Review RPG Codex Review: The Banner Saga

[Zorba the Hutt]

Quick reminder: this started with a Bubbles comment

Proceed with care

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

 

[MasPingon]

RPGCODEX:Doesn't scale to your level

Well, obviously. I wanted to have a section tracing the similarities between the combat systems of the three games, but Infinitron said it would be too grognard-y for our target audience. Maybe next time.

This is a problem with today's Codex in a nutshell.

 

[Infinitron]

You should make a thread about it in Site Feedback.

 

[Ulminati]

Well, obviously. I wanted to have a section tracing the similarities between the combat systems of the three games, but Infinitron said it would be too grognard-y for our target audience. Maybe next time.

 

[Jagged Appliance]

Best troll on the codex by a mile. Good review too.

 

[Bubbles]

Best troll on the codex by a mile. Good review too.

Keeping in mind that the two are strictly separate in this instance.

 

[Deleted member 7219]

Game is shit apart from the visual design and soundtrack.

The finale felt like getting kicked in the balls.

 

[himmy]

Kickstarter Fanboyism is rampant on the Codex.

In the past people would consume a lot of promotional material and be so excited that, when the game came out and sucked, there would be a 50/50 chance that they would ignore the gnawing hollowness of disappointment they felt inside and proceed to defend the turd they had waited so long for.

But now, people have invested real money - sometimes hundreds of dollars. It's a whole new level of being hyped up or a game. Now it would be so painful to admit that the game sucks, that there is a 90% chance of pure denial mode.

That, combined with our lack of decent review writers, has seen our once prestegeous magazine release schlock review after schlock review. Stop the decline already.

"I didn't like this game very much and the fact that there are people who disagree reveals some structural faults in contemporary society"

 

[a cut of domestic sheep prime]

"i picked a girl avatar even though i have a dick"

 

[himmy]

"I picked a velociraptor avatar even though I am a mammal"

 

[Jaesun]

This thread sure is going places.

 

[Bubbles]

Lesson learned: No review should be longer than 2000 words.

 

[x4nti]

Nice review. I agree with most of it. As far as I'm concerned BS has had the best tactical combat gameplay of any of the kickstarter games released. I always start out playing tactical rpgs on the highest difficulty. However, for most games even in that setting the combat eventually becomes easy and boring. (Due to this I didnt even finish Divinity OS, Wasteland 2 or PoE) This was not the case when I was playing Banner Saga - playing the game on hard trying to get a perfect record was actually challenging and very rewarding all the way to the bitter end.

I think the importance of thoroughly beta-testing the combat gameplay in a confined environment like they did in BS can not be overstated. AoD did this too and their combat system is also very good.

 

[Daemongar]

Thanks for the excellent review. The game is on sale on Steam, and I've been meaning to get around to trying it. Now was a good opportunity, so the timing was perfect.

 

[tyrannosaurus rex]

suddenly began to exhibit a talent for making good role playing games

We already went over this. Banner Saga is a good game but not a good RPG. It does not exhibit the core features that makes an RPG and it's choice and consequences are far too limited and shallow. Good interactive story with a combat mini game.

 

[Saber-Scorpion]

Brofist for Bubbles. Good review.

Really enjoyed this little game, myself. I can see where it's not for everyone, but I was well immersed by the art/music/atmosphere, and consistently challenged by the gameplay on the hardest difficulty. Played it twice to make more informed choices and get better consequences the second time. More than got my money's worth. Looking forward to the sequel.

 

[Infinitron]

Bubbles, I probably should have asked this earlier, but what's the rationale behind the US anthem image captions?

 

[Bubbles]

I couldn't think of anything else. The alternative would have been "this is a character screen", or "please observe at how many colors there are in this image".

Plus, most of the lines ended up fitting the images reasonably well.

 

[Cassidy]

Sorry, grognard.

Sellouts and "RPG" fans belong to SomethingAwful, not RPGCodex.

 

[Bubbles]

Sellouts and "RPG" fans belong to SomethingAwful, not RPGCodex.

But... Josh Sawyer posts on SA?

 

[Ulminati]

I couldn't think of anything else. The alternative would have been "this is a character screen", or "please observe at how many colors there are in this image".

Plus, most of the lines ended up fitting the images reasonably well.

Or you're just acknowledging that Vikings hold claim to America.

 

[InspectorRumpole]

Huh, i thought Bubbles hated the game? (based on his brofists in other threads).

Anyway, good review, particularly the part about what type of player this will appeal to. I believe that's the essence of whether you'll like or dislike this game.

P.s. Never experienced any downright bad AI. (40 hours on Hard)

 

[BlackAdderBG]

P.s. Never experienced any downright bad AI. (40 hours on Hard)

What AI, the game has no depth lol

 

[commie]

Kickstarter Fanboyism is rampant on the Codex.

In the past people would consume a lot of promotional material and be so excited that, when the game came out and sucked, there would be a 50/50 chance that they would ignore the gnawing hollowness of disappointment they felt inside and proceed to defend the turd they had waited so long for.

But now, people have invested real money - sometimes hundreds of dollars. It's a whole new level of being hyped up or a game. Now it would be so painful to admit that the game sucks, that there is a 90% chance of pure denial mode.

That, combined with our lack of decent review writers, has seen our once prestegeous magazine release schlock review after schlock review. Stop the decline already.

Well I already voted to remove Darth Roxor from the list of posted reviewers...what more can I do?