The Banner Saga – chilling tactical combat excellence

The Banner Saga from Stoic Studios is underway, and this Kickstarter darling is a hit with the reviewers. Over on Metacritic it currently has an average of 84%, while GameRankings measures it at 81.95%.

It runs the risk of being overlooked, but it has launched at a good time of year where it won’t be crowded out by big name AAA releases.

The Banner Saga is a story-driven single player Viking epic with tactical combat gameplay, all presented in wonderful 2D art and animation. The player’s choices in travel, conversation and combat determine the outcome of their own personal story and the survival of an entire civilization.

Rounding off the experience is an original score by Grammy nominated and two-time BAFTA winning composer, Austin Wintory, conducting The Dallas Winds orchestra, as well as a trio of acclaimed YouTube musical stars: Peter Hollens, Malukah, and Taylor Davis.

The Banner Saga is available now for €22.99/£18.99/$24.99 through Steam, UPlay, and Gamers Gate for PC and Mac. A digital Deluxe Edition is also available for €27.99/£22.99/$29.99 and includes the game and complete soundtrack.

So, what do the game reviewers have to say about this epic Viking adventure?

US Gamer – 5/5

The team at Stoic Studio has put together a worthwhile start for their episodic tale with this first Banner Saga release. Hopefully, the reception is good enough that they can finish the tale. I’ll be waiting.

GamesRadar – 4.5/5

By its end, The Banner Saga isn’t so much about how many battles you win, or what level your fighters are–it’s about the journey of surviving from beginning to end. All the branching choices and possible playable characters mean your experience will be completely different from that of your friend’s, and the interesting 10-hour campaign will keep you eager to see it through, difficulty be damned. You’ll make tough decisions. People you grow to care about will die. And by the time the credits roll, you’ll have woven a story all your own to tell.

The Banner Saga

IGN – 8.6/10

The Banner Saga deserves commendation for the strength of its art and music experience alone, which shatters conventions. That experience, in turn, complements a bleak story of a world teetering before its fall, where the harshness of the Scandinavian landscape mirrors the plight of mutually distrustful refugees. It’s also a tough tactical RPG that rewards thought and careful strategy, although it stumbles a bit in explaining systems beyond its combat.

Game Informer – 8.5/10

Despite a few minor issues with enemy variety and the tedium of recurring encounters, Banner Saga stands out as an excellent tactical RPG with considerable depth.

The Banner Saga

Destructoid – 8/10

The Banner Saga is a dark and onerous experience, but its one that draws you in. I’ll be waiting with bated breath to see which way this winding path darts next. Something tells me we’re not out of the woods just yet.

Gamespot – 7/10

Even more compelling is The Banner Saga’s atmosphere. The colorful hand-drawn characters and cel-shaded villages would have been at home in a high-budget animated film. And the sight of your caravan stretching across the screen, with the yellow banner flying from an oxcart and the horned varl trudging wearily onward, reinforces the viciousness of the elements. An excellent soundtrack echoes the story’s touchstones of personal sacrifice and stubbornness with discordant trumpets that sound out troubled fanfares, signaling heroism under duress. The Banner Saga is a beautiful game, filled with interesting ideas and enjoyable battles. It’s too bad the story gets entangled within its own winding web, but this chilly journey does a fine job of reminding you that being a respectable leader is about more than just giving rousing speeches and schmoozing with the high and mighty.