This review contains spoilers
I wasn't too sure what to expect going into the sequel to the Banner Saga, but it becomes clear after starting it up that each game in this trilogy isn't so much a standalone experience but a part of a larger whole. As such, the gameplay and user interface is virtually the same as the first game with a few tweaks here and there, in the same vein as an expansion pack for the original title. There are several new classes of fighters, and even a new race that have their own unique combat abilities that shake up the pace of combat.
There is definitely a LOT more combat in this game than the first, especially towards the end where you're going from one battle to another with almost no rest in between. I don't know if it's because of the choices I made it which got me into more fights, but I definitely preferred the more deliberate pace of the first game. The final battle in the first game was the toughest in the whole game, whereas in the sequel it feels like you're going against similar odds on a much more frequent basis.
Thankfully, the combat still feels engaging thanks to the new character classes, which allow for new types of combos and have the potential to cause a devastating amount of damage in a single turn if used correctly. Even after 20 or so hours playing these games, I still haven't quite mastered the combat but it's still a very addicting system. My frustration towards the end of the game was not really because the combat was bad but because I was itching to get to the ending and was annoyed that I kept being thrust into more battles.
I definitely have a bit of an issue with how Renown, the currency you use to buy supplies and upgrade your heroes, is balanced. I was delighted to find out that the amount of Renown you need to level up characters has been significantly reduced, but at the same time the Renown your earn from completing battles seems to also be a bit less than before (note that this was just a feeling, I didn't actually do any numerical comparisons but I swear I never earned more than 10 renown per battle). On the other hand, you can gain a whole lot of Renown (usually more than 20) just by completing training challenges (a very fun and welcome addition to the Training tent in your camp) or even making certain narrative choices. This definitely makes battles feel a bit less rewarding than the first game.
Speaking of the ending, the game doesn't really have one. Unlike the first game, which has a more definitive stopping point with all your characters together, this game ends with multiple caravans scattered across different locations, and I felt I had even more questions than answers compared to the first game (which left a lot of mysteries unsolved, but that felt more fitting since it was the first game in a trilogy). That's not to say that this game doesn't have any substantial narrative, far from it. The Banner Saga 2 feels a lot longer than the first, featuring way more characters and important revelations. But even after all we find out during the course of the game, the ending is definitely a case of, "Where do we go from here?" It doesn't make for quite a satisfying ending for this game, but it definitely makes me excited to play the final entry in the trilogy. I really hope that it can somehow wrap up all this complicated plot in a satisfying way.
One final note which is more of a personal nitpick, I wish that you could have more conversations and lighthearted interactions with your clan whenever you set up camp. There are instances in the game where you can stop the caravan to celebrate certain events, and I wish that this would unlock more conversations or funny little encounters in the same vein as Red Dead Redemption 2 or Dragon Age: Origins. In a game which is all about trying to get by while the world ends, some levity is needed to break the tension, and it's a bit disappointing that the game only provides this in the form of short bits of text instead of more substantial scenarios. It would also help players feel more connected to the characters (who really start to drop off like flies throughout the journey). However, I understand that this is ultimately an independent game that was made by just a handful of people, and that the resources to add more character interaction probably just weren't there during production.
There is definitely a LOT more combat in this game than the first, especially towards the end where you're going from one battle to another with almost no rest in between. I don't know if it's because of the choices I made it which got me into more fights, but I definitely preferred the more deliberate pace of the first game. The final battle in the first game was the toughest in the whole game, whereas in the sequel it feels like you're going against similar odds on a much more frequent basis.
Thankfully, the combat still feels engaging thanks to the new character classes, which allow for new types of combos and have the potential to cause a devastating amount of damage in a single turn if used correctly. Even after 20 or so hours playing these games, I still haven't quite mastered the combat but it's still a very addicting system. My frustration towards the end of the game was not really because the combat was bad but because I was itching to get to the ending and was annoyed that I kept being thrust into more battles.
I definitely have a bit of an issue with how Renown, the currency you use to buy supplies and upgrade your heroes, is balanced. I was delighted to find out that the amount of Renown you need to level up characters has been significantly reduced, but at the same time the Renown your earn from completing battles seems to also be a bit less than before (note that this was just a feeling, I didn't actually do any numerical comparisons but I swear I never earned more than 10 renown per battle). On the other hand, you can gain a whole lot of Renown (usually more than 20) just by completing training challenges (a very fun and welcome addition to the Training tent in your camp) or even making certain narrative choices. This definitely makes battles feel a bit less rewarding than the first game.
Speaking of the ending, the game doesn't really have one. Unlike the first game, which has a more definitive stopping point with all your characters together, this game ends with multiple caravans scattered across different locations, and I felt I had even more questions than answers compared to the first game (which left a lot of mysteries unsolved, but that felt more fitting since it was the first game in a trilogy). That's not to say that this game doesn't have any substantial narrative, far from it. The Banner Saga 2 feels a lot longer than the first, featuring way more characters and important revelations. But even after all we find out during the course of the game, the ending is definitely a case of, "Where do we go from here?" It doesn't make for quite a satisfying ending for this game, but it definitely makes me excited to play the final entry in the trilogy. I really hope that it can somehow wrap up all this complicated plot in a satisfying way.
One final note which is more of a personal nitpick, I wish that you could have more conversations and lighthearted interactions with your clan whenever you set up camp. There are instances in the game where you can stop the caravan to celebrate certain events, and I wish that this would unlock more conversations or funny little encounters in the same vein as Red Dead Redemption 2 or Dragon Age: Origins. In a game which is all about trying to get by while the world ends, some levity is needed to break the tension, and it's a bit disappointing that the game only provides this in the form of short bits of text instead of more substantial scenarios. It would also help players feel more connected to the characters (who really start to drop off like flies throughout the journey). However, I understand that this is ultimately an independent game that was made by just a handful of people, and that the resources to add more character interaction probably just weren't there during production.