The Banner Saga 2 Review

The Banner Saga 2 is the 2016 sequel to the original 2014 game by Stoic Studio. For the uninitiated, Stoic Studio is helmed by three former BioWare employees, and it shows in their projects. Set in a Viking-inspired world caught in a seemingly never-ending war, The Banner Saga is a harrowing tale. It challenges the player’s leadership skills, often presenting situations with nothing but terrible solutions. Does The Banner Saga 2 recapture the magic of the original? Is there enough here to justify revisiting this universe?

Story

The first thing to remember is The Banner Saga was not designed to be a standalone piece. While the original game provides some degree of closure, Rook or Alette’s story continues. The Banner Saga trilogy is closer to The Lord of the Rings than the Elder Scrolls. It is one long journey split into different chapters or episodes.

The Banner Saga ends with the user deciding whether to sacrifice Rook or Alette, as the chosen warrior takes down the Dredge’s supposedly immortal leader Bellower. If you play both games on the same device, The Banner Saga 2 transfers the save file from its predecessor. This ensures a genuine continuation rather than a new adventure. If a save file is not available, the user has the option to select between Rook and Alette.

Despite eliminating the Dredge’s figurehead, the remaining humans and Varls (giants) are not quite out of the firing line. If anything, things have only gotten worse. The scattered Dredge forces constantly attack Rook/Alette’s caravan. The story’s driving force is a march toward the capital city of Arberrang. The trek requires the caravan to travel across the continent, visiting multiple unique places along the way.