Banzo: Marks of Slavery

About

"Banzo: Marks of Slavery" is a turn-based strategy game set in Brazil's imperial age, where you play as Queen Zeferina, commanding the Vulture's Quilombo. Your mission is to organize production, protect your people, attack farms, and free enslaved individuals. Experience a unique story, choose a deity, deploy warriors, train farmers, and enjoy an original soundtrack. This game was a winner at App pra Cultura 2017 and a finalist at SBGames 2018.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player Play through the game's story or campaign solo

93%

Audience ScoreBased on 28 reviews

story18 positive mentions

graphics3 negative mentions

Engaging storytelling that immerses players in Brazil's dark history of slavery, highlighting the strength and determination of the characters.
Beautiful pixel art and a marvelous soundtrack that enhance the overall experience, making it enjoyable despite its simplicity.
The game offers a unique subject matter and allows for customization of difficulty, making it accessible for players who appreciate management games.

Clumsy translation and lack of clear guidance on mechanics can lead to confusion and unexpected failures during missions.
Repetitive gameplay and low-quality graphics may detract from the experience for some players.
The strict story campaign and slow pace may not appeal to everyone, potentially limiting its audience.

story
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
60%
20%
20%
The game's story is praised for its cultural significance and immersive storytelling, particularly highlighting the historical context of resistance in Brazil's quilombos. However, some players find the strict campaign structure and lack of guidance frustrating, leading to unexpected failures that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the engaging narrative and compelling soundtrack resonate well with many players, making it a noteworthy aspect of the game.
- “Great soundtrack, great storytelling, which, by the way, is very immersive and we can learn more about this terrible era.”
- “However, the engaging storytelling made me feel the chapters in a unique way, and I really could appreciate the strength and determination of the people represented in the plot, commanded by the strong figure of Queen Zeferina.”
- “The storytelling is interesting and immersive, especially for those who don't know about the historical outcome.”
- “The strict story campaign can be a turn off; it does come from voices often missed with a heavy cultural importance.”
- “Bottom line up front --> initially charming music and story intro cannot overcome hidden gameplay mechanics which can lead to surprise insta-lose.”
- “There is a lack of clear guidance at the start of a mission, as to what qualifies as success.”
gameplay
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
38%
43%
19%
The gameplay of "Banzo - Marks of Slavery" is described as straightforward yet unique, with a charming setting and engaging soundtrack. However, players note that clumsy translations and poorly explained mechanics can lead to frustrating surprises, such as unexpected losses. While the game is entertaining for its short runtime, it suffers from repetitiveness and lacks depth, making it less satisfying for those seeking a more robust experience.
- “Overall, the game is quite rough around the edges, but worth the price for the cool setting and gameplay that's entertaining for its short runtime.”
- “Mechanically, the experience is straightforward but unique and worth a look.”
- “[b]Banzo - Marks of Slavery[/b] is a nice little game that tells the story of resistance in the quilombos in Brazil. The pixel art is very pretty, and the soundtrack is amazing. Its mechanics are pretty simple, and since I'm not a huge fan of turn-based strategy games, this one is very easy to get into.”
- “The translation is clumsy, and quite a few mechanics aren't sufficiently explained (how does banzo work? how much defense do I need to repel the average attack on the quilombo?), but once you manage to get enough people in your community to turn things around, it's smooth sailing to the finish line.”
- “Bottom line up front --> initially charming music and story intro cannot overcome hidden gameplay mechanics which can lead to surprise insta-lose.”
- “-- repetitive gameplay”
music
16 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
88%
6%
6%
The music in "Banzo - Marks of Slavery" is widely praised for its exceptional quality, described as both restful and engaging, enhancing the game's immersive storytelling. Reviewers highlight the soundtrack as the standout feature, complementing the beautiful pixel art and meaningful narrative, despite some concerns about gameplay mechanics. Overall, the music significantly contributes to the game's emotional depth and player experience.
- “The pixel art is beautiful, but the strongest point of the game is the marvelous soundtrack!”
- “Great soundtrack, great storytelling, which, by the way, is very immersive and we can learn more about this terrible era.”
- “Despite the heavy subject matter, the game features restful and compelling music, an interesting and concise story introduction, and the ability to customize scenario difficulty.”
- “Bottom line up front: Initially charming music and story intro cannot overcome hidden gameplay mechanics which can lead to surprise insta-lose.”
graphics
12 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
8%
67%
25%
The graphics of the game are generally considered low quality, described as only slightly better than pixel graphics. However, some players appreciate the pixel art style, noting its resemblance to classic titles like Final Fantasy and Final Fantasy Tactics, which adds a nostalgic charm despite the overall simplicity.
- “Pixel art is great and combined with the isometric view reminds me of Final Fantasy Tactics art style.”
- “Graphics are low quality: slightly better than pixel graphics.”
- “I do not consider myself hard to please; and the fact that a game does not challenge my computer's integrated graphics is not a turn-off.”
- “Turn-based game with graphics that really remind me of Final Fantasy.”
emotional
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game is highlighted by its engaging storytelling, which allows players to connect deeply with the characters and their struggles, particularly through the inspiring figure of Queen Zeferina. Reviewers find the narrative to be heart-touching, evoking a strong appreciation for the themes of strength and determination.
- “However, the engaging storytelling made me feel the chapters in a unique way, and I really could appreciate the strength and determination of the people represented in the plot, commanded by the strong figure of Queen Zeferina.”
- “It is really heart touching!”

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Banzo - Marks of Slavery
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