<s>
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
is	O
a	O
tactical	O
role-playing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Stoic	O
Studio	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Versus	O
Evil	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
released	O
for	O
personal	B-Device
computers	I-Device
and	O
mobile	O
phones	O
in	O
2014	O
,	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
in	O
2016	O
and	O
for	O
Nintendo	B-Application
Switch	I-Application
in	O
2018	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
multiplayer	O
component	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
:	I-Application
Factions	I-Application
,	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
a	O
free	O
standalone	O
game	O
before	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
(	O
2016	O
)	O
and	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
3	I-Application
(	O
2018	O
)	O
,	O
which	O
concluded	O
the	O
series	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
is	O
an	O
interactive	O
story	O
,	O
meaning	O
that	O
several	O
events	O
may	O
or	O
may	O
not	O
happen	O
depending	O
on	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
choices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
core	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
a	O
single-player	O
campaign	O
of	O
turn-based	O
combat	O
engagements	O
inspired	O
by	O
games	O
such	O
as	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
Tactics	I-Application
and	O
Shining	B-Architecture
Force	I-Architecture
,	O
with	O
the	O
player	O
controlling	O
and	O
being	O
able	O
to	O
build	O
up	O
a	O
party	O
of	O
characters	O
with	O
complementary	O
abilities	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
centers	O
on	O
the	O
return	O
of	O
the	O
Dredge	O
,	O
a	O
warlike	O
race	O
that	O
despises	O
humans	O
,	O
led	O
by	O
Bellower	O
,	O
a	O
nigh-invincible	O
Dredge	O
who	O
leads	O
them	O
on	O
a	O
warpath	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
takes	O
place	O
in	O
a	O
Viking	B-Application
legend-inspired	O
world	O
,	O
stuck	O
in	O
a	O
perpetual	O
twilight	O
since	O
the	O
sun	O
stopped	O
moving	O
weeks	O
before	O
the	O
events	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
mainly	O
populated	O
by	O
humans	O
and	O
giant-like	O
creatures	O
called	O
the	O
Varls	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
Dredge	O
,	O
an	O
ancient	O
race	O
believed	O
to	O
be	O
extinct	O
for	O
ages	O
,	O
returns	O
to	O
kill	O
them	O
all	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
developers	O
–	O
Alex	O
Thomas	O
and	O
John	O
Watson	O
–	O
left	O
BioWare	O
Austin	O
after	O
working	O
on	O
Star	B-Protocol
Wars	I-Protocol
:	I-Protocol
The	I-Protocol
Old	I-Protocol
Republic	I-Protocol
,	O
with	O
the	O
intention	O
of	O
making	O
a	O
game	O
for	O
their	O
own	O
enjoyment	O
,	O
and	O
which	O
they	O
thought	O
other	O
people	O
would	O
enjoy	O
as	O
well	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
targeted	O
for	O
iOS	B-Application
devices	O
,	O
they	O
decided	O
to	O
focus	O
on	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
and	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
instead	O
since	O
it	O
did	O
not	O
perform	O
well	O
on	O
the	O
iPad	B-Device
in	O
early	O
stages	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
genesis	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
lay	O
with	O
Alex	O
Thomas	O
,	O
who	O
wanted	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
game	O
that	O
was	O
a	O
mix	O
of	O
The	B-Application
Oregon	I-Application
Trail	I-Application
,	O
King	B-Application
of	I-Application
Dragon	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
and	O
Shining	B-Architecture
Force	I-Architecture
since	O
childhood	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
initially	O
planned	O
to	O
be	O
a	O
medieval	O
fantasy	O
,	O
but	O
Stoic	O
later	O
shifted	O
to	O
a	O
Viking-inspired	O
fantasy	O
setting	O
,	O
so	O
as	O
to	O
avoid	O
what	O
the	O
developers	O
considered	O
the	O
"	O
overdone	O
'	O
elves	O
,	O
dwarves	O
and	O
orcs	O
 '	O
dynamic	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
choice	O
for	O
the	O
Viking-inspired	O
setting	O
was	O
influenced	O
by	O
Jorgensen	O
,	O
who	O
grew	O
up	O
in	O
Scandinavia	O
and	O
was	O
impressed	O
by	O
tales	O
of	O
Vikings	B-Application
he	O
had	O
heard	O
in	O
his	O
childhood	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
main	O
enemy	O
called	O
the	O
"	O
Dredge	O
"	O
were	O
influenced	O
by	O
Shadow	B-Application
of	I-Application
the	I-Application
Colossus	I-Application
,	O
and	O
were	O
deliberately	O
intended	O
to	O
feel	O
alien	O
compared	O
to	O
the	O
Nordic-inspired	O
world	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
visual	O
style	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
influenced	O
by	O
Eyvind	O
Earle	O
's	O
art	O
for	O
the	O
1959	O
Disney	O
film	O
Sleeping	O
Beauty	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
work	O
of	O
Ralph	O
Bakshi	O
and	O
Don	O
Bluth	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Sagas	I-Application
art	O
features	O
primarily	O
hand-drawn	O
animation	O
sequences	O
,	O
characters	O
and	O
backgrounds	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
the	O
developers	O
,	O
their	O
aim	O
was	O
to	O
create	O
a	O
"	O
mature	O
game	O
for	O
adults	O
in	O
the	O
vein	O
of	O
Game	B-Application
of	I-Application
Thrones	I-Application
or	O
The	O
Black	O
Company	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
team	O
decided	O
to	O
allow	O
the	O
player	O
to	O
make	O
choices	O
only	O
during	O
specific	O
moments	O
like	O
The	B-Application
Witcher	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Games	O
like	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
Tactics	I-Application
and	O
Shining	B-Architecture
Force	I-Architecture
acted	O
as	O
inspirations	O
for	O
its	O
strategic	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
combat	O
system	O
was	O
initially	O
nearly	O
the	O
same	O
as	O
that	O
of	O
Final	B-Application
Fantasy	I-Application
Tactics	I-Application
,	O
Stoic	O
decided	O
to	O
create	O
their	O
own	O
unique	O
system	O
after	O
players	O
who	O
tested	O
the	O
game	O
at	O
Fantastic	O
Arcade	O
2012	O
found	O
it	O
unwieldy	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stoic	O
developed	O
a	O
custom	O
game	O
engine	O
for	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
,	O
which	O
they	O
internally	O
termed	O
"	O
Yggdrasil	B-Application
"	O
,	O
named	O
after	O
the	O
world	O
tree	O
from	O
Norse	O
mythology	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
engine	O
was	O
built	O
using	O
Adobe	B-Operating_System
AIR	I-Operating_System
,	O
which	O
although	O
allowed	O
them	O
to	O
easily	O
port	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
mobile	O
devices	O
,	O
also	O
made	O
it	O
harder	O
to	O
port	O
to	O
consoles	O
at	O
the	O
same	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
art	O
was	O
designed	O
using	O
Adobe	B-Operating_System
Photoshop	I-Operating_System
,	O
while	O
the	O
animation	O
was	O
done	O
using	O
Adobe	B-Operating_System
Flash	I-Operating_System
,	O
before	O
being	O
sprite	O
sheeted	O
and	O
imported	O
into	O
the	O
game	O
engine	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
would	O
be	O
called	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
:	I-Application
Factions	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stoic	O
announced	O
to	O
the	O
public	O
that	O
they	O
were	O
developing	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
in	O
February	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Although	O
Stoic	O
set	O
out	O
to	O
develop	O
the	O
game	O
using	O
their	O
own	O
personal	O
savings	O
,	O
they	O
intended	O
to	O
use	O
Kickstarter	O
to	O
fund	O
the	O
game	O
since	O
they	O
founded	O
the	O
company	O
,	O
being	O
encouraged	O
by	O
White	O
Whale	O
Games	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
the	O
successes	O
of	O
Double	B-Application
Fine	I-Application
Adventure	I-Application
and	O
Wasteland	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
Double	B-Application
Fine	I-Application
Adventure	I-Application
,	O
they	O
decided	O
to	O
raise	O
the	O
goal	O
to	O
$50	O
,	O
000	O
,	O
believing	O
their	O
initial	O
goal	O
would	O
dampen	O
interest	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
additional	O
funding	O
also	O
allowed	O
Stoic	O
to	O
port	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
iPad	B-Device
and	O
Linux	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Meanwhile	O
,	O
the	O
developers	O
also	O
hired	O
three	O
more	O
employees	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
Jeff	O
Uriarte	O
who	O
worked	O
at	O
Vigil	B-Application
Games	I-Application
,	O
Brian	O
Mumm	O
who	O
worked	O
at	O
BioWare	O
Austin	O
,	O
and	O
Leslee	O
Beldotti	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
This	O
allowed	O
the	O
developers	O
to	O
expand	O
the	O
scope	O
of	O
events	O
during	O
travel	O
,	O
port	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
Xbox	B-Device
Live	I-Device
Arcade	I-Device
and	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Network	I-Device
and	O
add	O
a	O
full	O
orchestra	O
score	O
by	O
Austin	O
Wintory	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
later	O
announced	O
to	O
be	O
releasing	O
by	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
2012	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
public	O
beta	O
version	O
planned	O
for	O
summer	O
,	O
and	O
Stoic	O
also	O
stated	O
that	O
it	O
hoped	O
to	O
port	O
the	O
game	O
to	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
While	O
hoping	O
to	O
release	O
the	O
game	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
,	O
they	O
also	O
planned	O
to	O
sell	O
it	O
on	O
their	O
own	O
if	O
they	O
failed	O
to	O
do	O
so	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stoic	O
begun	O
talks	O
with	O
Valve	O
Corporation	O
to	O
allow	O
them	O
to	O
sell	O
their	O
games	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
around	O
January	O
or	O
February	O
2012	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Later	O
,	O
they	O
publicly	O
announced	O
to	O
Kickstarter	O
backers	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
released	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
despite	O
it	O
not	O
being	O
certain	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Stoic	O
also	O
revealed	O
that	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
be	O
released	O
on	O
Windows	O
and	O
OS	B-Operating_System
X	I-Operating_System
on	O
January	O
14	O
,	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
December	O
17	O
,	O
2013	O
,	O
Versus	O
Evil	O
announced	O
that	O
those	O
who	O
pre-ordered	O
the	O
game	O
would	O
receive	O
the	O
"	O
Insane	O
Viking	B-Application
Pack	O
"	O
alongside	O
Kickstarter	O
backers	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
with	O
help	O
from	O
Versus	O
Evil	O
via	O
digital	O
distribution	O
on	O
Steam	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
released	O
for	O
the	O
Windows	O
and	O
Mac	O
platforms	O
,	O
ports	O
to	O
iPad	B-Device
and	O
Android	B-Application
were	O
released	O
in	O
October	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
to	O
Linux	B-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
March	O
2015	O
,	O
and	O
ports	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Operating_System
4	I-Operating_System
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
One	I-Device
were	O
released	O
in	O
January	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
to	O
PlayStation	B-Device
Vita	I-Device
has	O
been	O
underway	O
since	O
2014	O
,	O
but	O
has	O
been	O
cancelled	O
as	O
of	O
July	O
19	O
,	O
2017	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
for	O
Microsoft	B-Application
Windows	I-Application
has	O
an	O
aggregate	O
score	O
of	O
80	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
based	O
on	O
74	O
critical	O
reviews	O
on	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
signifying	O
"	O
generally	O
positive	O
reviews	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
iOS	B-Application
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
obtained	O
an	O
aggregate	O
score	O
of	O
92	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
,	O
signifying	O
"	O
universal	O
acclaim	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
IGN	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
excelled	O
both	O
in	O
its	O
art	O
and	O
in	O
its	O
varied	O
story	O
full	O
of	O
meaningful	O
choices	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
Informer	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
8.5	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
concluding	O
that	O
,	O
"	O
Despite	O
a	O
few	O
minor	O
issues	O
with	O
enemy	O
variety	O
and	O
the	O
tedium	O
of	O
recurring	O
encounters	O
,	O
Banner	B-Application
Saga	I-Application
stands	O
out	O
as	O
an	O
excellent	O
tactical	O
RPG	O
with	O
considerable	O
depth	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
awarded	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
a	O
score	O
of	O
7	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
saying	O
,	O
"	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
is	O
a	O
beautiful	O
game	O
,	O
filled	O
with	O
interesting	O
ideas	O
and	O
enjoyable	O
battles.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
GamesRadar+	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
4.5	O
stars	O
out	O
of	O
5	O
and	O
praised	O
it	O
for	O
its	O
unique	O
aesthetic	O
,	O
interesting	O
story	O
,	O
strong	O
AI	B-Application
,	O
and	O
decision-making	O
scenarios	O
while	O
criticizing	O
the	O
lack	O
of	O
a	O
manual	O
save	O
function	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Destructoid	O
gave	O
the	O
game	O
an	O
8	O
out	O
of	O
10	O
,	O
calling	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
's	O
battles	O
onerous	O
,	O
arduous	O
,	O
plodding	O
,	O
and	O
lethargic	O
,	O
while	O
praising	O
it	O
for	O
feeling	O
like	O
a	O
game	O
"	O
made	O
by	O
artists	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Dwellers	O
Included	O
awarded	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
Complete	O
Pack	O
with	O
Survival	O
Mode	O
a	O
4.5	O
out	O
of	O
5	O
,	O
saying	O
"	O
The	O
first	O
thing	O
you	O
'll	O
notice	O
when	O
you	O
start	O
playing	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
is	O
how	O
beautiful	O
this	O
game	O
is	O
;	O
from	O
the	O
characters	O
,	O
to	O
the	O
backgrounds	O
,	O
even	O
the	O
animations	O
,	O
every	O
visual	O
aspect	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
is	O
absolutely	O
stunning.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Upon	O
release	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
was	O
nominated	O
for	O
over	O
30	O
awards	O
,	O
including	O
three	O
BAFTA	O
Game	O
nominations	O
,	O
three	O
nominations	O
from	O
the	O
2014	O
Independent	O
Game	O
Festival	O
(	O
IGF	O
)	O
,	O
and	O
four	O
SXSW	O
Gaming	O
Award	O
nominations	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
sequel	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
was	O
announced	O
in	O
December	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
prequel	O
novel	O
titled	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
:	O
The	O
Gift	O
of	O
Hadrborg	O
,	O
written	O
by	O
James	O
Fadeley	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
April	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
miniatures	O
board	O
game	O
,	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
:	O
Warbands	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
September	O
2016	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
January	O
2017	O
,	O
Stoic	O
launched	O
a	O
Kickstarter	O
crowdfunding	O
campaign	O
for	O
a	O
third	O
instalment	O
in	O
the	O
series	O
called	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
3	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
anthology	O
novel	O
titled	O
The	B-Application
Banner	I-Application
Saga	I-Application
:	O
Tales	O
from	O
the	O
Caravan	O
was	O
released	O
in	O
July	O
2019	O
.	O
</s>
