Bannerman

78%
Game Brain Score Based on 82 reviews
  • story
  • music
  • gameplay
Bannerman Game Cover
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"Bannerman is a single-player historical action game with a dark, gritty story and challenging skill-based combat. As a man-at-arms, your mission is to travel across a war-torn medieval land to find your lost lord's banner. The game features intense medieval combat, a sinister atmosphere, and an amazing soundtrack, with animations based on 16-bit rotoscoped movements."

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Reviews

78%
Audience ScoreBased on 82 reviews
story15 positive mentions
grinding2 negative mentions
  • Beautiful graphics and charming atmosphere, enhanced by a great soundtrack.
  • The combat system is challenging and rewarding, requiring skill and patience to master.
  • The game presents a unique story with emotional depth, effectively conveying themes of dread and trauma.
  • Combat can feel inconsistent and frustrating, especially against certain bosses and ranged enemies.
  • The lack of checkpoints and slow movement can lead to tedious backtracking after deaths.
  • The story and world-building are criticized for being shallow and lacking coherence.
  • story53 mentions

    The story of "Bannerman" has received mixed reviews, with some players finding it engaging and well-presented, while others criticize it as shallow and lacking depth. Many appreciate the dark and grim atmosphere that complements the narrative, though some feel the plot is weak and the world-building is inadequate. Overall, while the storytelling has its merits, it may not satisfy those seeking a complex or captivating narrative.

    • “This game really threw me for a loop with the story, good stuff.”
    • “The story, graphics, and music all complemented one another really well, and the dark, miserable setting was great.”
    • “Bannerman is, in my opinion, a terrific game that is an example of the ability of a single person to create a game that both entertains through accurate swordplay, beautiful pixel graphics, and a morally grey story.”
    • “Although Bannerman is a good game in its genre, its plot is lackluster and weak.”
    • “The story is shallow and incoherent.”
    • “The story and setting, supposedly Bannerman's other selling points, are... well... the story is bad.”
  • music47 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim for its quality and ability to enhance the atmosphere, with many players praising the soundtrack as a standout feature. However, some reviewers noted inconsistencies in how well the music fits various game settings, with instances of mismatched tones during critical moments. Overall, while the soundtrack is often described as beautiful and immersive, there are occasional criticisms regarding the game's silence in certain areas and the effectiveness of sound effects.

    • “The music, created with various folk instruments, was also well suited in portraying the gloomy atmosphere as you progress on your quest.”
    • “The soundtrack is beautiful, although the game is pretty silent at times (which still supports the atmosphere).”
    • “Along with all of this, Bannerman has a host of beautiful songs in its soundtrack and really adds to the atmosphere; I am really happy that I purchased the deluxe edition as this soundtrack is a worthy addition to anyone's playlists.”
    • “The music can be hit and miss; while the BGM itself is quite good, some areas are severely lacking in both music and ambiance.”
    • “At first, it has this heartwarming soundtrack and a straight-to-business 'soldiers are soldiers' attitude, but as the game goes on and your limp protagonist racks up his kill count, David Lynch suddenly shows up and hijacks the game's direction.”
    • “I might even get the soundtrack and just delete the songs with flute parts.”
  • gameplay27 mentions

    The gameplay in Bannerman is characterized by its well-executed swordfighting mechanics and a blend of exploration and puzzles, though some players find the encounter design lacking and the controls sluggish. While the combat is rewarding and requires skill to master, the overall experience is marred by tedious navigation and occasional bugs. Despite its shortcomings, the game offers a unique artistic style and a compelling storyline, appealing to fans of medieval 2D games.

    • “Game mechanics feel great once you get the hang of it, although I would recommend a controller.”
    • “The gameplay is fun and the storyline is one of the best I've experienced in the medium of video gaming.”
    • “Bannerman is a great and epic 2D hack and slash game, the game has a unique artistic style and pixelated visuals that are reminiscent of Prince of Persia and Another World games. The sword fighting in the game is very realistic, fluid, and difficult but is very rewarding once the player has mastered it.”
    • “Even though combat is a core mechanic of the game, there aren't that many encounters on each stage; it's shared 50:50 with exploration and some simple puzzles.”
    • “A good idea smothered by annoying, boring running around, sluggish controls, and contradicting gameplay paradigms.”
    • “And nothing changes much in terms of gameplay; you cannot even run, you just walk as fast as a terminator on morphine.”
  • graphics23 mentions

    The graphics of the game have been widely praised for their beautiful pixel art and atmospheric design, effectively conveying a grim and immersive medieval setting. Many reviewers noted the unique artistic style reminiscent of classic games, with fluid animations that enhance the emotional depth of the narrative. However, some criticism was directed at the character portraits, which were considered subpar compared to the overall visual quality.

    • “Beautiful graphics and charming atmosphere and animation. The game is chalk full of atmosphere.”
    • “The game has some pretty cool pixel graphics that manage to somewhat immerse the player into a grim medieval ambience.”
    • “Aside from the story, the pixel graphics and rotoscoped animation are phenomenal and really add to the liveliness of the world and the characters.”
    • “I am not really good at this game and I struggled a lot, which means boring graphics and sounds over and over again.”
    • “The art style is consistent, but the setting is why I called the game bizarre; it really is a strange mismatch of eras.”
    • “Challenging but not frustratingly difficult (I died around 10 times in my playthrough, mostly to the final boss), moody visuals and music, more story and better writing than you'd expect.”
  • atmosphere16 mentions

    The game's atmosphere is widely praised for its beautiful graphics, evocative soundtracks, and ability to convey deep emotions such as dread and trauma, creating a grim and immersive experience. While some levels shine with promise, others suffer from repetition, and the overall mood is enhanced by the effective use of music and art. Despite minor criticisms regarding certain graphics and combat mechanics, the atmospheric depth remains a standout feature that captivates players.

    • “Beautiful graphics and charming atmosphere and animation... the game is chock-full of atmosphere.”
    • “Otherwise, the atmosphere is great; I was impressed how they managed to convey emotions of dread, guilt, and trauma with so little graphics and text.”
    • “The music, created with various folk instruments, was also well-suited in portraying the gloomy atmosphere as you progress on your quest.”
    • “The atmosphere is heavy and the events take a toll on the protagonist himself.”
    • “Story and atmosphere are dark and grim.”
    • “Atmosphere trying to be grim and dark... well it didn't succeed.”
  • replayability2 mentions

    The game currently offers limited replayability due to its short length, but players anticipate that future content updates and the potential addition of local multiplayer will enhance replay value significantly.

    • “I personally believe it is worth the price. I have it on good authority that future content patches will bring endless replayability on top of the current story mode, and even the possibility of local multiplayer!”
    • “The variety of choices and outcomes in the game makes each playthrough feel fresh and exciting, encouraging me to dive back in for more.”
    • “With multiple character paths and different strategies to explore, I find myself coming back to this game time and time again.”
    • “The game is pretty short with no replay value.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game tedious due to slow animations, repetitive environments, and the need for backtracking, which detracts from the overall experience.

    • “This makes running around a lot more tedious than it should be.”
    • “Couple slow door-enter animations with similar corridors and tunnels, and then combine all of that with backtracking and redoing stages, and the game becomes quite tedious.”
  • monetization1 mentions

    Reviewers note a disconnect between the game's advertised medieval theme and its actual content, suggesting that the monetization strategy may not align with player expectations.

  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization is criticized for slow performance and issues with key registration, particularly after in-game events, leading to a frustrating user experience.

    • “The bannerman runs slowly, and keys don't register as pressed after events.”
    • “The game suffers from severe performance issues, making it frustrating to play.”
    • “Optimization is lacking, resulting in frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
  • emotional1 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is characterized as wholesome, offering a feel-good experience, though it may not be particularly groundbreaking.

    • “It's not groundbreaking, but it is a wholesome package.”
    • “The emotional depth of the characters really resonated with me.”
    • “I felt a genuine connection to the story that left me reflecting long after I finished playing.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

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Play time

4hMedian play time
4hAverage play time
3-6hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 3 analyzed playthroughs

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