The Banner Saga
Overview -
Nearly four years ago, a small studio called Stoic started a campaign on Kickstarter. Made up of former BioWare employees, the project was successfully funded, and 'The Banner Saga' was released for PC and mobile in January 2014. PS4 and Xbox One versions are now available, with a Vita release also being planned. Stoic has announced the second part of the series will release sometime in the first quarter of this year.
Video Review
The art design is based on classic hand-drawn animation reminiscent of such classics like Disney’s 'The Sleeping Beauty'. In short, it’s gorgeous and nostalgic. Character models and movement are smooth and graceful, and colors are sharp and rich. It’s not just the cinematics, either - even the battles are done in this style. The overland backgrounds use a slightly different technique that allows for more detail and lighting.
Audio Review
The score was composed by Austin Wintory ('Journey', Beatbuddy: Tale of the Guardians') and performed by the Dallas Wind Symphony. It is one of the best soundtracks I’ve heard in a spell, from any medium. The voice acting is sparse, only heard during a few cutscenes, but also high quality.
Final Thoughts
It has been a few years in the making, but the Xbox version of 'The Banner Saga' is a wonderful experience. I sincerely hope that Stoic releases the sequel on this platform as well, because they have a good thing going here and the more people who experience it, the better.