Banner Saga review

Presentation

The hand drawn images of The Banner Saga make sure this 2014 game hasn’t aged a day. Character models are expressive and weathered-looking. The landscapes, on the other hand, are expansive and epic, and could even pass for medieval paintings.

Austin Wintory’s score fits the mood of the game like a glove. Its emphasis on minimalist singing and battle gear is never intentionally flashy, but it always manages to get the blood pumping.

Final verdict

Overall, I just wish The Banner Saga would push a few more chapters beyond its bittersweet conclusion. As part one of a now completed trilogy, I understand this game to be a piece of a bigger story. However, 10 hours still left me wanting a little more from this first entry.

The saga of the banners it made me feel a level of stress that I didn’t know I would enjoy so much. This comes from the engaging responsibility of leading my clan through this infinitely fascinating world. Gambling is addictive mixed with anxiety, with danger always at your heels and disaster only with a bad decision.

The burden of leadership can certainly be heavy. But it is a weight lightened by a story, a mechanics and an aesthetic from which I could not take my eyes off.