Preview Banner Saga 2 Preview at IGN + Teaser Trailer

[Morality Games]

Maybe. But:

Mega Man --> Mega Man 2
Metroid --> Super Metroid
Baldur's Gate --> Baldur's Gate 2
Gothic --> Gothic 2
Shadowrun Returns --> Dragonfall

So on and so forth.

dragon age -> dragon age 2
mass effect -> mass effect 2
risen -> risen 2
ultima 7 -> the things after that

ans so on

Different species of development due to a different species of circumstances that isn't really applicable to the Banner Saga.

Typically when a game is critically and financially successful enough to be worth making a sequel the developers will expand and refine the original's core design in an effort to convince the same set of people that bought the first that THIS is the one worth playing. As artists, that is what they are predisposed to do; use their flawed practice piece as a platform for pulling off a masterpiece. This also allows them to bring satisfaction to the same people who appreciated their art originally, again something as artists they are predisposed to want. Not to mention, as they don't have the most developed marketing expertise, they are predisposed to rely on the money of people who paid them before.

After that, the mechanics get tired and unless the franchise and to a lesser extent the genre as a whole is allowed to rest for many years you will see diminishing returns in sales, which is what happened to Castlevania and really all classic video game franchises (including Zelda, at a slower rate, although the 3D transition with Ocarina of Time led to a brief resurgence in sales). Very well established IPs with a penchant for quality can delay this process through the gradual cycling in and out of different mechanics, the use of different storytelling structures, switching up the motifs and art, etc. Final Fantasy is probably the most famous example of this, having gone through so many strange recycling processes that the extent it is basically several vaguely related video game series that should be distinct blurred into a single nebulous series.

Sooner or later, though, such franchises inevitably turn to streamlining. Design shifts from satisfying the fans who enjoyed the game to convincing everyone who doesn't want to play that the game that the game is worth playing. This will happen at developer dominated studios, but big publishers can speed along the process to the extent of skipping Step Two: make the sequel that improves the iterations of the first and go directly to streamlining.

All other things being the same, developers who have means and ability won't allow the sequel to be released worse than the original.

We know Stoic has the ability because they made the first game and have established industry experience, and we know they have the means because they're three guys whose game sold 400,000 copies on Steam.

 

[Lerk]

I enjoyed the first, even if it did feel like "Telltale Games does Tactics" I won't pick up the sequel until a healthy discount. The first game was the essence of a foundational title, so for the sequel I'd hope they did some work on environmental/terrain variety for the battles, an inventory, a better UI, more unit variety (more Dredge isn't what I had in mind...) and meaningful development and progression for individual heroes. More animation too; not asking for fully animated, but SOMETHING apart from the ever present bloody banner flapping in the stiff Nordic wind.

They made serious bank and cut their teeth with the first installment, so the above is reasonable to expect. Unless they blew the dough on an orchestra again...

I'd be very much surprised if this isn't more of the same, honestly - hence the lack of fanfare, I mean what's there to discuss or fanfare if nothing's essentially changed in the sequel? I don't want to pay full price unless there's more actual game in there at the least.

 

[SirSingAlot]

Banner Sage was good, but overhyped.
way too short, combat wasnt too interesting neither, linear as fuck.

i am sceptical

 

[bledcarrot]

Not all choices are in "quick, do or die" events, some are made in moments where losing 10 seconds or 10 minutes doesn't really make a difference. And you and me are talking completely different stuff - I never said "I want to see the results of each option". What I said, is that I want to make informed choices. I want to be able to ask people, talk, have descriptions of the environment and so on. All the stuff a reasonable person might want to do if his life depended on the result of his action.

Seems like you want a completely different game. That's kind of the point, that there are potentially costly decisions you have to make with limited information and you roll with the outcome and move on. They meant it, you know...

I also don't understand people who complain about the combat rewarding not killing certain enemies and positioning playing such a huge role, like realism is of paramount importance in a modified chess simulator. Again, it's the point. These are the mechanics of the game and you're supposed to learn them and use them effectively to win. I suspect the people who complain loudest about that shit were probably unable to do so.

 

[Azeot]

there is a term for choosing to do something with little or no information and no idea of a potential outcome other than intuition and luck. It's called gambling.

 

[bledcarrot]

there is a term for choosing to do something with little or no information and no idea of a potential outcome other than intuition and luck. It's called gambling.

And? They're supposed to be random events that you roll on and deal with in the broader context of the game. That's the point. It's not a 'flaw' in the mechanics, it's very much intended to be that way. Eh, I dunno, I don't mind rng either, in the right context and as long as other elements of the game require strategy, which banner saga does. Some people just don't like uncertainty and lack of control I guess.

 

[ROARRR]

I played it two times till the fight against the guy with the red armour. Couldn´t beat him though and then I stoped playing it. Also I realized that my decisions mostly had bad consequences. The aim was to keep it minimal and that is just not fun to play for me! But I like the storyline, characters and the art! Will not buy the second one but will watch a lets play!