YouвЂ™ll start to understand the benefits of formations and the order in which your warriors attack, and adjust to maximize impact.Д¬ombat is only a small part of this fantasy campaign experience, however. ItвЂ™s complex and sometimes could be explained better, but in time, the charactersвЂ™ differences and abilities reveal themselves. The Banner Saga takes cues from strategic role-playing classics like Final Fantasy Tactics for its combat, which finds your squad fighting foes on a grid-bound battlefield. Death is common, both during combat and story interactions, and no matter how amazingly beautiful the backdrops may be, itвЂ™s decidedly a downbeat affair.Д«ut at least the action can be pretty exciting. What do you do when the sun suddenly stops in the sky and horrifying beings start decimating your neighbors? In The Banner Saga, you respond by forming a caravan and traveling from city to city, fighting those evil beings as your faction fluctuates in size and mood during its constant march for survival. Hardly a banner yearД¬onversations inform much of the story, and youвЂ™ll switch between different sets of characters across the campaign. The combination of tactical action, caravan management, and choose-your-own-adventure fantasy elements lend the game impressive depth and plenty of intrigue. Perhaps not the most uplifting fare, but it is fascinating-plus itвЂ™s the perfect game to explore during extended holiday downtime and/or travel. Invest that time into an altogether different kind of Saga thatвЂ™s ideally paired to the season: The Banner Saga ($10), a richly presented, albeit somber Viking-inspired tale about fighting to stay alive in a world falling to pieces.

That may be motivation enough to pour hours into a fluffy, colorful diversion like Candy Crush Soda Saga-but I have an alternate suggestion.

Winter can be a very dour, taxing time, and holiday stress only exacerbates what the seasonal shift begins.

The banner saga decisions