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. SuperkenGaming
    Jul 23, 2018
    7
    The Banner Saga
    Really good if you like reading
    The Banner Saga is the first game in a trilogy of turn based role playing tactics game set all in the world of Vikings… Though I feel like there’s an even more prominent genre to throw this game into.. And that a visual novel I was really looking forward to giving this series a shot and play through the trilogy, and while I see why so    The Banner Saga
    Really good if you like reading
    The Banner Saga is the first game in a trilogy of turn based role playing tactics game set all in the world of Vikings…
    Though I feel like there’s an even more prominent genre to throw this game into..
    And that a visual novel
    I was really looking forward to giving this series a shot and play through the trilogy, and while I see why so many people love this series...
    it’s just not very casual friendly and its really tough to get through this 8 hour campaign... not necessarily because the gameplay is hard…
    the gameplay is essentially party managements and turn based tactics.. As you play through the story you’ll get different groups of characters that belong to different classes all with their own special moves, and as you defeat enemies you’re bale to promote them and increase their stats… you’ll also get to know these characters during stops in villages as well as along your journey across the map…
    In game it’s all fairly simple, you take turns moving a certain space of tiles and attacking enemies within range, either weakening their defenses or going straight for their health...
    placement of your characters in battle is important as it is possible to lose party members... all of this is fine.. But eventually about half way through the game I was just over it...
    battles feel too Samey… and the story just wasn’t interesting enough to keep me going.. at first it is… it gave me a dungeons and dragons feel as I’m making choices and watching things unfold before me based on those choices, gaining supplies to feed my fighters, gaining items for my party to wear, watching my crew get annoying with other members and having to decide what to do with them to ensure moral stayed up…
    I felt immersed into the story… and then suddenly I’m with a new group of characters away from the group I was just getting to know and it broke the spell for me.. I stopped caring, I no longer cared about the consequences of my choices or what the interest of the characters in this game are…
    I just couldn’t follow along it was too much for me.. I just wanted to get to the end of this visual novel that felt like it was dragging on forever,
    there is good in the banner saga, I get that people love visual novels, but I just don’t... I want voice acting... if you want me to sit down and read for 10 hours your story better be captivating throughout... and it just wasn’t here for me…
    That being said im sure there are plenty out there that the idea of a visual novel meets turn based tactics rpg excited them…
    and for those people youre in for a great time… the banner saga is good at being just that…
    But its not for me..
    I give the banner Saga
    a 7/10    … Expand
  2. Concave
    Feb 24, 2020
    6
    The game is fun at the beginning, but very soon becomes boring and repeatable. So much reading, so little playing. If the best tactical RPGs get 10, then I cannot give this game any more than six.
    The port on Switch is ok, but not perfect. Managing your team, especially in combat, could have been better.
  3. melihabuaf
    Aug 16, 2021
    6
    Fast boring mekanik,..11, averje story, hard last bossy baka i dont rekomend
    it's good
    it's good it's good it's good it's good it's good it's goodit's good, it's good it's good it's good it's good it's good it's good it's goodit's good, it's good it's good it's good it's good it's good it's good it's goodit's good, it's good it's goo it's good it's good it's good    Fast boring mekanik,..11, averje story, hard last bossy baka i dont rekomend
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's goodit's good,
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's goodit's good,
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's goodit's good,
    it's good
    it's goo
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good
    it's good    … 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.
    Read full review
  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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