- Developer: Stoic
- Publisher: Versus Evil
- Price: ₹778 on PC. ₹2000+ on Playstation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch ($24)
While the giants of gaming usually play it safe, it’s the small studios and development teams that are brave enough to try something outrageous and magical. Stoic Studio is one such outfit. Comprised of former BioWare employees, they released the incredible Banner Saga. A hand-drawn epic that captured everyone’s hearts, so much so they released a sequel, and now the end to the trilogy. The Banner Saga 3 is a triumph in gaming, and a slap in the face to anyone who scoffs at gaming not being an art form.
What is it about?
For a game that is as story-heavy as The Banner Saga is, you’ll need to start from part one to make any sense of the third. Fortunately, Stoic has re-released the other games on all systems, but the game is especially good on the portable Nintendo Switch.
The Banner Saga is set in a Viking world that’s stuck in perpetual twilight. As the game drives you through the story, everything gets darker, and the narrative convincingly makes you feel like you are at the very edge of utter extinction.
You truly feel for your band of characters, where every decision is well-placed and carries definitive weight.
Once you start off on the story of one, there’s no way you can stop until you reach the end of three. Each loss hits hard, and every win tastes great, but is short-lived. The games are not too long, understandable, considering each story vignette is beautifully hand-crafted and acted out. The story is well-paced, and there’s almost no filler or bloat content employed to cheaply increase game length.
How does it play?
If you’ve played tactical RPG games like Final Fantasy Tactics, Disgaea or Tactics Ogre, then you will be at home with the mechanics of The Banner Saga 3.
Essentially, battles take place on a chess-like grid, where you move your heroes around and execute attacks. While it’s slow-paced, the incredible animated characters as well as the rich strategy of The Banner Saga will keep you hooked. It is tough though, and with each game up until 3, there are new mechanics and new enemy types to contend with.
The story puts you not only as a tactician in battle, but you also play a pivotal role as the leader of the factions. You will need to make decisions that impact the lives of people and push you along different paths in the story. The pace is relentless and The Banner Saga 3 stacks a palpable tension of battles and decisions that is worthy of a final act in the epic.
Now for the best part of the game, the art style. The Banner Saga series is hand-drawn, with beautiful character art which is inspired from the work of Ralph Bakshi, who attempted an animated The Lord of the Rings in the 70s, and Don Bluth, a prominent animator at Disney. Known for their unique styles, which are captured beautifully with Viking-like backgrounds. Every frame looks breathtaking and like it belongs in an art book. The sound design is incredible and the soundtrack by Austin Wintory is haunting. The Banner Saga is a breath of fresh winter air in an industry of same old, same old.
Should you get it?
It’s rich in story with an unforgiving tactical combat mechanic that may not appeal to everyone. Though if you want something deep to keep you company on your morning commute on the Switch, or challenges you while playing on your HDTV or PC, then you’re in for a real treat with The Banner Saga 3. Whatever you choose, just make sure you choose to play the entire trilogy, or you will end up not liking it.
The writer is a tech and gaming enthusiast who hopes to one day finish his sci-fi novel
