Posted on: October 27, 2025

Jaydub2000

Games: 52 Reviews: 1

Surprisingly good indie tactical VN

I was shocked at how much I liked this game. By the end of hour 1, I was completely hooked and couldn't put it down. Compared to other tactical RPG series like Fire Emblem, XCOM, Mario+Rabbids, or Triangle Strategy, there's really not much "RPG" to this one. Sure, your heroes level up and improves their skills, and you can assign items to them (to be clear, exactly one item each!) if they're properly leveled, but expect to spend far less time customizing loadouts than most tactical JRPGs. And then there's the setting, which in a sea of medieval fantasy in the genre (XCOM being a notable exception), the Norse dark fantasy was pleasantly different. Moreover, it's a pretty grim setting, which again is refreshing compared to many tactical JRPGs that sometime seem aimed at a preteen audience. The most different part, and why I called it a tactical VN in the novel, is that there's a lot of decisions to be made, many of which are quite consequential in terms of gaining or losing resources or heroes. Personally this was what sealed the deal for me, as I found the story gripping in a way that I rarely do for this genre of games. The animation was also a breath of fresh air. I'm sick to death of the buckets of pixel art games, and this shows another way to visualize indie games without a budget for AAA-level CGI. Anyway, if you have any misgivings, watch an hour of some youtuber's playthrough and see how you like it, but if you're a fan of the genre and not wedded to the "RPG" aspects of tactical RPGs, you're gonna love this one.

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Posted on: December 18, 2014

Gammix

Verified owner

Games: 246 Reviews: 3

Emotional Work of Art

I'll start with what this game is and what it isn't, because it's wonderful but might not be for everybody. Your characters travel along a mostly linear route (though every now and then you can make a decision such as which way to go in a fork). Though there's a map, Banner Saga is not at all open world or remotely exploration-based. The combat is fun, but not the centerpiece of the game. The game is about becoming emotionally invested in the characters and the way in which your decisions impact them. Pros: I can't remember the last time I was this emotionally invested in a game. Seriously. Fun combat. Decisions that I actually cared about, based on genuinely difficult dilemmas. Lots of moral grey areas. Characters that made me want to keep them alive and maintain our relationships. Permanent consequences/permadeath (normally I don't like this, but it worked here). Artwork Music Cons: Length of game. The credits completely took me by surprise - sure, the preceding scene was dramatic as hell, but it was presented more like the transition to another section/chapter of the game. That said, it says something good that I can't wait to continue the story when the sequel comes out. Voice acting was solid when it existed, but most of the dialogue was silent. I imagine they didn't have the money to do that much voice acting in the first game, but I hope there's more in the second. That's about it! Not an easy game (emotionally or intellectually), but well worth the effort you'll likely put into it.

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Posted on: May 6, 2019

Da.Sc

Verified owner

Games: 122 Reviews: 3

Great strategy game with deep story

This game combines a deep, interesting story with a great combat system that is very challenging. Also, the art style and music is really good and improves the game's atmosphere a lot. During the story the player has to make a lot of decisions that influence the outcome of the game, which also gives it a good replay value. I recommend this game to anyone who likes games that focus on a strong narrative or just enjoys challenging round-based strategy titles.

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Posted on: June 7, 2019

achenar14

Verified owner

Games: 47 Reviews: 1

Great Storytelling

I am not sure how they did it, but I was immediatly captured by the characters and the world they inhabite. Story and choice are definitly the heroes of the show. Combat-situations, which make up about 70% of playtime, are good but nothing special. That 30% of playtime make my 5 star review should speak volumes.

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Posted on: May 20, 2021

Lionar

Verified owner

Games: 185 Reviews: 12

Nice Look bad Design

One rare ressource for buy item,supplys and to levelup Chars who can easily die in questionable events...

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