14 DAY TRIAL // 
The Banner Saga 2 is a game about loss, desperate last stands, impressive victories against the odds and, above all, the impossible task of trying to save as many lifes as possible in the face of an almost impossible enemy force.
The Dredge have not been slowed down, and the alliance between the Varl and the humans is under new strain, but there's hope still for this world as new leaders learn how to distribute limited resources and when to enter battles to keep their followers alive.
There's no final victory over evil to be secured in The Banner Saga 2, but the game offers a story that shows how powerful hope can be and has a set of core mechanics that allow the player to show his tactical skills in a variety of interesting situations.
The game is created by Stoic Games and published by Versus Evil, with the game currently offered on the PC and set to arrive later on the PlayStation 4 from Sony and the Xbox One from Microsoft.
Story
The Banner Saga 2 tells a story that picks up immediately after the events of the original, which means that all those who want to play it would do better to experience the first narrative in the series and even use an imported save as their starting point.
After taking down Bellower, the caravan of humans and Varl needs to continue its quest to get to safety, away from the powerful Dredge, and despite their victory, the road does not get any easier and once again the game switches between two very different perspectives.
New characters are introduced, although they do not seem to have the depth of those returning from the original, and the game introduces a world that, in the words of the wisest characters, is breaking and cannot be fixed.
As either Rook or Alette, players will have to decide who lives and who dies as they move West and how to best protect the hundreds of people who are putting their trust in the banner of their leader, even as hope seems close to being extinguished.
The other half of the story focuses on Bolverk, a mercenary that only cares about gold but has to deal with a lot of mystery, which surrounds both a cart he is moving to a certain location and his visions of the future.
The Banner Saga 2 is darker than the first title in the series, but Stoic Games uses intelligent dialogue and humor well to create some lighthearted moments, even if for most of the time the narrative shows how even the sturdiest of warriors go close to breaking point as the world and their way of life crumbles around them.
Gameplay
The Banner Saga 2 is a very solid combination of role-playing game and tactical turn-based combat, a title that manages to focus on the essence of both the core mechanics while emphasizing the effects that each player choice and move have.
Players will spend a lot of time watching the icon image of the caravan that represents their group of survivors moving, trying to get to the capital and the safety of its walls, but there is no downtime in the game because events constantly pop-up and the decision of whether to push on or to make camp is ever present.
Stoic Games has crafted a wide range of very complicated situations that players need to deal with, and while none of the offered choices feels right for most of the situations, there are some decisions that are gut-wrenching and really manage to eco the burden of leaders often have to carry in dire situations.
The convoy of survivors, fighters, and Varl runs on morale and supplies, and both of them need to be managed to make sure that they keep moving forward and that the battles are not made harder by a penalty to the willpower of the selected heroes.
When enemies appear, regardless of whether they are Dredge, horsepeople or opposing factions, the game shifts to a grid and isometric view, with players able to choose which six characters they want to take into combat and how they start the engagement.
The Banner Saga 2 is turn-based and, just like in the original, the health of all heroes is also their attack strength, which, coupled with concerns over armor, initiative, and special abilities, leads to some complex decisions about who to attack next and how to make sure that the most powerful enemies are quickly eliminated from the battle.
The new game seems to emphasize willpower, which can be used to extend movement, add to normal attacks and power special ones, a little bit more, and the new enemies, the addition of the centaur-like units and the new environmental layouts keep the action fresh and engaging.
The computer opponent is capable enough, especially when he controls the powerful Dredge, and knows to focus on one unit to first break its armor and then quickly take it out of the fight, but there are also moments when it misses some opportunities or weirdly chooses to move through environmental hazards it can avoid.
As the player gathers Renown and his heroes pick up kills, they will be able to gain new abilities and improve their core skills, with gamers tasked with creating a balanced group that can survive injuries to some members or the sudden loss of others.
“The Banner Saga 2 is a difficult game, but Stoic Games avoids outrights fail states, making sure that the story goes on and incorporates player failures and defeats while also hinting at other possibilities that increase the replayability of the title.”
The core systems of the game are simple to understand, but the interactions between them are surprising and create a layer of tension that permeates the entire experience, which clings even to victories and positive outcomes, preparing the player for the inevitable coming losses.
The only major criticism is that the new classes the player can use feel a little underpowered and I found that the best way to deal with the Dredge is to use a mix of frontline fighters and archers, without resorting to poets or horseborn unless asked to.
Graphics and audio
The Banner Saga 2 is a superb-looking game even if the focus of the small development team at Stoic Games is clearly not on the graphics but the story and gameplay.
The stylized take on classic Nordic concepts and the influences from the ‘60s Disney movies manage to make the caravan that the player is guiding feel both vulnerable and mighty with its ranks of people and loaded carts that often feel insignificant when compared to the world around them.
Gamers will visit some impressive environments as they try to reach the capital of humanity and its relative safety, but Stoic Games also manages to make the characters very evocative when it comes to their emotions, using small gestures and changes of attitude to show how the constant fighting and despair are affecting them.
I would have liked a little more voice acting in The Banner Saga 2, especially for the more central characters, and the battle sounds are relatively sparse, but the development team makes up for them by delivering a gorgeous soundtrack, with music that underlines both the dark atmosphere of the world and the heroics associated with battling the Dredge.
The Good
- Great storytelling with complex decisions
- Solid turn-based combat system
- World design
The Bad
- Some prior knowledge required
- Some classes feel underpowered
Conclusion
The game is one of the few that can communicate the incredible pressure that leaders are under as they try to ensure survival for those they are in charge of and how hard it is to make even small decisions when lives hang in the balance.
The combat system is not revolutionized in any way but remains entirely enjoyable because of the link between health and attacking power and the tactical puzzles that are built around it.
The Banner Saga 2 is a great purchase for all those who love complex storytelling or turn-based battles, and I cannot wait to see how Stoic Games tweak the formula of the game in the final title of the trilogy.
