The Banner Saga is a Viking-themed tactical role-playing video game.
About the story
The core of the game is a single-player campaign of turn-based combat engagements inspired by games such as Final Fantasy Tactics and Shining Force, with the player controlling and being able to build up a party of characters with complementing abilities. According to the developers, their aim was to create a "mature game for adults in the vein of Game of Thrones or The Black Company". They intend to engage players emotionally by allowing them to build relationships with the game's characters and shape the outcome of the story through an array of conversation choices.[8] The game eschews certain conventions of action-oriented computer role-playing games such as the focus on a young lone hero's story, looting and buying items, or reloading a saved game state after defeat. Instead, the developers intended to tell the story of the player's caravan as a whole, and encourage players to accept and deal with the consequences of any defeats they may encounter.[9] The first game in the Saga centers on the return of the Dredge, a warlike race that despises humans led by the Bellower, a nigh invincible Dredge who leads them on a warpath on human and Varl. As a wandering army sent to fight against the Dredge and find a weakness for the Bellower, many difficult decisions are made by the caravan that would shape the fate of both man and Varl.
Platforms
Android iOS Linux Mac Switch PC PS4 XONEGenres
Indie Role-playing (RPG) Simulator Strategy TacticalThemes
Fantasy Historical
Languages: English and 12 more
| Interface | Audio | Subtitles | |
|---|---|---|---|
| English | |||
| French | |||
| German | |||
| Polish | |||
| Russian | |||
| Japanese | |||
| Czech | |||
| Chinese (Simplified) | |||
| Spanish (Spain) | |||
| Portuguese (Brazil) | |||
| Italian | |||
| Korean | |||
| Portuguese (Portugal) |
Media
Critic Reviews
Nintendo Insider
By Alex SeedhouseThe 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.
Cubed3
By Jamie MercerFor almost four years, The Banner Saga has provided a thoroughly enjoyable alternative offering to the standard tactical RPG.
ani-game.com
By Joel GraltonIf 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.
FNintendo
By André ReisThe 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.
SwitchRPG
By Phillip PinyanThe Banner Saga offers an expertly crafted narrative buffered by fun combat and addictively painful player decisions that could not be more worth your time.
