The Banner Saga 3

82%
Game Brain Score Based on 1,203 reviews
  • story
  • gameplay
  • music
The Banner Saga 3 Game Cover
The Banner Saga 3 is a fantastic end to one of gaming's best trilogies. The enthralling writing and engaging combat combine into one of the most satisfying gaming experiences to be had.
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In The Banner Saga 3, the final chapter of the tactical RPG trilogy, players face the darkest of times as they journey to save the world from the evil serpent forces. With high stakes and permanent character deaths, choices made in this installment and the previous two games significantly impact the story's outcome. The future of the civilization hangs in the balance as players navigate challenging battles, brutal decisions, and emotional farewells.

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  • PC
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  • Play​station 4
  • Windows
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  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Android
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  • Play​Station
  • Tablet
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Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

82%
Audience ScoreBased on 1,203 reviews
story347 positive mentions
stability43 negative mentions
  • The game features a captivating story with meaningful choices that impact the outcome.
  • The art style and soundtrack are stunning, enhancing the overall experience.
  • The combat system introduces new mechanics, such as wave battles and heroic titles, adding depth to gameplay.
  • The game is plagued by frequent crashes and loading screen issues, disrupting gameplay.
  • The ending feels rushed and lacks closure for many characters, leaving players wanting more.
  • Some character arcs and plot points from previous games are left unresolved or ignored.
  • story927 mentions

    The story of "The Banner Saga 3" serves as a culmination of the trilogy, delivering a rich narrative filled with emotional weight and significant character development, though some players feel it lacks the depth and engagement of its predecessors. While the game features compelling storytelling and multiple endings influenced by player choices, it has been criticized for a rushed conclusion and unresolved plot threads, leaving some fans feeling unsatisfied. Overall, the game is recommended for those who have invested in the series, as it ties together the overarching narrative with beautiful art and a haunting soundtrack.

    • “The story is long and rich, full of rich characters: brave and cowards, honest and treacherous.”
    • “The characters, story, and lore were truly compelling.”
    • “The banner saga 3 is a fitting conclusion to a story that needed to be told.”
    • “A large part of what made the game interesting in the previous game, plot-based story actions and consequences, were stripped out in this game in favor of making it a tactical slug-fest of repetitive and boring battles.”
    • “The plot is convoluted and (because it's now basically a post-apocalypse world) everything is a slog and a bummer.”
    • “The story lacks depth in comparison to the previous installments.”
  • gameplay319 mentions

    The gameplay in "The Banner Saga 3" largely retains the mechanics of its predecessors, featuring turn-based strategy combat with some new elements like multi-wave battles and additional character classes. While some players appreciate the strategic depth and narrative integration of choices, others criticize the lack of significant innovation and the repetitive nature of combat, leading to mixed feelings about the overall experience. The absence of previous resource management mechanics and the introduction of new, sometimes frustrating features have left some fans feeling disappointed, though the game's art and story continue to receive high praise.

    • “The gameplay is unique and highly engaging.”
    • “The banner saga 3 is a satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, offering a solid end to the narrative with inventive ways to keep the gameplay fresh.”
    • “The mechanics, which have been interesting since Banner Saga 1, still find a way to deepen and become even more fun.”
    • “The gameplay is largely unchanged, with a bit more flair added in the form of wave-based fights.”
    • “The gameplay has always been a bit shallow to keep you interested for long, and there are not enough changes compared to the previous two games to make it feel fresh again.”
    • “The famous 'caravan' mechanic which made the resource management interesting in the first place is now dead, replaced with a timer counting remaining time until the apocalypse - hardly an equal replacement.”
  • music131 mentions

    The music in the game has received widespread acclaim, with many reviewers praising its emotional depth and ability to enhance the overall atmosphere. The soundtrack, inspired by Nordic folk themes, is described as hauntingly beautiful and perfectly aligned with the game's narrative, contributing significantly to the immersive experience. While some noted that the music in the final installment may not be as memorable as in previous games, it still stands out as a highlight of the series, complementing the stunning visuals and compelling storytelling.

    • “The game's art style and soundtrack are at their best, with stunning hand-drawn visuals and an emotionally powerful score that complements the game's narrative perfectly.”
    • “The music is perfectly in line with the feel of the game, fitting to the world's mythos and filled with emotion in all the right spots.”
    • “Austin Wintory provides an incredible soundtrack for the game, and the artistic style is breathtaking.”
    • “Unlike the previous two installments, this game's music is slow and ominous, reflecting the impending doom upon the world.”
    • “The voiceover felt lackluster even compared to previous games, the music has no flair especially considering that it is the final part of the saga... as they say, the saga concludes.”
    • “The music of The Banner Saga 3, and I mention this because I think the music of TBS 1 and 2 is their strongest element, is average.”
  • graphics119 mentions

    The graphics of the game are widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which evokes a nostalgic, animated aesthetic reminiscent of classic cartoons. While the visuals are consistently beautiful and immersive, some players noted a lack of innovation in the art style across the trilogy, with occasional graphical glitches and performance issues detracting from the experience. Overall, the combination of gorgeous artwork and a compelling soundtrack enhances the game's narrative and atmosphere, making it a standout feature despite some minor shortcomings.

    • “The game's art style and soundtrack are at their best, with stunning hand-drawn visuals and an emotionally powerful score that complements the game's narrative perfectly.”
    • “The graphics are stunning, which means you'll get to see all the gory details of the battles and the beautiful scenery before it gets destroyed.”
    • “With a compelling story, fantastic soundtrack, beautiful visuals, and surprisingly solid gameplay, The Banner Saga is a must-play.”
    • “Just like the second one, it has some graphical glitches where effects don't cover the entire screen in 4K like they look they should.”
    • “Pretty disappointed this game has graphic bugs that are severe enough that the game ceases to be playable without restarting the game.”
    • “Banner Saga 3 has issues; in my binge playthrough from 6 PM to 1 AM, I encountered several graphical bugs, one of which ruined the climax for me and three random loading screen crashes as well as an inability to unlock certain achievements.”
  • emotional50 mentions

    The emotional aspect of the game is widely praised, with many players describing it as a deeply moving experience that evokes strong feelings, including tears and heartbreak. The narrative is noted for its compelling characters and impactful choices, although some feel that the emotional depth and connections established in earlier installments are lessened in the finale. Overall, the game is seen as a powerful conclusion to the trilogy, delivering a bittersweet and heartfelt journey that resonates with players.

    • “The game's art style and soundtrack are at their best, with stunning hand-drawn visuals and an emotionally powerful score that complements the game's narrative perfectly.”
    • “A compelling conclusion to a beautiful trilogy, Banner Saga 3 made me cry, laugh, and cry again as the heroes I've grown to love struggle to find hope amid the darkness.”
    • “I cried when the game ended because I got attached to every character and knew all their mannerisms.”
    • “The story feels repetitive and lacks depth, making it hard to connect emotionally with the characters.”
    • “I found myself questioning the logic of the narrative, which pulled me out of the emotional experience.”
    • “The emotional moments felt forced and unconvincing, leaving me indifferent to the characters' struggles.”
  • stability43 mentions

    The game's stability has been widely criticized, with numerous reports of crashes, freezes, and graphical glitches, particularly during loading screens. Many players have experienced significant disruptions, including lost progress and unplayable moments, which detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game. Despite its engaging story and art, the persistent bugs have led to a frustrating experience for many users, making it the most unstable entry in the trilogy.

    • “It's a fun and really well written game, but the buggy experience ruins it.”
    • “The third installment is quite buggy and often crashes, loses the odd save, and sometimes slows down to unplayability on my modern system.”
    • “This game is really buggy and crashes constantly, causing you to lose hours of progress.”
  • atmosphere23 mentions

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its depth and consistency, effectively enhancing the storytelling and emotional weight of the experience. Reviewers highlight the combination of art style, soundtrack, and worldbuilding as key elements that create a tense and immersive environment, despite some technical issues that can disrupt the mood. Overall, the game's ability to evoke feelings of dread and hopelessness contributes significantly to its narrative impact.

    • “The atmosphere in this game is phenomenal.”
    • “This alone creates a tense atmosphere which complements the game's storyline.”
    • “The animation and soundtrack are also top-notch; they help in giving us an atmosphere that truly showcases the desperation and hopelessness of the world at the edge of darkness.”
    • “I really want to know how the saga ends, but frequent stuttering and game freezes keep breaking the atmosphere.”
    • “Overall, the game had a consistent bleak and dark atmosphere that made it seem as if all hope was gone -- this was very apparent in the final chapters, and holy crap, did the game get dark.”
    • “Perfectionists like myself that aim to find an optimal gameplay formula that'll allow for easier combat even on higher difficulties will miss out on the atmosphere and ambiance of how difficult the combat is for the heroes.”
  • grinding21 mentions

    Reviews highlight that the grinding aspect of the game can be quite tedious, particularly in the latter stages where battles become repetitive and drawn out. Players express frustration with the lack of clear guidance during combat, leading to a trial-and-error experience that detracts from enjoyment. While some appreciate the overall story and art, many feel that the combat system's difficulty often translates to unnecessary grinding, making the gameplay feel more laborious than engaging.

    • “You'll need a second life for grinding.”
    • “Fantastic conclusion to the trilogy by Stoic, but not without its flaws - the last hour of the game can get incredibly tedious, with battles everywhere and rounds on rounds of enemies to wear not just your caravan, but yourself out.”
    • “If you are an achievement hunter like I am, if you didn't start playing at launch you basically won't get half of these, because the latter half are grindy as hell, and one set is time gated.”
    • “Battles then turn into a tedious mess of just kill things as quickly as possible with little room for errors.”
  • character development18 mentions

    Character development in the game has received mixed reviews, with some players praising the rich storytelling and meaningful character arcs, while others criticize the introduction of too many new characters at the expense of deeper development for existing ones. Many feel that the lack of consistent character growth and the reliance on one-dimensional characters detracts from the overall experience, despite the game's strong world-building and artistic elements. Overall, while some aspects of character development shine, the execution appears uneven, leaving players wanting more depth and connection to the characters.

    • “It continues to deliver the same exceptional world-building, character development, and strategic combat that made the previous two games so great.”
    • “The grand narrative built upon classic fantasy stories ranging from the Odyssey to the Shannara books carries a satisfying tapestry of character development, revelations, and sacrifices.”
    • “The series has a compelling story (trying to stop the destruction of the world), beautiful artwork, amazing voice acting, rich character development, gorgeous music, and engaging gameplay.”
    • “Even the story spun off from the primary group of characters to highlight a bunch of misfits that came into the story late in the second game rather than continue character development of characters that have been around since the first game.”
    • “Instead of building on the characters introduced in Banner Saga 1, they just keep introducing new ones, without bothering with things like character development, growth, relationships, banter, etc. They are all just one-dimensional plot devices.”
    • “The second is that the cast has swelled to be too large to allow for consistent character development - there are a lot of poorly drawn, inconsequential characters that are still squabbling for airtime that doesn't add much, especially when the lore is obscure.”
  • replayability13 mentions

    The game offers significant replayability, with around 8-10 hours of main gameplay complemented by multiple endings, bonus modes, and various character choices that enhance the experience. Players appreciate the opportunity to explore different story paths and understand the complexities of their decisions, although some criticize the battle system as a detractor. Overall, the combination of engaging narrative and diverse gameplay options makes it a worthwhile investment for repeated playthroughs.

    • “It's got some serious replay value, so you can keep coming back to it over and over again and try out different choices to see how they affect the story.”
    • “Very well drawn and written game series, replayability is high with multiple characters to choose from and endings to attempt and get.”
    • “Although the story of the game is told in a nice way and the art design is something that I like, the replayability is destroyed by the stupid fighting system and the design of the battlefields.”
    • “While there are multiple endings and different routes you can take to increase replay value, beyond the main campaign and a few different difficulty modes, there isn't too much to do after you beat the game.”
    • “With a roughly 8 hour run time, as well as quite a bit of replayability, especially when you consider that Banner Saga 1 and 2 can also be replayed for this one again... I'd say it's well worth the asking price.”
  • optimization10 mentions

    The optimization of the game has received mixed reviews, with some players experiencing performance issues, particularly in scenes with fire and during the hero screen. While some users noted that the game runs smoothly on older hardware, others reported long load times and a lack of improvement in performance compared to previous titles in the series. Overall, while the story is compelling, the optimization leaves much to be desired.

    • “There are some optimization issues with this chapter, but it's well worth it to play this story to its conclusion.”
    • “It runs smoothly on my old, technically-disabled laptop.”
    • “I love this trilogy of games, and have absolutely zero performance issues in the previous two titles.”
    • “I really want to recommend this game, but I just can't on performance alone.”
    • “The load times were still quite long, and optimization wasn't the best even for a decent PC, though this is more of a lack of improvement rather than things actually getting worse.”
    • “Scenes with fire, especially, seemed to slow performance, and I believe the hero screen still had that slight performance hit.”
  • humor3 mentions

    The humor in the game is highlighted by clever character interactions and absurd scenarios, such as the juxtaposition of vulnerable characters amidst chaotic battles. Players appreciate the witty dialogue and the comedic elements that arise from the game's dramatic situations, contributing to an engaging and entertaining experience.

    • “There were a few interesting conversations around 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through, which brought back a little of the humorous and thought-provoking back-and-forths between characters.”
    • “I was laughing at the fact that there were women with babies following me around the destroyed wall with dredge creeping around and Rugga’s thugs daring to attack my 1000 clansmen, 300 varl, and 400 fighter strong caravan with 8 death-wishing drunkards.”
  • monetization2 mentions

    The monetization strategy of the game is criticized as a blatant cash grab, with many reviewers labeling it as a cheap and uninspired sequel that lacks creativity and purpose.

    • “It is only a lazy sequel for a quick cash grab from the fans.”
    • “Most of them are cheap copies with dull cash-grabbing mechanics and no moral or purpose.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

84% average critic score

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Play time

39hMedian play time
41hAverage play time
13-100hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 9 analyzed playthroughs

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