Viking Trail: Tactics is back, and while the story isn't over yet, there's a lot to enjoy here. Stories branch in slight but significant ways depending on how you finished Banner Saga 1 (or who you choose as a starting character, if you go in completely new). Part 3 is coming, and you'll know it near the end of the game, because a huge plot point builds up, but isn't yet resolved.

Pros:
Good for 2 playthroughs
Each battle is designed carefully, and you can tell
Beautiful art

Cons:
Rook's story is a little more fleshed out than Alette's
The hunger system is even less useful now that you can forage-- starvation is never a real risk

Neutral:
Cliffhanger, because it's part 2 of 3. But, it does excel at setting the scene for the final game.

Overall the game mechanics are improvement over the first one. The character stat customizations are nicely improvement, and additionally the new syngeneic gear is really nice. New character types like Bards and Rogue are a lot of fun.

I loved the first game, but I can’t recommend this game. As a game about hard choices, consequences has been raised to overly punishing, too the point of game ending. The game has a way slap you in the face with a slippery slope that you have no hope of recovery. When you start the game again, there is no joy in the replay. Choices become meaningless, as often the best choice is to ignore them. Soullessly marching down the road, cold and careless of the other's fate.

In the end the game this game is the silver arrow that puts my want to play it to sleep.

Like the 1st game, BS2 is built upon a solid gameplay formula and fascinating worldsetting. Unfortunately, the execution falls apart. Stoic Studio behaves like that spiteful, arrogant artsy kid, bragging about the genius of their work but simultaneously mocks you for playing their game.

If you're new to the turn-base strategy genre, the game is going to feel utterly alienating. And Stoic really doens't bother to hold your hand. You're thrown into the thick of battle to fend yourselves. You're going to make mistakes and you're going to feel it. Not in a satisfying "everytime I retry I get a little better" kind of way. But in a "I'm hours into this playthrough and I just realized I don't have enough high level characters to get through this battle and now I must start all over" kind of way.

If you're a perfectionist then you're going to hate this game. The game doesn't allow you to make saves. You frequently find yourself having to replay entire chapters of the game to reverse a bad decision. Even that is frequently marred by the devs' sadistic, spiteful attempts at making life difficult for you. You want to get a power save to import into the next game in the franchise? We'll make it that the point of import is hours before the end of the game. So you'll have to replay hours of the game and watch unskippable cutscenese over and over again if you want that perfect save files.

Some games feel like a labor of love. Both Banner Saga games feel like labor of spite. Spite towards Stoic's own fanbase. As you play the game you never feel appreciate. You feel like a sucker sticking out throughout the deliberate abuse the devs hurl your way. Because they want to be "different".

Play the game game only because you want a genuine challenge, or if you really like viking mythologies; don't play the game because you want to support indie gaming. Stoic won't thank you for it. And it showed.

I don't understand how people could complain about this game being the same as the previous one. I think it's obvious that it's a direct sequel to Banner Saga.

The game is great, the characters and their abilities are even more original in this one. And I hope we will see Banner Saga 3, even if it's going to be "the same" - I will still play it.

PS: One of the characters is literally based on Thomas Middleditch's face. How about that huh?!:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BAz87Y8xDpO/

Banner Saga 2 is finally here and it carries on where it left off. This review will analyze the amazing amount of fun I had in my first playthrough (many more to come) of TBS2 and the moments that were less than pleasant. I aim at comparing the second game's structure to TBS1, and measuring the good, bad changes. Alright lets break it down.

Very much drawn up like a Tolkien-esque world, Banner Saga 2 plays out like the Two Towers of Tolkien, great fantasy writing accompanies the 2nd novel in a great trilogy that builds up to an upcoming climax in the third. Although it stumbles in a few places, the story proves to drive this epic adventure well into its second episode. The story starts off at a meager pace and suffers from bogged down streaks of fighting(explained in gameplay section). However, these negative aspects are QUICKLY and STRONGLY forgotten when thrown into the heat of the carvan's struggle of getting to one story sequence after another. Tolkien's Two towers is the worst of the best and the same can be said for this game. The first Banner Saga had a more complete narrative that was well supported by its characters and driven by tension from one scene to the next. Banner Saga 2 struggles to build tension or as intense interest in the beginning than the first game did, but with the option to start where your clan left off, this breathes continuity in the epic and gives it a semblance of being one game. Because of this, the first saga helps drive the second extensively. It does not fail to set up a Banner Saga 3 to outperform this entry in the series.

+Great story is continued
+sets up for a climactic finale
-story does drag in the beginning
--- 8.5/10 ---

The old group is back headed by the two protagonists Rook and Iver. These characters that are brought about from the first installment led with remarkable chemistry prompted by great writing. Unfortunately, many supporting characters don't get the screen dialogue time to continue developing themselves and create the sense of a united clan that was present in the first game. This is because the cast of characters grows too huge during this game and many characters were left behind either too late in the game or appeared not enough. Many new characters are ho-hum and plagued with some poor character designs that mimic the original cast slightly. Its only a select few of new characters that shine through and represent the new regions visited. These select new characters bond and become a part of a character driven exchange that works well with the story.

+Original characters are great
+A dynamic interplay between characters
-Too many new dull characters
-lack of further development in some older characters
--- 8/10 ---

The gameplay consists of leading a clan across the tundra and forest making decisions that effect the outcome of the story and the survival of the clan. When battle ensues, characters can be chosen to fight in a tactics style form of combat. Gameplay differs from the original in a few good ways and many uncessary ways. Firstly, the caravan system is now unbalanced. With the ability to find food far more easily and obtain renown especially too easy, management of food is almost never a problem. More renown is gained every battle, almost exponentially as the game goes on and this plays to TBS2's detriment. This leads to mass upgrading of characters and not as great care to tactical upgrading. The renown needed for upgrading is also designed incorrectly. The satisfaction of leveling up a character and feeling as if a distinction exists between levels is muddled. I found myself with the majority of my characters being able to level up 3-4 times in a row because of the previous kills that carry over to the next level. This also led to most of my characters being OP throughout much of the game and very little difficulty in combat. Combat soon became tedious at parts because battles would consist of enemies that presented no challenge at all for stretches of the game. The great aspects of the combat are still there however, and thats what makes this game's battle system amazing despite the related shortcomings.

EDIT: I played this game on normal and that should represent the adequate balance of difficulty and story telling. But in the end, the combat was too easy.

+original combat has not changed
-leveling and character progression is shoddy
-difficulty has been nerfed from the last Banner Saga
-last fights proved to be far too easy
--- 7/10 ---

The main aspect of this game that makes it great and separates it from every other game is and always has been -- its presentation. The atmosphere created by its authentic Celtic/Nordic music and a throwback art style that is captivating and adds so much to the game. The art is beautiful and haunting when it needs to be. The characters are represented well save for a few new characters that look awkward.

+Music is perfect
+animation is classic and unique to games of this day.
+Creates an atmosphere that is an ensemble of perfection
-New characters have questionable designs
--- 9.5/10 ---

The second Banner saga was amazing and amped up the story to an amazing height that can only get higher in Banner Saga 3. It was easy to tell when the first Banner Saga came out that it would turn into something awe inspiring and it has. A game I immediately want to play after beating it is a rarity for me, but now it just seems ritualistic to me with Banner Saga. Don't hold out on this one, it is one of my favorites and the game is truly a gem.
--- 8.25 --- TOTAL SCORE

EDIT: TBS2 is by no means a perfect game, and the story is very well constructed, its gameplay is poorly integrated at times and the 2nd game is a step down from the previous. This game deserves more criticism than it is getting and the amazing story should not blind the analysis of the game as a whole

Superb improvement over an already decent original. The combat is more interesting with a greater variety of both allied and enemy units and more in the way of battleground terrain and structures. The storyline is also improved over the original and the better quality of writing is almost instantly apparent. The training tent is also not so much of a white elephant and now periodically contains training puzzles which boost reknown on completion. The somewhat boring travelling sections have also been given an overhaul and creating a good balance between fighters and clansmen is no longer just random as clansmen can now be trained into fighters at the training tent. These fighters will consume twice as much food as clansmen and clansmen will now actively scavenge making them more than just the dead weight they were previously.

It's certainly an advantage to have played the original (and the final save from your previous adventure can be imported) as continuity is maintained with regard to storyline and base mechanics. But despite this BS2 remains a better and more well rounded game than the first making it a must-buy for story driven TBS fans. The only valid reason I can see for not getting hold of BS2 is if you absolutely hated the original - and why anyone would have is beyond me.

In 2014 I had the pleasure of playing through Banner Saga 1, and I had this to say in my review:

"There's something about this game that I can't put my finger on. It might be the entracing music, the Disney quality hand-drawn art, or perhaps it's the fact that everytime I play this game it's always 30 minutes later than I expected it to be.

The combat is simple, for the uninitiated. As you begin to dive into the character types, their respective special attacks, and equipable items, you'll soon realize that there is a depth to the combat that will keep you coming back. When the odds are seemingly against you, and you do in fact manage to reduce your foe to a single unit vs. one or more of your own, you will feel like a champion. A real champion.

What has surprised me the most about The Banner Saga is the number of choices and chances the game allows. Every combat decision, every discussion, every step on the map brings consequences.

I can't tell you whether or not you should buy The Banner Saga, but I can tell you that you would almost be a fool not to."

Even though I've (so far) only played Banner Saga 2 for an hour, I am happy to tell you that 2 years later everything I adored in TBS1 is alive and well in TBS2. The art, the music, all of the hard and rewarding decisions are back.

Anyone that loved The Oregon Trial, enjoys turn based combat, or just wants to experience a really well made game should pick up The Banner Saga 2 now.

Oh, and your save from TBS1 can be imported. If you didn't play the first (and I highly recommend doing so!) you can press a Recap button on the main menu to get up to speed.

I look forward to playing this game over the next 15-20 hours and salivating over The Banner Saga 3 for the next year+ :)

Well color me impressed! Actually used my previous save data to continue the tale. Seriously this team is making a great series here.

Even better that the first one, which was awesome. More. Please. I will give you money. The level of immersion you've achieved is so rare these days. I don't know exactly how you're doing it but it feels amazing. Reminds me of reading Tolkien for the first time when I was a kid. You guys nailed it, again. Great job!

Great characters, plot, and mechanics. This is not a flashy game, but it's got a lot of heart. And all the beards are meticulously drawn. There is a great diversity of beards in this game.