19.8.2018

Banner Saga Trilogy is a tactical role-playing game that immerses you into world reminiscent of the Nordic/Viking legends of myth, where human tribes live alongside giants (named 'Varl'). The game centres on the third 'Dredge war' - the Dredge being an armoured, warlike species who hate humanity and civilization.In the first of the three volumes of the saga you find yourself simultaniously controlling two groups. One, a group of refugees fleeing the onrushing Dredge onslaught from the frozen Northern wastes, lead by Rook, a reluctant hero who along with his daughter Alette has the responsibility of leadership unexpectedly thrust upon him.The other an army intent on meeting the Dredge threat and lead by the Varl Warmaster Hakon.The subsequent chapters of the trilogy introduce new units, abilities, enemies, and characters - such as the Centaur-like 'Horseborn' - and the decisions you have made in the earlier chapters can effect how the adventure in later chapters develops.The game is split between a world map (where story elements play out), and a tactical map (where combat occurs). The world map displays your caravan and its entourage as it makes its way across the land. Your caravan is composed of 'Clansmen' (essentially civilians who you must protect), as well as 'Fighters' (human warriors) and 'Varl' (giant-like fighters), who will form your forces in battle.As your caravan travels across the landscape you will encounter various locations or events that will require you to make leadership decisions. These could be as simple as deciding whether to take additional refugees into your group (and the burden they bring), having to deal with a disruptive drunk (and the best way to do that without upsetting the moral of the rest of the caravan), or settling a dispute between a village elder and his warriors. Alternatively the decisions you are required to make can be major, such as deciding whether to take time to gather the sick and wounded as the enemy bear down on you, or to soldier on without them in the hope that you manage to save more lives in the long run.Be advised, whilst sometimes your decision will result in a reward of supplies, fighting men or magical items, there is not always a 'right' choice to make. Often all you are presented with is a series of bad choices - some worse than others - such as deciding whether a cart load of treasure is worth the lives of one of your men. Frequently you will come across a number of events that will force you into battle. These can range from a small group of bandits intent on robbing you, or an entire army of Dredge.The larger of these battles will require you to chose a tactic. These range from charging head first into combat, to setting up formations, to fighting defensively, trying to sneak around a conflict, or even fleeing from combat altogether. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, for example charging into combat will save more of your warriors in the long term but will mean that you face a bigger challenge on the tactical map, where as adopting formations will result in a less challenging tactical battle but will result in far more of your army and the civilians in your caravan perishing.Prior to combat on the tactical map you will choose a team of warriors with which to do battle. Early in the game this may be as little as two or three characters, although later in the game you will be able to utilise up to six characters in tactical battle as you encounter them on your journey and they decide to join you in your adventure. These characters vary from the snotty aristocrat Ludin and his bodyguard Ysra, the Viking twins Hogan and Mogan, housewife-come-archer Nid, or ancient Varl warrior Krumr. There are a little short of thirty playable characters in total in the first chapter alone, with many more being added in subsequent chapters, all with their own unique appearances, abilities, and personalities.Each character has a number of attributes that determine their effectiveness and abilities in combat. 'Strength' determines your characters hitting power and the damage they do, but also represents their ability to withstand damage. 'Armour' effects your enemy's ability to inflict damage on your characters. 'Willpower' is the resource that allows you to use you characters unique special ability. 'Exertion' represent how much willpower you can use in a single action (higher levels allowing you to launch even more devastating special attacks). Finally 'Break' represents your ability to damage enemy armour.Special abilities differ from character to character. This may be the ability to lay a trap in the path of enemies, to set them on fire, to cause bleeding damage, chain-lightning attacks, or to cause area effect damage that effects several enemies. Characters may also equip magical items that you acquire or purchase during your journey, which have a range of benefits such as increasing attributes or reducing damage received.The tactical map is similar to that seen in many traditional turn-based strategy games such as the original X-COM, being composed of a chess-like grid, with each square representing one unit of movement. At the onset of combat you may deploy your troops within certain highlighted areas.Once combat begins you will take alternate turns to move your characters whilst the computer controls your Dredge opponents. Like your own characters, the Dredge come in a variety of unit types from lightly armoured troops armed with slings, massively armoured tank-type giants, or wizard-like Dredge with the ability to place buffs on other Dredge units.Battle continues until all units on one side of the conflict have been defeated with victory resulting in the awarding of 'renown' - the games essential resource that can be used to purchase supplies, items, or to level up your characters - with defeat usually (but not always) resulting in game over.Banner Saga will likely be criticised for its relatively simple game play. In truth it does not do anything that turn-based strategy games weren't doing the best of twenty years ago - but it is in that that I found its charm - namely a return to a traditional style of gaming rarely seen anymore.The real charm however is in the engrossing story line, accompanied by an entrancing orchestral score and beautiful, colourful graphics that manage to be both simple and stunning. Total game time was about fifteen hours per chapter in my estimation, so for a little under £30 you could do a lot worse if you are looking for an enjoyable, traditional, yet simple to play adventure.This 'bonus edition' of the game also comes complete with a musical soundtrack on CD, a mini art book showing some of the scenes and characters of the trilogy, a collectable poster depicting all of the characters of the game, and a free in-game item.

17.10.2018

Banner Saga Trilogy is a tactical role-playing game that immerses you into world reminiscent of the Nordic/Viking legends of myth, where human tribes live alongside giants (named 'Varl'). The game centres on the third 'Dredge war' - the Dredge being an armoured, warlike species who hate humanity and civilization.In the first of the three volumes of the saga you find yourself simultaniously controlling two groups. One, a group of refugees fleeing the onrushing Dredge onslaught from the frozen Northern wastes, lead by Rook, a reluctant hero who along with his daughter Alette has the responsibility of leadership unexpectedly thrust upon him.The other an army intent on meeting the Dredge threat and lead by the Varl Warmaster Hakon.The subsequent chapters of the trilogy introduce new units, abilities, enemies, and characters - such as the Centaur-like 'Horseborn' - and the decisions you have made in the earlier chapters can effect how the adventure in later chapters develops.The game is split between a world map (where story elements play out), and a tactical map (where combat occurs). The world map displays your caravan and its entourage as it makes its way across the land. Your caravan is composed of 'Clansmen' (essentially civilians who you must protect), as well as 'Fighters' (human warriors) and 'Varl' (giant-like fighters), who will form your forces in battle.As your caravan travels across the landscape you will encounter various locations or events that will require you to make leadership decisions. These could be as simple as deciding whether to take additional refugees into your group (and the burden they bring), having to deal with a disruptive drunk (and the best way to do that without upsetting the moral of the rest of the caravan), or settling a dispute between a village elder and his warriors. Alternatively the decisions you are required to make can be major, such as deciding whether to take time to gather the sick and wounded as the enemy bear down on you, or to soldier on without them in the hope that you manage to save more lives in the long run.Be advised, whilst sometimes your decision will result in a reward of supplies, fighting men or magical items, there is not always a 'right' choice to make. Often all you are presented with is a series of bad choices - some worse than others - such as deciding whether a cart load of treasure is worth the lives of one of your men. Frequently you will come across a number of events that will force you into battle. These can range from a small group of bandits intent on robbing you, or an entire army of Dredge.The larger of these battles will require you to chose a tactic. These range from charging head first into combat, to setting up formations, to fighting defensively, trying to sneak around a conflict, or even fleeing from combat altogether. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, for example charging into combat will save more of your warriors in the long term but will mean that you face a bigger challenge on the tactical map, where as adopting formations will result in a less challenging tactical battle but will result in far more of your army and the civilians in your caravan perishing.Prior to combat on the tactical map you will choose a team of warriors with which to do battle. Early in the game this may be as little as two or three characters, although later in the game you will be able to utilise up to six characters in tactical battle as you encounter them on your journey and they decide to join you in your adventure. These characters vary from the snotty aristocrat Ludin and his bodyguard Ysra, the Viking twins Hogan and Mogan, housewife-come-archer Nid, or ancient Varl warrior Krumr. There are a little short of thirty playable characters in total in the first chapter alone, with many more being added in subsequent chapters, all with their own unique appearances, abilities, and personalities.Each character has a number of attributes that determine their effectiveness and abilities in combat. 'Strength' determines your characters hitting power and the damage they do, but also represents their ability to withstand damage. 'Armour' effects your enemy's ability to inflict damage on your characters. 'Willpower' is the resource that allows you to use you characters unique special ability. 'Exertion' represent how much willpower you can use in a single action (higher levels allowing you to launch even more devastating special attacks). Finally 'Break' represents your ability to damage enemy armour.Special abilities differ from character to character. This may be the ability to lay a trap in the path of enemies, to set them on fire, to cause bleeding damage, chain-lightning attacks, or to cause area effect damage that effects several enemies. Characters may also equip magical items that you acquire or purchase during your journey, which have a range of benefits such as increasing attributes or reducing damage received.The tactical map is similar to that seen in many traditional turn-based strategy games such as the original X-COM, being composed of a chess-like grid, with each square representing one unit of movement. At the onset of combat you may deploy your troops within certain highlighted areas.Once combat begins you will take alternate turns to move your characters whilst the computer controls your Dredge opponents. Like your own characters, the Dredge come in a variety of unit types from lightly armoured troops armed with slings, massively armoured tank-type giants, or wizard-like Dredge with the ability to place buffs on other Dredge units.Battle continues until all units on one side of the conflict have been defeated with victory resulting in the awarding of 'renown' - the games essential resource that can be used to purchase supplies, items, or to level up your characters - with defeat usually (but not always) resulting in game over.Banner Saga will likely be criticised for its relatively simple game play. In truth it does not do anything that turn-based strategy games weren't doing the best of twenty years ago - but it is in that that I found its charm - namely a return to a traditional style of gaming rarely seen anymore.The real charm however is in the engrossing story line, accompanied by an entrancing orchestral score and beautiful, colourful graphics that manage to be both simple and stunning. Total game time was about fifteen hours per chapter in my estimation, so for a little under £30 you could do a lot worse if you are looking for an enjoyable, traditional, yet simple to play adventure.

The Banner Saga Trilogy - Reviews

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