One of those captivating little games you can't put down until you have completed them, The Banner Saga boasts great visuals and compelling gameplay.
Inspired by Nordic mythology, the game follows two caravans of men and Varls (giants) as they escape an invasion by monstrous creatures, the Dredge, in what looks like the beginning of the apocalypse.
Gameplay is a mix of effective turn-based combat and interesting decisions: how you manage your companions and address various issues faced along the road, like bandits, quarrels, lack of supplies, helping fellow refugees.
This choice-and-consequence system is sneakily clever; best decisions are never immediately obvious (although they generally make sense in retrospect). Also, results may take a long time to develop, defeating the usual "I'll just reload" trick.
Combat mechanics are fairly well thought-out; my only gripe is how encounter design gets a bit repetitive, as you only fight Dredge, Varls and other humans. Now, in RPGs I don't necessarily need to face a whole Dungeons & Dragons monster manual like in Baldur's Gate 2, but a little more enemy variety would have been welcome.
The Banner Saga features an atmospheric soundtrack and lovely hand-drawn animation reminiscent of Disney classics. Don't miss it if you enjoy turn-based combat in an unusual fantasy setting.
Inspired by Nordic mythology, the game follows two caravans of men and Varls (giants) as they escape an invasion by monstrous creatures, the Dredge, in what looks like the beginning of the apocalypse.
Gameplay is a mix of effective turn-based combat and interesting decisions: how you manage your companions and address various issues faced along the road, like bandits, quarrels, lack of supplies, helping fellow refugees.
This choice-and-consequence system is sneakily clever; best decisions are never immediately obvious (although they generally make sense in retrospect). Also, results may take a long time to develop, defeating the usual "I'll just reload" trick.
Combat mechanics are fairly well thought-out; my only gripe is how encounter design gets a bit repetitive, as you only fight Dredge, Varls and other humans. Now, in RPGs I don't necessarily need to face a whole Dungeons & Dragons monster manual like in Baldur's Gate 2, but a little more enemy variety would have been welcome.
The Banner Saga features an atmospheric soundtrack and lovely hand-drawn animation reminiscent of Disney classics. Don't miss it if you enjoy turn-based combat in an unusual fantasy setting.
