I’m back once again to discuss the final installment in Stoic Studios Nordic inspired tactics series The Banner Saga. If you haven’t already seen my article on The Banner Saga 2 I would encourage you to look it over here. Released in 2018, The Banner Saga 3 is less of a proper sequel and more of a final chapter within the game’s narrative.

The Banner Saga 3 picks up directly after the conclusion of the second title, and just like the second game, you can import your save from the previous entry in order to preserve the choices you made. I chose Rook as my main hero for all three titles, and the story opens with his band of adventurers as they struggle to survive in the broken city of Arberrang. Meanwhile, the Varl, Iver, and the remaining members of the mercenary group known as The Ravens make their way through a warped landscape hoping to halt the impending cataclysm.

The story is easily the strongest aspect of The Banner Saga 3. Characters are nuanced and interesting while also brimming with personality. Though there are certainly a fair few members of the cast that remain somewhat neglected, the core members are given fantastic development. Many of the conclusions to respective character arcs are extremely satisfying and create some of the most poignant moments within the series.

The biggest disappointment for me here comes with the gameplay. It remains virtually unchanged from the second game with barely any new classes, characters, or enemies. Furthermore, the issues I have with the combat are still persistent. There is no way to grind up characters outside of major battles, that force you to face persistent hordes, that allow for no opportunity to heal up. It also is quite frustrating that no character or item can allow your party to regenerate strength, only armor.

Considering strength is the stat that dictates both your health and damage, this results in a lot of frustrating encounters. Often, your primary enemies have absurdly high strength stats that can punch through even the toughest armor at your disposal and instantly place you at low health. I don’t mind some difficulty in a game, but I often felt the difficulty was inflated simply by the fact that I didn’t have enough tools at my disposal.

However, the best aspect of the gameplay is the decision-making. Every choice is hugely impactful and will change outcomes in various ways. At times this can be a detriment though. Even when you lose battles The Banner Saga 3 continues to progress albeit in a more negative fashion. My final ending was easily one of the saddest, and it left me wishing I could go back and change things. This certainly adds a lot of replay value but also can cause you to feel punished for momentary mistakes within encounters.

Nonetheless, the series continues to deliver in the visual and auditory departments. Austin Wintory delivers yet another fantastic soundtrack that constructs a suitably melancholy and hopeless tone.  Character animations, designs, and environments are gorgeously rendered and filled with minute details. I often found myself staring at the screen simply taking in the scenery and wishing I could pause to take screenshots. The voice performances given to the major cast are also quite strong and I wished they were utilized even more frequently.

I think I would have enjoyed The Banner Saga 3 more if it was combined with the second installment. It’s not only the shortest entry in the series but often feels more like a DLC expansion. I still enjoyed the game overall, but I wish there was slightly more innovation here. If you enjoyed the first game, I think both sequels are still worth your time. However, if you tend to prioritize gameplay over story, then you’ll probably be better served focusing your time elsewhere.

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The Banner Saga 3

$24.99

6.5

Score

6.5/10

Pros

• Gripping Story
• Great Characters
• Astounding Visuals

Cons

• Combat Can be Frustrating
• Little New Gameplay Features
• Story is Supreme