#The banner saga endings series
The game series is set in a bleak world inspired by Norse mythology, replete with horned giants called varl and a host of archetypal gods.
Video games might seem an odd place to turn for such representations, but The Banner Saga accomplishes what other mediums have yet to. More than just a comment on climate change, however, The Banner Saga series might be one of the best representations of a world that feels closer than ever to annihilation. Lead developer Alex Thomas told a reporter that the parallels with climate change were “quite a coincidence,” but one that “I don’t think we shied away from.” In that same interview, lead designer Matt Rhodes said “we’ve definitely been aware ” when developing The Banner Saga 3, which was released across most platforms in July. With the third installment, the team at Stoic wraps up a game in which the world faces a catastrophic, environmental collapse. The long answer? Developers and designers have relied on subtlety and allegory, as is the case in Stoic Studio’s The Banner Saga. How have game developers reacted? The short answer, according to a Mic article, is secrecy. Gamergaters have strong ties to the alt-right. Masking their trolling (and death threats) as an attempt to maintain “ethics in gaming journalism,” Gamergaters are more akin to “soldiers in a culture war that extends far offline.” If this sounds familiar, it should. Proponents of #Gamergate oppose what they see as the injection of politics into gaming, particularly demands for equitable representation for women, POC, and the LGBTQ community. Austin Wintory’s soundtrack pulls you through the story masterfully, the art holds new wonders at every corner, and every major character has a unique backstory.THIS AUGUST WAS the fourth anniversary of Gamergate, a movement borne of a poisonous mixture of zealous fandom, toxic masculinity, and reactionary politics that roiled the gaming world. With a small team, Stoic has managed to build an atmosphere that rivals many AAA titles. The quiet moments between characters after traveling and the feeling of being a cog in a massive world. The culmination of all this is a series whose biggest strength is its journey. It feels like a missed opportunity, and I can’t help but wish that more screen time was given to both those and the conclusion. Some of Saga 3’s most emotional moments are devoid of voice acting and are boiled down to a few lines of dialogue.
There’s also a major choice in the second game that will alter large swathes of dialogue and content.Įven so, it feels like Stoic has been a little too ambitious in balancing the complexity of its story with the size of its team. I’m sure that there are plenty more moments throughout the game that will only reveal themselves a second or third time around. The length Aberrang can hold out depends on the supplies and fighters you’ve accumulated, for example, and Stoic isn’t afraid to kill off major characters if you take too many risks. Thankfully, there are plenty of other aspects that are affected by longer-term decisions. With the final installment, Stoic finally brings the bigger picture into focus, leaving a feeling that it was just out of reach this whole time. It’s one of the few cases where the worldbuilding of a video game is on par with other mediums, and it’s done with surprisingly few info dumps. The studio blends Norse legends and entirely unique concepts with the skill of the fantasy greats. It’s riveting, and Stoic’s overarching plot is hard to criticize. The other consists of mercenaries and powerful mages, pushing slowly through to the source of the catastrophe. One hunkers down in the city of Aberrang, fighting off hordes of stone-bodied Dredge at the walls while trying to keep things civil inside them. It’s a true culmination of the previous games, the player leading two ragged bands as darkness slowly engulfs the world. The stakes in Banner Saga 3 couldn’t really be higher.
Stoic is determined to wrap up its series in a neat little package, crafting a story that flows from start to finish like the Viking lore it’s based on. Platforms: PC (version reviewed), PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo SwitchĪll good things must end, and despite its fabled history, The Banner Saga is no exception. After two exciting releases, The Banner Saga 3 closes Stoic’s trilogy, tying up loose ends but also revealing the limitations of a small studio.
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