The Banner Saga 1

 Switch
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 65 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 50 out of 65
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 65
  3. Negative: 7 out of 65

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  1. MrTusks
    Dec 31, 2020
    4
    The Banner Saga is a beautiful, tedious game. It draws you in during the opening moments so effectively that it takes you a few hours to realize there isn't much there.

    It's a mix of an Oregon Trail-like journey and turn-based tactical combat, and both are pretty shallow. The journey gives you some choices to make, but since the outcomes are largely pre-determined they are all illusory.    The Banner Saga is a beautiful, tedious game. It draws you in during the opening moments so effectively that it takes you a few hours to realize there isn't much there.

    It's a mix of an Oregon Trail-like journey and turn-based tactical combat, and both are pretty shallow. The journey gives you some choices to make, but since the outcomes are largely pre-determined they are all illusory. There is also a disposition mechanic which determines the happiness, and therefore number, of your caravanners, but this apparently has no impact whatsoever on gameplay. There is a map with gobs of lore about places you won't see and things you won't do. Why? Who knows.

    Combat is frustrating. The twist that attack power and health are the same is actually quite inspired, and if the enemy actually followed the same rules that you have to it would have been interesting. But they don't, and it's not. Your strategy is to break armor so you can attack health--but the enemy has so much health that they can just ignore your armor. There is no initiative and you always swap turns with the enemy, regardless of how much you outnumber them, until there is only one of them left. That means two enemy units get twice as many moves as four of yours. And since they always outlevel you by a considerable margin, you will always feel like you're at a disadvantage. I'm all for challenge, but if there is no way to build a winning team without sacrificing most of them to injuries every time, do I really feel like I'm advancing? No, I'm just desperately limping along all the while. If that's the intention, well, it makes for a game that is not enjoyable at all.

    There are also nonsensical UI and gameplay issues. You can't see your units' stats in the party select screen, just their levels. There is one equipment slot and one ability for each unit. The map can't be rotated, so units get lost and mistaken commands will be made. Moves can't be canceled, so if the Switch's twitchy sticks put you in the wrong place by mistake, you just need to eat it.

    The music and hand-drawn visuals are very good. But the game isn't finished. I got it for $5 on sale and I regret even paying that--that it's normally $25 seems outright criminal. Do not buy this, and instead hold out hope that Final Fantasy Tactics will be on Switch some day.    … Expand
  2. DozenFrozen
    Oct 9, 2018
    3
    Игра довольно необычная, но не более чем. Много текста, который уступает даже Косморейнджерам. Боёвка - высосана из пальца, то есть говно. Вариативность и реиграбельность отсутствует.
    Тратить время не советую, обойдитесь обзорами.
    Hисовка очень уступает играм этого ценового сегмента, как таковые эффекты отсутствуют вообще. Сюжет - скучно и линейно. Все очень ожидаемо и скучно. А всякие    Игра довольно необычная, но не более чем. Много текста, который уступает даже Косморейнджерам. Боёвка - высосана из пальца, то есть говно. Вариативность и реиграбельность отсутствует.
    Тратить время не советую, обойдитесь обзорами.
    Hисовка очень уступает играм этого ценового сегмента, как таковые эффекты отсутствуют вообще.
    Сюжет - скучно и линейно. Все очень ожидаемо и скучно. А всякие предательства воспринимаются как "да плевать     … Expand

Awards & Rankings

86
#86 Best Switch Game of 2018

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
80

Generally favorable reviews - based on 16 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 16
  3. Negative: 0 out of 16
  1. Nintendo Insider
    Jul 23, 2018
    80
    The tale that this first chapter in The Banner Saga weaves will have you gripped from start to finish. The player is left to exist in a world that has been meticulously crafted, whether that be the breathtaking art direction, the riveting efforts at world-building or the gameplay mechanics that underpin the experience. It is the difficult decisions that you must make that let it become more meaningful, even if some of your actions will ultimately lead to heartbreaking consequences.
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  2. Cubed3
    Jul 16, 2018
    70
    Yes, combat wise, The Banner Saga does nothing new, but it does the basics very well, and the difficulty is well-judged for the most part. Clunky and poorly-explained HUD aside, this is a worthy addition to most Switch libraries, and fans don't have long to wait until The Banner Saga 3 is also released.
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  3. God is a Geek
    Jun 26, 2018
    85
    Overall, this has a few slowdown issues but the ability to play with both touch and button controls in addition to being able to play it anywhere makes this the definitive version of the game for me.
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