's been a long wait, but there's nothing like kicking back and overseeing your merry band of fantastically animated fighters trekking across a frozen wasteland on a big-screen TV, or hearing the roaring clank of metal on metal as you fire in a battle-winning series of attacks.
You can nitpick The Banner Saga to death, but despite its flaws the game is a joy to play. People who are looking for a fantasy world with weight and depth will fall in love with Stoic's tale of man and varl pushed to the brink. This studios first attempt at a full single player campaign has demonstrated their skill, leaving me hoping there is more in store.
Sure, sometimes the travel sequences can be boring and the combat isn't quite as fleshed-out as other games in the genre, but it still has that certain je ne sais quoi that makes you want to push on until you make it to the end
The Banner Saga, while not absolutely perfect, ticks many boxes of what makes an RPG great. The story is deep and emotional, and the combat, marching and decision-making all have their own systems in place that work well by themselves and perfectly with each other. A game that will stay with you long after you finish.
Despite spending most of my play time watching characters talk or travel from one side of the screen to the other, The Banner Saga includes an enthralling narrative and makes use of some inventive combat mechanics.
The innovative battle system in The Banner Saga will have you hooked.
This game is undoubtedly a dream on the Switch. Perfect for the console's mobile nature, there's just something soothing about watching your caravan trundle along when you're on a commute of your own.
If your favorite aspects of Fire Emblem games were the story and you're antsy waiting for the series to arrive on Switch, sitting down with The Banner Saga might be a good way to sooth your tactical RPG desires.
For almost four years, The Banner Saga has provided a thoroughly enjoyable alternative offering to the standard tactical RPG.
No, The Banner Saga hasn't reached its destination yet, but again: it's all about the journey.
The Banner Saga is a challenging game that is as frustrating as it is rewarding. It has its flaws, but is overall a compelling, fantastically written and beautiful game that makes you care deeply about the actions you take, whilst reminding you powerfully of the thanklessness of leadership in a difficult and dangerous world. Depending on your decisions, the game takes around 7-15 hours to complete, and yet whilst the entire narrative may not be that long, it sucks you into its fantastical Norse would and leaves you wanting more by the end. Stoic has projected a trilogy of Banner Saga titles; if the sequels live up to this first episode, the series will no doubt have a dedicated and very well-deserved following able to more than live up to its Kickstarter campaign.
The relationships are strong right out of the gate and at times I felt like made a decision that I didn't want to make, but had to for the greater good.
If anything, the game's limitations—the wooden conversations, the nonsensical and uneven means of resource management, the repetitive combat, the lack of real agency in determining your fate, the possibility of game-ending failure—become more glaring as it goes on, but unaccountably, they all add up to a coherent whole.
If it were titled The Banner Saga: Chapter 1, then there'd be no argument worth mentioning in relation to its length or aspirational goals, and at this stage I can only assume that there is a new Banner Saga game, or Chapter 2, in the works. If there isn't then the choice of buying and playing this great game would become as futile as the ones made within the game itself -- namely, a lot of people will get hurt.
If you don't mind a tough experience and a little frustration The Banner Saga is well worth picking up as it's a unique experience, and both story and animation justify a purchase. However the game's flaws mean it may annoy more than delight, and while decently sized at around 15 hours play time I can't honestly say I'd play it again just to make the right choices. Beautiful, well written, but aggravating. That's The Banner Saga in a nutshell.
The Banner Saga is not without flaws, but it is a fun playthrough that will definitely challenge you -- if only with the decisions you are forced to make.
If you're getting tired of swords and sorcery, or just looking for meaty tactical battles, few RPGs will satisfy you better.