GameLog Page

Please sign in or sign up!

...blogs for gamers

Find a GameLog

... by game	... by platform

[ advanced search ]

HOME	GAMES	LOGS	MEMBERS			ABOUT	HELP

dkirschner's The Banner Saga 2 (PC)

[June 18, 2020 05:32:28 PM]

Love love love. I've stayed up till 1 or 2am playing this for several nights recently. It's absolutely gripping. I liked this even more than I remember liking the first one and am about to delve straight into the third.

The gameplay is the same with expanded combat and more story. Instead of just controlling one caravan, you wind up with two by the end of this. There are a whole lot more units, classes, special characters, more abilities and items, higher levels to reach, and new stat talents to earn. Once you max out any stat, you can start putting points into passive abilities for that stat. Toward the end of the game, I beefed the hell out of some of my characters, in part because I started gaining access to level 8, 9, and 10 items, and I didn't have anyone over level 7. The level 10 items that I got were super overpowered, like they add 3 to all stat talents (so all you have to do is put a point into each stat talent, and then the items bumps them all up to level 4, it's wild) plus other bonuses.

The difficulty curve on this one peaked about halfway or so through the game. Then I started feeling really strong. As evidence of that, I only lost a few units in the last 10 or so battles combined. And the very final battle? I crit the boss and one-shotted him, which I did not anticipate. But to be fair, I think that Iver had like a 50% chance to crit with his item and strength talent at level 4, and he had at least 20 strength anyway. Also, the choices, while difficult to make, did not feel as gut-wrenching every time. The game is still plenty stressful as you manage characters' loyalties, avoid running out of supplies, keep morale in check, and all the rest!

This game also added some training challenges which granted renown (which is what you use to purchase items, purchase supplies, and level up characters--it is a very precious resource). They were generally easy (and completed when you met the objectives; you didn't actually have to finish the battles most of the time!), except for one that was really annoying because you had to chain three enemies with arc lightning. That involved running around the map waiting for enemies to line up properly so that it would hit three in a row. Took a while, but patience had its reward.

I may try to import my save from this game into the next one, but I would like to know which is more advantageous. Narrative continuity is great and all, but I feel like I had a few super strong characters and then mostly weak other characters. New game probably balances it better. We'll see!