![]() ![]() The characterisation is strong enough throughout that the majority of the named heroes feel like actual people, rather than walking skill-sets to be deployed in combat. ![]() If a particular character is an arrogant oaf, you’ll know because that’s how they act, not because an in-game encyclopedia or cinematic voice-over told you so. Stoic don’t always manage to abide by the vital rule of “show don’t tell,” but it’s clear they’re trying to do so whenever possible. That world is revealed with as little unnecessary exposition as possible. It has echoes of the great King of Dragon Pass, both in the domestic and community dilemmas it presents the player with, and its depiction of a mythological world that’s grounded in the familiar but still has much to discover. Traditional in some ways, making use of turn-based tactical combat and windows of text to outline certain situations, but in a manner that feels refreshing rather than purely nostalgic. There should be, because The Banner Saga is a splendid RPG. ![]() This guy is nuts, so naturally I employ him as much as possible. If you’re wondering whether the game is at risk of being left with eternal cliffhangers, Stoic say the next two chapters will go ahead “assuming there’s a big enough demand.” As a first chapter, The Banner Saga manages to provide a full, satisfying 8-10 hour story arc, while still leaving plenty of plot strands dangling for the sequels. Although if you did play that spin-off title, you’ll have a head start over others where the combat system is concerned. It’s the opening, Kickstarter-funded game in a proposed single-player trilogy, and not to be confused with last year’s free-to-play (and multiplayer only) Banner Saga: Factions. Rather than attempting to min-max, I found myself just sticking to the characters I liked best, along with those it made sense to find fighting alongside one another (a leader and his bodyguard, or a father and daughter.) This only made matters worse when my poor decisions would lead to one or more of them being killed.īut that’s getting a little too far ahead, because some people reading this may not yet know what The Banner Saga is. Every step of the journey brings turn-based combat encounters, requiring up to six heroes to engage in battle. The next indication that Stoic’s Norse-inspired RPG had its narrative hooks in me was when I noticed a pattern to my character selections. Looks a bit chilly out today, maybe we should’ve stayed at home. ![]()
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