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The Banner Saga 2 similar games & best alternatives

The Banner Saga 2

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Nintendo Switch • 2016

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Quick resume

The award-winning adventure continues in Banner Saga 2! This epic, story-based, role-playing game continues its emotional journey across a breaking world. Bold leadership decisions, wise use of resources, and skillful battle tactics are vital to ensure your viking clans make it through alive.

Global score

90/100

Genres

Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Adventure, Simulator, Tactical

Similar games

    Pros

    • Engaging story with meaningful choices
    • Beautiful hand-drawn art and music
    • Challenging and strategic turn-based combat
    • Character progression and customization
    • Survival mode extends gameplay

    Cons

    • Story can feel rushed or incomplete
    • Some localization and translation issues
    • Limited multiplayer and social features
    • Combat randomness introduced by chance-based talents
    • Some players find pacing uneven

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Leadership, Survival, Violence, Strategy. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Competition, Story, Fantasy.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players make meaningful choices affecting story and gameplay; multiple paths and character development options allow personal direction."

    • Competence
      4

      "Combat is strategic and challenging with skill-based decisions; character progression and tactical depth increase player effectiveness."

    • Competition
      1

      "Includes a survival mode with online stats, but main gameplay focuses on personal story and tactical challenges rather than direct competition."

    • Continuation
      5

      "Strong desire to continue the saga; players invest many hours and look forward to sequels; survival mode extends playtime."

    • Cooperation
      -3

      "Primarily a single-player experience focusing on individual control of caravan and characters; limited multiplayer elements."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players customize character skills and develop unique builds; some creative freedom in tactical approaches and caravan management."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Interactions emphasize shared narrative and balanced combat rather than exerting superiority or control over others."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Immersive fantasy world and story provide strong escape from reality; players engage deeply in narrative and atmosphere."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment; no evidence of obligation or external pressure to play."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players explore different character builds, tactical options, and story choices; encourages trying new strategies."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Journey through varied environments and storylines; players discover new areas and narrative developments."

    • Expression
      2

      "Customization mainly through character skill choices and progression; limited cosmetic or avatar personalization."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strongly rooted in Norse-inspired fantasy world with mythical creatures, gods, and epic storytelling."

    • Fellowship
      -3

      "Focus on individual player experience and story; limited social or community interaction beyond survival mode stats."

    • Growth
      4

      "Character development and learning tactical combat skills provide clear opportunities for personal growth."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity elements; typical of turn-based strategy games."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires focused attention and strategic thinking; not designed for casual or background play."

    • Intimacy
      -3

      "Emotional connection to characters through story, but limited social interaction or relationship building with others."

    • Leadership
      4

      "Players lead caravans and make critical decisions affecting group survival and morale; strong leadership theme."

    • Progression
      5

      "Extensive character leveling, skill unlocking, and resource management drive progression throughout the game."

    • Relaxation
      2

      "Atmospheric and immersive but with challenging combat and tense decision-making; some moments of flow and relaxation."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Enjoyable art style, music, and sound design provide sensory pleasure and emotional engagement."

    • Status
      -3

      "Focus is on personal story and achievements; limited social recognition or popularity mechanics."

    • Story
      5

      "Narrative-driven with rich lore, character development, and impactful player choices; story is central to experience."

    • Strategy
      5

      "Turn-based tactical combat requires planning, problem solving, and strategic thinking; core gameplay element."

    • Thrill
      3

      "Tense battles and difficult decisions create suspense and emotional highs; some relief after overcoming challenges."

    • Value
      3

      "Players perceive good value through rich story, gameplay depth, and replayability; some complaints about length and price."

    • Violence
      3

      "Combat involves tactical battles with enemies; violence is stylized and part of fantasy setting."

    • Survival
      4

      "Strong survival theme with resource management, caravan morale, and overcoming threats central to gameplay."

    Last update: 29/04/2026