8) B is for... (The) Banner Saga
The challenge: To play through each of the games on my Steam library.
The rules: I have to play at least 1 hour of each game, in alphabetical order.
The Banner Saga came out in 2014, and I remember being so hyped for it. I love the aesthetic, and I love tactics games so this one seemed right up my alley.
The Banner Saga is set in a Viking-inspired world where, weeks before the beginning of the game, the sun stopped moving in the sky. I love this - normally darkness is the herald of evil but this is just way more ominous to me. You play as a group of Varl (giants with horns) travelling around the human lands getting tithes for the Varl King. Later in the game you also play as humans fleeing the creatures known as the Dredge, and the story just gets more exciting (and depressing) from there.
The game is split into two main phases - travelling and combat. The combat is fairly easy to learn but incredibly difficult to win - every fight, even the early ones, feels like an uphill struggle. The square-grid system looks simple but there's quite a lot of tactics involved due to the 'break' system. Each character and enemy has armour and health, and it's as important to break armour as it is to do hit point damage. This slows down the combat but in a good way, adding tactical choices and a variety of skills you can use.
The second phase is travel. You need to manage morale and supplies of your train of followers, and overcome obstacles you come across on your quest. I have to admit, I'm not exactly sure how the obstacles work. I *think* there's some RNG involved, as I'm sure I've had different outcomes for the same choices. But that might be just me misremembering.
All of these are great, but the game's real strength is that it oozes with style. Everything feels both grand and hopeless, and the soundtrack fits beautifully with this theme. The characters are interesting and distinct, and really emphasis the 'last stand' impression I get from the game. I knew before I even picked it up again that The Banner Saga would go in my GG folder, and I'm glad to say that time hasn't diminished how much I love it. Maybe this time I'll finish it...
The rules: I have to play at least 1 hour of each game, in alphabetical order.
The Banner Saga came out in 2014, and I remember being so hyped for it. I love the aesthetic, and I love tactics games so this one seemed right up my alley.
The Banner Saga is set in a Viking-inspired world where, weeks before the beginning of the game, the sun stopped moving in the sky. I love this - normally darkness is the herald of evil but this is just way more ominous to me. You play as a group of Varl (giants with horns) travelling around the human lands getting tithes for the Varl King. Later in the game you also play as humans fleeing the creatures known as the Dredge, and the story just gets more exciting (and depressing) from there.
Such a beautiful caravan...shame if something were to happen to it (it will :( )
The game is split into two main phases - travelling and combat. The combat is fairly easy to learn but incredibly difficult to win - every fight, even the early ones, feels like an uphill struggle. The square-grid system looks simple but there's quite a lot of tactics involved due to the 'break' system. Each character and enemy has armour and health, and it's as important to break armour as it is to do hit point damage. This slows down the combat but in a good way, adding tactical choices and a variety of skills you can use.
The second phase is travel. You need to manage morale and supplies of your train of followers, and overcome obstacles you come across on your quest. I have to admit, I'm not exactly sure how the obstacles work. I *think* there's some RNG involved, as I'm sure I've had different outcomes for the same choices. But that might be just me misremembering.
Hakon always gives you the side eye
All of these are great, but the game's real strength is that it oozes with style. Everything feels both grand and hopeless, and the soundtrack fits beautifully with this theme. The characters are interesting and distinct, and really emphasis the 'last stand' impression I get from the game. I knew before I even picked it up again that The Banner Saga would go in my GG folder, and I'm glad to say that time hasn't diminished how much I love it. Maybe this time I'll finish it...
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