14 DAY TRIAL // 
The final entry in The Banner Saga if far more ruthless than what we've experienced in the first to games, but there's a reason for that. The Banner Saga 3 is the last chapter of a story that spans over three games and about 25-30 hours of gameplay, so it makes sense for developer Stoic Studio to want to offer players closure.
The Banner Saga 3 has multiple endings, but depending on the choices you make, some of the characters that you've known since the beginning of the saga might or might not live. Why is Banner Saga 3 more ruthless than the previous titles in the series? One of the reasons is that each choice you make will have an instant result, whereas decisions made in the first two games will only have a major impact later on.
If you still have a save from your previous games, you'll be able to load it up at the beginning of The Banner Saga 3, so every choice you made while playing first and second parts of the saga will be reflected in the third act.
The Banner Saga 3 scenario is split into two parts, as the story follows two armies that are trying to save the world, each with its own goals. While Rook (or Alette) and his followers must do everything in their power to withstand the overwhelming dredge forces, the Ravens led by Valka and Eyvind are on suicide mission to reverse wrong that's been done to the world.
You would think that being fortified in the most powerful city the humankind managed to build should allow Rook and his army to withstand even the most brutal attacks from the dredge and the warped alike. Unfortunately, politics in Arberrang, the seat of power for the king and the most populated city throughout the human lands, becomes even more complicated the moment Rook arrives and dredge armies start the siege.
The Ravens don't have an easier mission, as they're fewer in numbers and have to travel through a land that's been completely overrun by warped creatures roaming the darkness that slowly envelops the whole world.
In comparison with the other two games, everything is more intense and unfolds at twice the pace in The Banner Saga 3. You get to meet new characters, even if just for several hours, that will help you (or die trying) finish the mission you started two games ago. There are no good or bad decisions since everything is about survival, so it's just a matter of who you want to save at the expense of others, just that you won't know until it happens.
The tactical turn-based battles in The Banner Saga 3 haven't changed, though each character can choose a heroic skill when it reaches a certain level. Also, longer battles have been added, which will allow you to fight waves of enemies for more “renown” and a powerful item. In between wave, you can reinforce your troops or you can choose to flee without any negative consequences.
The battle system is nothing to brag about, but I've found that it greatly complements the rest of the gameplay. Depending on what difficulty level you're playing, fights can be really brutal or a walk in the park.
When it comes to artwork and sound, The Banner Saga 3 is absolutely gorgeous. The brilliant Austin Wintory, the composer of the music, has done a great job complementing the top-notch visuals with an equally amazing music.
The only thing where I feel The Banner Saga 3 fails is its inability to make you care for all the new characters that join you cause in the third chapter. I can understand that there's not enough time to shape up their personalities and make them as punchy as the protagonists, but they made me feel like they're expendable.
The Good
- Epic storyline
- Gorgeous hand-drawn graphics
- Decisions matter on short term
- Amazing music by Austin Wintory
- Multiple endings perfectly end the trilogy
The Bad
- Some individuals lack characterization
- More varied enemies would have been great
Conclusion
For what is worth, The Banners Saga 3 is a fitting end for a great adventure that's meant to highlight the qualities and downsides of the human spirit: sacrifice, love, heroism, friendship vs. malice, hate, thirst for power, cowardice. The story and the objective in The Banner Saga 3 doesn't change, it only becomes bleaker and more intense. On top of that, the sense of hopelessness and despair is present now more than ever, making The Banner Saga 3 a journey full of angst and melancholy.
Finishing The Banner Saga 3 gave me a sense of accomplishment. Even though I did not manage to save everyone, the world will live to see another day. Wounds heal, conflicts eventually wear off, life will ultimately prevail, and that's one of the many things The Banner Saga 3 is teaching us.
