The Banner Saga 2

 PC
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 60 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 51 out of 60
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 60
  3. Negative: 0 out of 60
  1. Kill Screen
    Aug 30, 2016
    72
    It’s the decisions that bind the experience; enabling The Banner Saga 2 to transcend its videogame construct. You’re left with an experience that feels not only alive, but alive with the complexities of the real world.
  2. CD-Action
    Jun 29, 2016
    70
    I was disappointed to see the return of the old, a bit obscure user interface and the biggest pain in the neck – the inability to attack diagonally in close combat. I was also once more let down by the story which is awkward at times and ends too abruptly. [06/2016, p.52]
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  3. Games.cz
    May 18, 2016
    70
    Spectacular and grandiosely created journey reached its center with several scriptwriter mistakes. When patched it will proceed directly in the gaming Valhalla. However, it is standing outside the gates for now.
  5. PCWorld
    May 8, 2016
    70
    There's not much substance here, and certainly not enough for this game to stand on its own as a work of fiction. It's an episode, presented as not-an-episode. Judged on its own merits—not the plot lines it wraps up from the first game and not those it sets up for the last— The Banner Saga 2 is underwhelming.
  6. We Got This Covered
    Apr 27, 2016
    70
    For every character’s death etched in stone, The Banner Saga 2 informed me how fragile life can be. But on the battlefield or in branching, possibly deadly conversations, I want nothing more than to revisit this role-playing game’s world and tug at the puppet strings again.
  7. Gamer.no
    Apr 20, 2016
    70
    The Banner Saga 2 picks up right where the first game left off, with powerful storytelling and stunning graphics. Sadly, some changes to the game mechanics have practically eliminated the tension and excitement that made The Banner Saga a truly unforgettable experience.
  8. Metro GameCentral
    Apr 20, 2016
    70
    More a new episode than a full-blown sequel, but the clever blend of strategic, tactical, and moral decision-making is as compelling as ever.
  9. PC Invasion
    Apr 19, 2016
    70
    The Banner Saga 2 reaps all the benefits and foibles of strict continuity. It maintains the outstanding presentation and decision-based narrative highs of the first entry, but minor changes to mechanics are unlikely to sway opinion on the unique, but slightly peculiar, combat system.
  10. GameSpew
    Apr 19, 2016
    70
    If you’re looking for an atmospheric, beautifully crafted, nuanced and thoughtful narrative experience, The Banner Saga 2 is a contemporary leader in all of those fields.
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  1. Kotaku
    Oct 19, 2016
    About the only thing that bummed me out was that, despite the end of TBS1 falling flat, the last battle of TBS2 is somehow even worse, a weird little puzzle of a thing that’s too dependent on luck and scripting.
  2. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Apr 19, 2016
    The Banner Saga 2 is a beautiful sequel. There are moments where, as I watch the drama unfold in the dialogue and cutscenes, I almost forget I’m playing a game that came out in this decade. There’s an evocative sense of timelessness about the story and world that few RPGs create. And now that the combat has become a strength and not a weakness, immersing myself in the richness of The Banner Saga’s dying world is almost as enchanting as cracking open the weathered pages of my favorite fantasy novels.
  3. The A.V. Club
    May 2, 2016
    The Banner Saga 2 still tells a great story, and it’s hard to imagine someone who enjoyed the first installment not feeling impatient for the trilogy’s conclusion after playing the sequel. But like its army of weary travelers, the series would be better served by the solemn pace of the death march rather than a wild scramble to impress its already loyal fanbase.

Awards & Rankings

49
#49 Best PC Game of 2016
95
#95 Most Discussed PC Game of 2016
34
#34 Most Shared PC Game of 2016

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 209 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 163 out of 209
  2. Mixed: 33 out of 209
  3. Negative: 13 out of 209
  1. wishanem
    Apr 19, 2016
    10
    I don't recommend jumping in here without playing The Banner Saga.

    However, if you enjoyed the first game, this is a worthy follow-up.    I don't recommend jumping in here without playing The Banner Saga.

    However, if you enjoyed the first game, this is a worthy follow-up.

    It is iterative rather than revolutionary, but there are clear and natural improvements. The game's creators didn't reinvent the wheel, but there were interesting new combat mechanics (including a whole new race of characters to use) and some ease-of-use improvements like better combat tutorials.

    The story is more focused and way more of the small decisions from the first game carried through than I expected. There's also a bit more variety in the storytelling, leaning on the worldbuilding of the first entry in the series.

    The bleak beauty of the art and the mechanics continue, with harsh consequences for the decisions you must make and no perfect path forward. The music is also every bit as good as the first game.

    Overall, I think this is a great middle entry in the series and I'm excited for the conclusion.    … Full Review »
  2. Underpants158
    May 29, 2016
    7
    Same as the first game in all regards but with a few minor tweaks like cinematics and enemy types. To get a challenge you will need to put theSame as the first game in all regards but with a few minor tweaks like cinematics and enemy types. To get a challenge you will need to put the game on difficult as normal presents very little challenge. Making tough decisions that have no clear cut "right" answer is still in the game and still great. What really makes this game just average for me whereas the original was great is the underwhelming story. Little is explained in the overarching storyline of the trilogy and with the exception of the beginning nothing grand really plays out. It is worth playing if you are invested in the trilogy as I am.… Full Review »
  3. rpgfan2012
    Apr 24, 2016
    4
    As usual, there are no multiple saves. Only one single save game. I bet that should anyone bring this particular topic into the discussionAs usual, there are no multiple saves. Only one single save game. I bet that should anyone bring this particular topic into the discussion then there will be those arrogant iron mode fans bashing him/her. I'm sick of seeing these kind of games where the developers don't care and don't give the users choice to play the game as they want - not as what the developers want; after all, the users are the ones who pay to buy the game.… Full Review »
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