Have you heard of road movies? Now you can see road game. Though it’s a very hardcore rpg road game, that contains a lot of hard choices and pretty bleak fantasy world.

Banner Saga immediately attracts attention with its beautiful hand drawn very distinct graphic style - everything from npcs to background done with great attention to details without cutting corners. Since there are tons of characters encountered throughout the journey with very varied personalities, each of them had to have looks to match and artists totally delivered.

Sounds are superbly done, hits, groans and so on are on mark to deliver what’s going on. Music transforms along with places and actions to add to atmosphere, so it became essential part of experience.

Gameplay consists of your traveling caravan management, which includes both making sure you have enough resources and there are no conflicts and choosing road, taking quests and solving relationship issues both in towns and those that may happen while you are on the road. There are bunch of events that might happen and what you decide will have consequences that are not really possible to predict a lot of times. Some things that you did back at start of the game could come bite you in behind in the end, and there would be nothing you could do about it by that point. Welcoming group you encountered might either strengthen your force or lead you to ambush, start infighting, rob you of some of your precious resources and there is not really much you could do about it. Second part is combat itself when you encounter definitely hostile enemies or when your decisions lead to confrontation. Fights are done on grid based field where maneuvering and cc skills play essential part, cause often what you’re fighting is overwhelmingly stronger force, so there is no way to win in direct confrontation. There are also bunch of intricacies like armour being separate part from hp and needing different dmg type to get rid of, but it could be roughly similar to other games.

Plot starts very simple but gets complicated and include more and more story threads very fast. There are both very personal and whole world encompassing issues that get entangled with each other. Be ready for lots of unexpected turns, revelations and tragic events cause storytelling is a very strong point here. Can’t say more in fear of spoiling it, so you got to believe me it’s very much worth experiencing.

The Banner Saga is one of those rare games where the weight of your decisions is felt constantly. From the very beginning, it establishes a world that is harsh, desperate, and stunningly beautiful — a hand-animated Viking-inspired saga that feels like a living myth.

The art direction is absolutely gorgeous. Every scene looks like a moving painting, and the music elevates it even further, giving the world a sense of grandeur and melancholy that perfectly fits the tone. It’s atmospheric in the best way possible.

Combat is tactical, thoughtful, and deeply satisfying. The strength/armor system forces you to think differently than in most strategy games, and every battle feels tense because losses actually matter. Characters can die permanently, and the game never pulls its punches.

The story is where it truly shines. Leadership, sacrifice, survival — the narrative constantly puts you in impossible situations with no perfect answers. Even small decisions can have devastating consequences, making every playthrough feel personal and impactful.

The Banner Saga doesn’t rush you, and it doesn’t hold your hand. It trusts the player, and that trust pays off. If you enjoy rich storytelling, meaningful choices, and strategy with real emotional stakes, this is an absolute must-play.

10/10 — haunting, beautiful, and unforgettable.

banner saga