- Release Year: 2013
- Platforms: Macintosh, Windows
- Publisher: Versus Evil LLC
- Developer: Stoic LLC
- Genre: Role-playing, RPG
- Perspective: Isometric
- Game Mode: Online PVP, Single-player
- Gameplay: Character progression, Team-based tactics, Turn-based combat
- Setting: Fantasy, Post-apocalyptic, Viking
- Average Score: 73/100
Description
The Banner Saga: Factions is a free-to-play, multiplayer-only spin-off of The Banner Saga, focusing on tactical turn-based battles. Players assemble teams of six characters from sixteen distinct classes, each with unique abilities and two core stats: armor and strength. Characters can level up to unlock master classes, and progression is fueled by Renown, an in-game currency earned through battles or purchased via microtransactions. Set in the same Viking-inspired fantasy world as the main series, the game emphasizes strategic combat and team customization in competitive online matches.
Gameplay Videos
The Banner Saga: Factions Cracks & Fixes
The Banner Saga: Factions Guides & Walkthroughs
The Banner Saga: Factions Reviews & Reception
metacritic.com (67/100): Proves that Stoic knows how to design one helluva combat system, and it’s a great tactical experience even when played for free.
ign.com (78/100): Factions largely abandons the virtual dice rolls that define so many other strategy games in favor of basic math skills.
pcgamer.com : An accomplished and pretty strategy game, sadly hindered by a handful of questionable design choices.
steambase.io (74/100): The Banner Saga: Factions has earned a Player Score of 74 / 100.
The Banner Saga: Factions Cheats & Codes
The Banner Saga 2 (PC)
Edit your launcher link and add the ‘developer’ word behind the executable (without quotes). Developer mode will be unlocked and you can use from the top right. E.g. ‘K’ will do 100 strength damage to all enemies. You can also use the console to unlock more possibilities.
| Code | Effect |
|---|---|
| spawnadd | Adds an enemy to the battlefield |
| saga roster_add x | Where x = a hero name (this may cause game script problems, use with caution). No removal! |
| saga item_all | Will add all items (beware, doing in battle will grab your time) |
| saga market_show | Will open a market anywhere |
| saga market_refresh | Will refresh the market items |
The Banner Saga: Factions: Review
A Tactical Prelude to Norse Mythos
Introduction
The Banner Saga: Factions (2013) stands as a curious artifact in gaming history—a free-to-play multiplayer spinoff designed to whet appetites for its yet-unreleased single-player sibling, The Banner Saga. Developed by Stoic Studio, a trio of ex-BioWare architects, Factions offered a distilled taste of the tactical combat that would define the broader trilogy. Though its servers now lie dormant, Factions remains a bold experiment in marrying Norse-inspired storytelling with strategic PvP gameplay. This review dissects its ambition, execution, and legacy, exploring how a modest multiplayer proving ground became a cult cornerstone for tactical RPG enthusiasts.
Development History & Context
Studio Origins & Vision
Stoic Studio emerged in 2011 when BioWare Austin veterans Alex Thomas (designer), John Watson (programmer), and Arnie Jorgensen (artist) departed to create a game untethered from corporate constraints. Inspired by Viking mythology and tactical classics like Final Fantasy Tactics, they envisioned a trilogy blending Oregon Trail-esque caravan management with grid-based combat. Factions crystallized as a side project during The Banner Saga’s early development, intended to:
– Test combat mechanics publicly.
– Generate funds via microtransactions for the main game.
– Build hype through a standalone experience.
Technological and Market Landscape
Released February 2013, Factions entered a market dominated by MOBAs (League of Legends) and live-service models. However, Stoic’s tech constraints were stark: built on Adobe AIR for rapid PC/Mac deployment, the game lacked console/mobile ports. Crowdfunded via Kickstarter ($723K raised), Factions leveraged its success to expand features but remained niche—a tactical PvP anomaly amid flashier competitors.
Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive
Lore as Backdrop
Though devoid of a campaign, Factions rooted itself in The Banner Saga’s rich lore:
– Setting: A Viking-inspired world where gods’ wars birthed the stone-skinned Dredge. Humanity and horned giants (Varl) form uneasy alliances against this existential threat.
– Strand: The UI hub—a crumbling city evolving with the main trilogy’s story—hinted at a larger narrative, though Factions never fully integrated it.
Thematic Echoes
- Survival and Sacrifice: Resource scarcity (Renown currency) mirrored the trilogy’s caravan struggles.
- Cultural Divide: Humans (agile, fragile) vs. Varl (slow, powerful) mirrored Norse sagas’ clan rivalries.
Yet, without character arcs or plot, Factions felt thematically hollow—a combat simulator draped in narrative potential.
Gameplay Mechanics & Systems
Core Combat Loop
Factions distilled Stoic’s chess-inspired tactics into streamlined PvP:
– Units: 16 classes (e.g., Human Archers, Varl Shieldbangers), each occupying 1–4 grid tiles.
– Stats:
– Strength: Health + damage.
– Armor: Damage reduction.
– Willpower: Fueled special moves and mobility.
– Innovation: No RNG—damage calculations were deterministic, rewarding positioning and foresight.
Progression & Economy
- Renown: Earned via battles or bought via microtransactions, used to:
- Level Up: Promote units to master classes (e.g., Archer → Hunter).
- Expand Barracks: Unlock roster slots.
- Critical Flaw: Grindy progression incentivized spending, alienating purists (Destructoid noted: “Slow pace + microtransactions = friction”).
Modes and Balance
- Ranked Matches: Skill-based matchmaking.
- Tournaments: Entry fees in Renown, high-risk/high-reward.
- Middling Depth: Limited class variety (launched with 12/16 promised) and repetitive meta (PC Gamer called combat “ponderous in late stages”).
World-Building, Art & Sound
Visual Design
Jorgensen’s art—hand-drawn in Eyvind Earle’s (Sleeping Beauty) style—was Factions’ crown jewel:
– Characters: Fluid animations evoked Disney classics; Varl tusks and braids dripped Norse authenticity.
– Environments: Desolate fjords and snow-swept ruins crafted a melancholic, timeless aesthetic.
Soundscape
Composer Austin Wintory (Journey) wove Nordic motifs with orchestral grandeur:
– Choral Arrangements: Malukah’s vocals lent mythic weight.
– Ambience: Crunching snow, clashing steel—a minimalist soundscape that immersed without overwhelming.
Yet, these strengths clashed with rudimentary UI (e.g., Strand’s static menus), underscoring the game’s prototype status.
Reception & Legacy
Launch Reviews
Factions garnered mixed scores (Metacritic: 67/100):
– Praise: Strategic combat, art, and Fair-to-Play model (IGN: “A great tactical experience even when played for free”).
– Criticism: Grindy progression, lack of content (PC Gamer: “Questionable design choices hinder accomplishment”).
Long-Term Impact
- Player Base: Peaked at 150K (2013) but dwindled post-Banner Saga’s single-player launch (2014).
- Shutdown: Servers closed in 2021 due to backend costs—a quiet end for a game that laid groundwork for:
- The trilogy’s combat refinement.
- Indie success (1M+ trilogy sales by 2018).
- Legacy: Proved tactical RPGs could thrive in PvP niches, inspiring titles like Into the Breach.
Conclusion
The Banner Saga: Factions was a paradoxical gem—a multiplayer prelude outshone by its single-player successor, yet vital to Stoic’s creative journey. Its art and tactical core remain timeless, but microtransaction-driven grind and narrative detachment left it a footnote. Today, it serves as a cautionary tale for live-service experiments and a testament to Stoic’s ambition. For historians, Factions is not just a game: It’s the proving grounds where a Viking saga found its stride.
Final Verdict: A flawed but fascinating relic—6/10 for execution, 9/10 for historical significance.