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The Banner Saga 3 similar games & best alternatives

The Banner Saga 3

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Android, Nintendo Switch • 2018

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Quick resume

Banner Saga 3 is the epic conclusion to a sweeping viking saga six years in the making. This strategic RPG, acclaimed for its strong story and compelling characters has won over 20 awards and been nominated for 4 BAFTA awards.

Global score

79/100

Genres

Indie, Role-playing (RPG), Strategy, Turn-based strategy (TBS), Simulator, Tactical

Similar games

    Pros

    • Deep and impactful story with meaningful choices
    • Beautiful art style and music
    • Engaging turn-based tactical combat
    • Strong emotional and atmospheric immersion
    • Character progression and customization

    Cons

    • Technical issues including crashes and bugs
    • Some players find combat repetitive
    • Story ending feels abrupt or incomplete to some
    • Lack of full voice acting and occasional translation issues
    • Additional content behind dlc paywalls

    Analysis

    Broadly representative of its motivational profile, with a few distinct shifts. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Cooperation, Fellowship, Intimacy, Leadership. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story, Leadership. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Cooperation.

    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 character fates, with freedom to direct actions and decisions."

    • Competence
      3

      "Turn-based tactical combat with skillful use of abilities and strategic planning, though some find it repetitive."

    • Competition
      -1

      "Focus is primarily on story and personal progression; some online arena mode exists but is optional and separate."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Players often binge the trilogy and replay to explore different choices; strong attachment to story and characters."

    • Cooperation
      -3

      "Gameplay is mostly single-player focused with individual party management; limited multiplayer modes are DLC."

    • Creativity
      2

      "Players customize character builds and choose heroic titles; limited world-building but strong narrative creativity."

    • Domination
      -4

      "Interactions emphasize shared story and balanced combat rather than exerting control over others."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Immersive fantasy world and story provide strong escape from reality and emotional engagement."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily driven by interest in story and gameplay; no sense of obligation reported."

    • Experimenting
      2

      "Players explore different choices and combat tactics; some routine elements but also new mechanics introduced."

    • Exploration
      1

      "Exploration mostly narrative and strategic rather than physical; some discovery of story secrets and lore."

    • Expression
      2

      "Character customization through titles and builds allows personal expression within defined parameters."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strongly rooted in a mythological fantasy world with Vikings, giants, and supernatural elements."

    • Fellowship
      1

      "Community engagement exists but gameplay is primarily single-player; some social features in DLC modes."

    • Growth
      3

      "Character progression and learning combat strategies provide opportunities for skill development."

    • Health
      -5

      "Sedentary gameplay with no physical activity involved."

    • Idle
      -3

      "Requires sustained attention during combat and story; not designed for casual or background play."

    • Intimacy
      2

      "Emotional connections with characters and narrative relationships foster deeper engagement."

    • Leadership
      3

      "Players lead and manage a party and make strategic decisions affecting group survival."

    • Progression
      4

      "Strong emphasis on leveling characters, acquiring titles, and collecting items to enhance abilities."

    • Relaxation
      -1

      "Tense and stressful atmosphere with survival pressure; some players find it immersive rather than relaxing."

    • Sensation
      3

      "Beautiful art and music provide rich sensory experience; emotional highs and lows in story."

    • Status
      -2

      "Recognition mostly internal or within community; no strong social status or leaderboard focus."

    • Story
      5

      "Narrative-driven game with deep lore, character development, and impactful player choices."

    • Strategy
      4

      "Turn-based tactical combat and resource/time management require planning and problem solving."

    • Thrill
      2

      "Tension from survival stakes and difficult choices creates suspense and emotional thrill."

    • Value
      3

      "Players report good value for time invested, especially when playing the full trilogy."

    • Violence
      3

      "Combat involves tactical battles with enemies; violence is stylized and integral to gameplay."

    • Survival
      4

      "Strong survival theme with resource/time management and pressure to keep characters alive."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026