The Banner Saga Reviews
The Banner Saga is a great game as long as the player is willing to accept its theme and its overall tone, while also harboring at least a little bit of love for the turn-based battle system.
If you read my preview of the game late last year, there were a few things that didn't click with me about The Banner Saga. Yet playing through the full game, I wasn't noticing those issues as much. They're still there, but I was able to look past them. You can see the BioWare design influences heavily, and it's nice to see the focus shift to the overall story of the world and grand conflict, rather than individual personal stories. It creates a vast story that will change every time you play it, and your choices are surely going to play a part in the next two installments. But, yes, if the story and art style doesn't interest you, then the combat will absolutely draw you in.
The game runs about 4-5 hours long depending on which difficulty you play and how long you take to make choices. Overall, if you are into tactical RPGs and like the whole viking aesthetic, you should enjoy this game quite a bit.
It has been a few years in the making, but the Xbox version of 'The Banner Saga' is a wonderful experience. I sincerely hope that Stoic releases the sequel on this platform as well, because they have a good thing going here and the more people who experience it, the better.
If you’re a fan of tactical, strategy RPG’s then Banner Saga should definitely be on your radar, if it hasn’t been already in the last 4 years. It’s illustrated art style combined with it’s incredible story and soundtrack come together to create one of the best strategy RPG’s you can own on the Nintendo Switch. And while the game has been ported to mobile devices before, it’s here that the game feel’s most at home when you’re not at home.
With an authentically illustrated ambience of harsh winters and closely followed characters, its story seen through tough conversations becomes that much more captivating. Offering simple yet fully symbiotic combat options as an active counterpart to text, this game leaves little to be desired, except the will to survive.
In spite of the gameplay’s apparent limitations and the lack of excitement of reading the story when you could hear it or live it, the game is a must-play for any fans of the genre, the Norse mythology, compelling and mature narratives, and videogames in general.
The Banner Saga expertly weaves a compelling story and a fun combat system into a memorable experience. The tactical battle system is engaging and the characters are interesting to interact with. Check this one out if you haven’t already!
Normally if a story started in the middle I’d be confused, and if it ended with a lot of loose ends I’d be mad. The first entry in The Banner Saga did just that but I wasn’t mad. Instead, I was invested and intrigued. I felt a fraction of what each character was feeling, and then some. And most importantly: I sympathized.
The tale that this first chapter in The Banner Saga weaves will have you gripped from start to finish. The player is left to exist in a world that has been meticulously crafted, whether that be the breathtaking art direction, the riveting efforts at world-building or the gameplay mechanics that underpin the experience.
The Banner Saga does a lot of things well, the animation, music, narrative and combat is all neatly packed together to make a fun, working experience.
Now available on the Nintendo Switch, The Banner Saga is the first part of a trilogy that lays the foundation for a great story, a complex turn-based tactical-RPG and a wealth of content. It's an excellent pick for fans of the genre who are not afraid of the slow pace of the game.
A piece of art that asks the player to buy in to it's massive cast of characters and fall in love with The Banner Saga's involving story. Finding the perfect route will have players replaying The Banner Saga an endless number of times.
The Banner Saga's awe-inspiring scope is both its biggest strength and weakness.
The Banner Saga is blindingly lovely and arguably just as intriguing to play. Built atop a world that all but demands the attention of travel documentaries, it's epic in the literal sense of the word.
The Banner Saga is just as good as it’s ever been on Switch and maybe even better thanks to the Switch’s portability.
Repetitive battles are The Banner Saga’s biggest issue, but they don’t stop the enjoyment from what is otherwise a fantastic experience. Strategy and fantasy enthusiasts should find a lot to enjoy here. Roll on part two!
The Banner Saga offers an expertly crafted narrative buffered by fun combat and addictively painful player decisions that could not be more worth your time.
"Beautiful beginning and innovative combat system."
Review in Finnish | Read full review