The Banner Saga

Put on your horned helmet and and head into the untamed fantasy Scandinavia in The Banner Saga.

Starting at $5.79Buy now

Get on Steam

Get on Xbox Games Store

Get on Play Store

In "The Banner Saga," players lead a caravan of Vikings across a harsh, fantasy landscape, making strategic decisions that determine the survival of their clan. Every choice matters in this hand-drawn, epic role-playing game, where player decisions affect relationships, the story, and character development. With turn-based combat and a focus on strategic planning, players must balance resources and strength to outwit their enemies.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Reviews

89%

Audience ScoreBased on 9,000 reviews

story3,695 positive mentions

grinding114 negative mentions

The game features a captivating story with meaningful choices that impact the narrative and character fates.
The art style is beautiful, with hand-drawn animations and a stunning visual presentation that enhances the overall experience.
The combat system, while unique, encourages strategic thinking and offers a satisfying challenge.

The alternating turn system can lead to frustrating gameplay, as it allows enemies to attack more frequently when their numbers are reduced.
The lack of a manual save option can result in significant setbacks if a player makes a poor decision or encounters a random event that leads to character deaths.
Some choices in the narrative can feel arbitrary and lead to unexpected consequences, making it difficult for players to feel in control of the story.

story
8,022 mentions
46 % positive mentions
51 % neutral mentions
2 % negative mentions
The story of "The Banner Saga" is widely praised for its depth, emotional weight, and unique narrative style, drawing players into a richly crafted world inspired by Norse mythology. Many reviewers highlight the game's ability to make choices feel impactful, with decisions affecting character fates and the overall storyline, although some express frustration over the linearity and occasional lack of clarity in how choices influence outcomes. The art style and soundtrack further enhance the storytelling experience, making it a compelling choice for those who appreciate narrative-driven games.
- “The story is bleak, yet beautiful, and really sets up such a captivating tale.”
- “The entire trilogy is a pure gem; the gameplay and the narrative are equally amazing throughout the story.”
- “The story is engaging and I constantly feel like I'm only one wrong move away from death.”
- “The story is a bit simple and straightforward at times, but it does an excellent job of setting up more cliffhangers and plot hooks for the future two games.”
- “The plot here is a bit simple and straightforward at times, but it does an excellent job of setting up more cliffhangers and plot hooks for the future two games.”
- “The story is very linear, so you aren't in control of the story.”
gameplay
2,791 mentions
37 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
7 % negative mentions
The gameplay of "The Banner Saga" is a blend of turn-based tactical combat and resource management, reminiscent of classic RPGs like Fire Emblem and Oregon Trail. While the combat mechanics, which include a unique health and strength system, offer strategic depth, many players find the overall gameplay to be simplistic and repetitive, with some mechanics feeling unbalanced or frustrating. Despite these criticisms, the game's stunning art, compelling narrative, and meaningful choices contribute to an engaging experience that resonates with fans of story-driven games.
- “Yes, there were artsy games with creative things to say and do in gaming like Braid and beautiful games like Bioshock, but this merged animation and gameplay in a way where it really felt like your childhood of watching Saturday morning cartoons come alive.”
- “The entire trilogy is a pure gem; the gameplay and the narrative are equally amazing throughout the story.”
- “The gameplay is a mix of three systems: a choose-your-own-adventure style story where your choices can definitely impact the future story and other characters, a caravan management system where you try to balance your need for food, fighters, and heroes, and a turn-based tactical RPG that contains serious quirks that set it apart from other SRPGs.”
- “The actual gameplay parts are pretty subpar and can actually be frustrating at worst or boring at best.”
- “But the actual gameplay parts, as others have already pointed out, are just poorly delivered - combat with the illusion of depth, waiting for no reason, confusing switches between characters, pretty empty 'resource' management - it all just ends up feeling tedious and empty.”
- “The gameplay itself is really quite awful and there isn't any replay value.”
graphics
2,392 mentions
66 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The graphics of "The Banner Saga" are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, reminiscent of classic animated films, which effectively complements the game's narrative and atmosphere. Reviewers highlight the beautiful landscapes, character designs, and fluid animations that create an immersive experience, although some note the simplicity of animations during dialogue sequences. Overall, the visuals are considered a standout feature, enhancing the emotional depth of the story and the strategic gameplay.
- “The art style is stunning, with a hand-painted look that feels like stepping into a Norse mythology storybook.”
- “Stunning visuals with some interesting takes on the standard tactical combat formula.”
- “The artwork is breathtaking and oft times I ended up just staring at the snow falling over the hand drawn landscapes.”
- “So while the hand-drawn visuals make up the majority of the game's graphics, I wasn't really impressed.”
- “If I have any complaints, it's that the game is a bit short, and the visuals remind me of online flash games circa 2010.”
- “The artwork looks like it was trying to be done in a comic-like style but to me it comes across as cheap and rushed.”
music
2,181 mentions
65 % positive mentions
34 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The music in "The Banner Saga" has been widely praised for its beauty and emotional depth, with many reviewers highlighting the exceptional soundtrack composed by Austin Wintory. The music effectively enhances the game's atmosphere, complementing its stunning hand-drawn visuals and engaging narrative. While some players noted that the soundtrack could be sparse at times, the overall consensus is that the music significantly contributes to the immersive experience of the game.
- “The music is beautiful, the artwork is lovely, the cutscene direction much less so but it's forgivable, the gameplay is engaging enough to last, the writing is compelling.”
- “The soundtrack is breathtaking and graphically it's very well drawn!”
- “The music, the art, the story - it's all uniquely beautiful.”
- “Music is horrendous, sounds like an old drunk in the corner trying to sing a song he heard in Indonesia.”
- “The music is also lacking in comparison to the epic that should have been there.”
- “The music fits the game well, moody during travel and adequately bombastic or tense during battle, but isn't the kind of soundtrack I would buy on its own.”
atmosphere
460 mentions
64 % positive mentions
35 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The atmosphere of "The Banner Saga" is widely praised for its immersive and evocative qualities, combining stunning hand-drawn visuals, a haunting soundtrack, and rich lore to create a deeply engaging experience. Players appreciate the game's ability to convey a sense of urgency and desperation, reminiscent of epic tales like "Game of Thrones," while the atmospheric elements enhance the emotional weight of their decisions throughout the narrative. Overall, the game's atmosphere is considered its standout feature, making it a must-play for fans of story-driven and atmospheric gaming experiences.
- “I haven't seen a more atmospheric game in a very long time.”
- “The soundtrack is on point, building the atmosphere perfectly.”
- “The atmosphere is beautiful and striking, the 'feel' of Nordic mythology and society hitting spot-on.”
- “The atmosphere could remind you of The Walking Dead, where Rick and the others were always on the run and were always on guard with the people they meet.”
- “The bleak atmosphere, the sense of desperation, and a quiet acceptance of both, just waiting for the inevitable end.”
- “The atmosphere created a strong immersion, and the story was short but gripping.”
emotional
339 mentions
99 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
1 % negative mentions
The emotional aspect of "The Banner Saga" is widely praised for its deeply engaging narrative and character development, often leading players to tears through its heart-wrenching decisions and impactful story arcs. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to create strong emotional connections with characters, enhanced by a haunting soundtrack and beautiful visuals, making it a memorable and immersive experience. Many players describe it as an emotional rollercoaster, where choices carry significant weight, resulting in a profound sense of loss and attachment throughout the journey.
- “The game is an emotional rollercoaster with old school text dialogues versus voice actors saying everything.”
- “The story is captivating and emotional, and unforgiving.”
- “The ending of the game is really touching and you can import your save file to the second game and those save files can change so many things.”
- “Slow, boring story and dreadful dialogue... just one big ugh.”
- “Boring gameplay; boring characters, boring story.”
- “Boring storyline (a big army behind us, let's run).”
replayability
298 mentions
32 % positive mentions
64 % neutral mentions
4 % negative mentions
Overall, the game exhibits a mixed level of replayability, with many players appreciating the variety of choices that can lead to different outcomes and experiences. While some reviews highlight high replay value due to branching narratives and character decisions, others note limitations stemming from a linear story structure and short playtime, suggesting that replayability may diminish after the initial playthrough. In summary, the game offers decent replayability for those interested in exploring alternative choices, but its short length and linearity may deter some players from multiple runs.
- “The game is short, but there is a high degree of replayability, both in the way of making many alternate decisions and seeing how they play out, and in trying different party configurations and tactics for fights.”
- “Great art style, fun tactical battles, an enjoyable, twisting narrative, and plenty of replay value given the different decision arcs, difficulty levels, and achievements to aim for.”
- “The depth of the story and the variety of decisions you can make makes this game not only infinitely replayable, it makes you feel like every decision you make is critical.”
- “The gameplay itself is really quite awful and there isn't any replay value.”
- “The actual game time is short, it's very linear unless you care about minute changes and thus barely replayable and, worst of all, ends abruptly in a cliffhanger.”
- “I would recommend this game only when it's on a sale, as I honestly don't see much replayability in it.”
character development
124 mentions
42 % positive mentions
53 % neutral mentions
5 % negative mentions
Character development in the game is generally praised for its depth and authenticity, with many reviewers highlighting the rich lore and well-thought-out character designs that enhance the storytelling experience. However, some critiques point to a lack of depth in character progression and a desire for more meaningful interactions, particularly regarding the main villain and the overall narrative arc. While the game excels in creating memorable characters and immersive environments, the character development system is seen as somewhat limited, leaving players wanting more complexity and engagement.
- “The story is interesting, and all of the character development is done very well.”
- “The character development allows you to really get attached to your followers, which makes sure you care about who survives any given encounter.”
- “Character development is handled with care and the story isn't sugarcoated, which makes it more realistic and believable.”
- “I expected a bit more character development, but the entire plot essentially boils down to running the entire time from a zombie-esque invasion.”
- “The tactics that turn-based than the character development is fixed leaving very little creativity.”
- “Character development - both in terms of 'leveling' and progressing the story just don't work very well with the sudden twists and turns.”
grinding
123 mentions
2 % positive mentions
6 % neutral mentions
93 % negative mentions
The grinding aspect of the game has been widely criticized for its tedious and monotonous combat system, which often feels clunky and unengaging. Players report that the lack of variety in battles and the slow pace of gameplay contribute to a frustrating experience, making the grind feel more like a chore than an enjoyable challenge. While some appreciate the story and art, many agree that the gameplay mechanics detract significantly from the overall enjoyment, leading to a sense of boredom and repetitiveness.
- “Because it's a linear game, there's no grinding or seeking out additional fights at the end to correct poorly placed stat points, and you basically have to take the ending as it comes.”
- “No grinding required to get the best ending.”
- “The combat is tedious and immersion-breaking.”
- “Overall the worldbuilding is worth the grind, but the battles themselves are kinda tedious and boring.”
- “The banner saga has a tedious, crappy combat system that counterintuitively punishes you for killing enemies, incredibly scarce currency that makes it hard to level your units adequately while never telling you how many supplies you'll need for your current journey.”
stability
36 mentions
17 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
83 % negative mentions
The stability of the game has received mixed reviews, with many players reporting minor glitches and bugs, but overall, a significant number find it to be mostly bug-free and stable. Some users experienced game-breaking issues, particularly in combat and during loading screens, while others noted that recent patches have improved stability. Despite the occasional hiccup, many players feel the game is polished and enjoyable, though some still express frustration over persistent bugs.
- “The game runs 'straight out of the box' and appears to be bug free.”
- “Runs great on my iMac with Big Sur.”
- “It runs great, plays very well with other apps, slipping in and out of full screen nicely (at least on OS X Mavericks).”
- “My only gripe is that Banner Saga 2 & 3 were very buggy at times.”
- “To summarize, I'd recommend this game if it weren't so extremely buggy that playing it simply isn't fun.”
- “Game-breaking freezes in combat when making an action.”
optimization
34 mentions
21 % positive mentions
56 % neutral mentions
24 % negative mentions
The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players reporting smooth performance and low system requirements, while others have encountered significant issues, particularly on Linux and Steam Deck, including memory leaks and frame rate drops. While the graphics are generally praised, specific areas like the heroes screen and dialogue transitions have been noted for stuttering and performance dips. Overall, the game's optimization appears to vary widely depending on the platform and individual hardware configurations.
- “The game runs smoothly and has pretty low system requirements.”
- “I think it's a superb game, and they surprisingly optimized this superbly.”
- “I was able to start playing it on my high-end Windows PC, and then finish it on my 4-year-old MacBook Air, with no change in look or even performance.”
- “Performance was bad, and memory leaks forced me to kill the game after 40 minutes of gameplay, in the middle of combat, and restart it just to avoid an inevitable spiral to 1 fps land.”
- “I've played the game on Linux, and it suffers from major performance issues and memory leaks.”
- “At first the performance was really awful, with huge fps drops in battles; I found on the forums that there was a 'linuxfix' branch that improved that, and indeed, it made the game playable.”
humor
23 mentions
91 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
9 % negative mentions
The humor in the game is described as a mix of deadpan and gallows humor, often reflecting the struggles of its characters in a complex narrative. While some players find moments of levity and clever writing, others feel that the humor is overshadowed by repetitive gameplay and a lack of engaging mechanics. Overall, the game has its funny moments, but many players express a desire for more consistent and entertaining humor throughout the experience.
- “The game is beautiful and the story and its characters are complex, funny, and emotional.”
- “The writing is lovely, full of nordic deadpan and the gallows humor of struggling heroes on what may very well be a death march at the end of the world.”
- “Well this game was funny and great gameplay; although my poor caravan suffered many hardships due to my poor leadership.”
- “I find it a bit boring; the plot is not capturing me, the combat is always the same, and the mechanics are not funny.”
- “The game is simply not funny to play. I found myself too many times saying, 'Oh no, please, please no, not another encounter,' and inevitably closed it frustrated because if you play, you want to have a good time, I guess.”
monetization
11 mentions
0 % positive mentions
0 % neutral mentions
100 % negative mentions
The monetization strategy of the game has been heavily criticized for its intrusive ads, particularly on the title screen, which detracts from the overall experience. Players feel that the promotion of sequels and other games within the title is a blatant cash grab, undermining the game's atmosphere and integrity. Additionally, the multiplayer aspect is seen as lacking, further fueling frustrations over the game's monetization practices.
- “What a shitty cash grab, no wonder it had to go on sale for 75% off.”
- “It just has ads for the other 2 games in the series and ads for their other stuff... I mean, come on guys... I just paid for your damn game, you're really killing the atmosphere of your game.”
- “There's a lot I like about the game: the artwork, story, lore, gameplay mechanics... however, I feel like dividing the game into 3 parts from the start and advertising the sequels in-game is a ridiculous practice.”