I was a kickstarter backer of this game.
I think turn-based fans will like this one. Graphically, it reminds me a lot of the old Lord of the Rings animated movie. If you're an old school gamer, look into this one.
Due out January 14, 2014.
Yep - also a backer. Been following it diligently because of the game-mechanics setup, but also the sheer amount visual goodness in their animation approach.
I would also add - if you've seen the gameplay demos - that it looks like it has some moral choice/repurcussion element that can change the how you face events. I think that's an interesting addition in what could be just turn-based combat. Finally - like the usage of a more Norse Medieval style in a fantasy world game as a change of pace from the usual knights/wizards/elves approach.
This now has a release date: 14 January. There's also a trailer and preview linked.
As far as I can tell it's BATTLESTAR GALACTICA meets THE OREGON TRAIL meets FINAL FANTASY TACTICS. But with moar Vikings.
This came out today :) Waiting for it to unlock.
I played this on Steam more than a few months back. I loved the one mission, but after that it was just online only. If they are doing a full single-player game of it I will be very happy.
Online play was a way for them to ballance the combat system and get player feedback while they built the single player campaign. It also allowed them to get them some extra funding beyond the kickstarter so they could add polish.
I am really looking forward to downloading it when I get home, but I have a Pathfinder game tonight... Decisions decisions
It's pretty good. VERY tough, though, and the game doesn't autosave after battles. In fact, the game doesn't tell you when it's saving at all. Just about the only safe places to log out are after a new chapter begins, otherwise it's totally random on where you will be reloading from. Very bizarre.
Excellent artwork though and the game achieves a good balance between having a small number of game systems and putting in interrelationships between them to make them more interesting.
In summary, it's XCOM combat (complete with robots) with gameplay from THE OREGON TRAIL/ORGAN TRAIL and a storyline that's somewhere between BSG, HOMEWORLD and the Chain of Dogs from Steven Erikson's MALAZAN novels. Except all with Vikings. And giants. Sort of.
And boom went their servers.
Playing it right now. Awesome game so far. I even converted the Varl into D&D 3.5/Pathfinder stats (as a player race) a while back when I was playing Banner Saga: Factions (the PVP version of the game).
Downloaded, but not unlocked yet. Hoping to get started tonight.
The serpent is one of my favorite video game characters I have ever seen, and I have only just been introduced to him.
The other characters have all been great too, and the game really gets the mood right.
Need to claim my download!
I just wish supplies were bought in a currency other than renown. I've had to spend so much on food that I haven't been able to level my characters, which makes me feel like I'm falling behind, and my people are still starving!
I would agree that's a problem. You have to do most of your levelling early in the game because in the last few chapters you have so few supplies you won't be able to use it for anything else.
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Just for fun:
Large: Varl are Large creatures and suffer a -1 size penalty to their AC and attack rolls, as well as a -4 size penalty on Stealth checks. However, they gain +1 size bonus to their CMB and CMD, as well as a +4 size bonus on Intimidate checks made against creatures smaller than themselves. Finally, as Large creatures, varl have twice as much carrying capacity as Medium-sized creatures; their gear, however, must be sized to fit their larger frames, meaning that varl must spend extra gold when purchasing items.
Normal Speed: Varl have a base speed of 30 feet.
Condescending Attitude: Varl are often guilty of patronizing their human counterparts, believing themselves to be superior. As such, varl suffer a -2 penalty on Diplomacy checks when relating to humans.
Horns: Varl have a pair of large, animal-like horns which protrude from their brow, granting them a gore attack. This is a primary natural attack that deals 1d6 points of piercing damage.
Racial Unity: Varl value kin greatly and always stick together. Whenever they encounter another member of their race, varl characters treat those individuals' starting attitude as one step better than normal. However, if a varl becomes known as an oathbreaker, or worse, a kinslayer, he or she immediately loses the benefit of this racial trait. In addition, each varl that he or she encounters from that point onward begins with a starting attitude one step worse than normal.
However, for those varl that become known as kin-slayers, or fail to come to the aid of their king, this racial trait is inverted, meaning that most varl encountered begin with a starting attitude of unfriendly towards them.
Thick Skin: Varl have a +3 natural armor bonus to their AC due to their thick skin.
Languages: Varl begin play speaking Common and Giant.
NG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +3; Senses Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+4 armor, +3 Dex, +2 dodge)
hp 35 (3d10+13)
Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +1
Defensive Abilities hard to kill
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk battleaxe +6 (1d8+3/x3)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +7 (1d8+2/x3)
Special Attacks decisive strike, favored enemy (humanoids [dredge] +2), mythic power 5/day (surge +1d6), press the advantage
STATISTICS
Str 14, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +5, CMD 18
Feats Dodge (M), Endurance, Quick Draw, Power Attack, Precise Shot
Traits Affable, Kin Guardian, Patient Optimist
Drawback Family Ties
Skills Diplomacy +8 (+2 to gather information), Knowledge (geography, local, nature) +6, Stealth +8, Survival +6
Languages Common
SQ favored terrain (cold +2), track +1, wild empathy +5
Gear mwk chain shirt, mwk battleaxe, mwk composite longbow (+2 Str rating) and 20 arrows, other gear (backpack, bedroll, trail rations, etc.)
CG Medium humanoid (human)
Init +4; Senses Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 armor, +4 Dex)
hp 27 (3d10+5)
Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +3
Defensive Abilities hard to kill
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee mwk dagger +5 (1d4+1/19-20/x2)
Ranged mwk composite longbow +9 (1d8+1/x3)
Special Attacks distant barrage, mythic power 5/day (surge +1d6), trick shot (sunder)
STATISTICS
Str 12, Dex 18, Con 8, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 14
Base Atk +3; CMB +4, CMD 17
Feats Deadly Aim, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot (M), Weapon Focus (Longbow)
Skills Craft (bows) +5, Knowledge (nature) +5, Stealth +10, Survival +5
Traits Know the Land, Seeker, Silent Hunter
Drawback Naive
Languages Common
SQ hawkeye +1, limitless range
Gear mwk studded leather, mwk dagger, mwk composite longbow (+1 Str rating) and 20 arrows, other gear (backpack, bedroll, trail rations, etc.)
LN Medium humanoid (human)
Init +0; Senses Perception +5
DEFENSE
AC 20, touch 9, flat-footed 20 (+6 armor, +3 natural, -1 size, +2 shield)
hp 48 (3d10+26)
Fort +7, Ref +1, Will +3; +1 vs. mind-affecting effects
Defensive Abilities absorb blow, hard to kill, unflinching
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft. (30 ft. unarmored)
Melee mwk longsword +7 (2d6+4/19-20/x2) or gore +6 (1d6+4)
Ranged mwk javelin +2 (1d6+4)
Special Attacks avenging maneuver, mythic power 5/day (surge +1d6)
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 14, Cha 8
Base Atk +3; CMB +8 (+12 to sunder), CMD 18 (20 vs. sunder)
Feats Diehard, Endurance, Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Toughness (M)
Traits Axe to Grind, Destructive Blows
Skills Intimidate +4 (+8 vs. medium and smaller creatures), Survival +6
Languages Common, Giant
SQ armor training, condescending attitude, racial unity
Gear mwk breastplate, mwk battleaxe, 4 mwk javelins, other gear (backpack, bedroll, trail rations, etc.)
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Just for fun:
Nicely done and interesting.
Some observations from my play-through; though not done yet.
It has been mentioned already, but the game is one of most visual appealing games I have seen in awhile. While there are more graphically stunning games, the art style and details are great. When your party camps, I can sit and look at the details of each town and city and it's amazing the amount of details. I've been partial to the Godstone Carving so far.
The developers have said in interviews that were inspired by the Disney artists of Sleeping Beauty, and it definitely shows in terms of the style.
The map. For gameplay purposes, it really isn't all that meaningful because the game has a linear plot. That being said, for world-building and a lore geek, it's great. It tells so much about this Norse-like world and its history. Like the visual scenes, I can tell you I have spent way more time than expected looking at every place in the world. I understand that developers are hoping the Banner Saga is the first of a series of games, and with this map I can see how they can do that.
And that may be part of the problem with the game as whole. It is interesting and visually appealing game world; the fight tactics are cool; and I can even get behind the resource management somewhat. But seems like we are walking into the game mid-story and the events are a little incomplete. Maybe that is part of the goal - this is the opening part of a greater story and so it needs to build it up. But for gameplay, it seems to limit you.
Not that I am complaining - I'm having quite a bit of fun. But I suspect a second play through will give me a better feel for it.
The ending is punishing. I can get to the point where I can shoot Bellower, but then I lose a party member and stand no chance in the final bit where you have to kill Bellower.
I'm a fan of that roguelike thing where you learn through failure, but most roguelikes don't require you to replay 10+ hours after each failure. I'm not sure I can face replaying the whole thing right now, and there's no guarantee my characters would end up any better than they are now.
Maybe I should just drop the difficulty (shudder).
Bellower was kind of difficult for me, but with Iver and Rook carrying +2 Break items it wasn't that bad. Add Hakon and Griss to the party, both of whom I'd leveled, and it was even more tolerable, since they can both sunder pretty well. My gunnalf had 20 Str, so he was my cavalry. Held him back until I needed him, sundered the hell out the boss, then shot the arrow. Minus Alette, same strategy on fight #2. It's crucial to get everyone positioned around Bellower so that on their turns they sunder him, so that when Rook's rolls around you can mark him for heavy damage. With his armor broken, Bellower stands no chance versus the collective strength of 3-4 varl characters. Gunnalf for the win!
Alette: Her Survival modifier is listed as +5 when it should be +6 (a hold over from an earlier version of her that I was working on that had less Wisdom).
Iver: Accidentally listed him as a Medium humanoid with the human subtype; he'd be a Large humanoid with the giant subtype, instead, which also means adding the following to his OFFENSE block: Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. His AC, attacks, CMB, and CMD all take into account his increased size, however, so no problems there.
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THE BANNER SAGA 2 came out last week.
I though it was excellent, a huge improvement on the first game - which was great but had a number of issues throughout. Combat is much better and the way the story unfolds and the characters develop is remarkable.
THE BANNER SAGA 3 has hit Kickstarter for a 2018 release.
There seems to be an interesting story here. Stoic raised $700K to make the first BANNER SAGA game back in 2012, which was seven times what they asked for. The game then went to sell a bit over 700,000 copies. Using the remaining Kickstarter money and profits from the first game, Stoic completely funded BANNER SAGA 2.
Unfortunately that seems to have backfired. Because of the Kickstarter, they had to provide lots of updates on the first game and kept a large community of fans engaged constantly. For BANNER SAGA 2 they didn't do that and people kind of forgot about them. They also found that Kickstarter worked well as a way of marketing in itself. Without a Kickstarter for BS2 they lost a lot of advertising for it.
In addition, that insane difficulty spike in BS1 at the end became quite well-known and put off a lot of people from playing the game. They actually fixed that before BS2 came out with a patch, but didn't publicise it very well.
The result of this was that whilst BS1 has sold about 700,000 copies, BS2 has sold just over 100,000, and the company found itself in financial difficulties. Hence, Kickstarter for BS3 to finish off the game and story.
IMO these are excellent, original and fantastic games, with a remarkable story and atmosphere. Looking forwards to the conclusion.