The Banner Saga 3 will be the third and final part to this epic, story-driven saga.

The hand drawn Viking role-playing adventure will once again test the player’s resolve through epic tactical battles against deadly adversaries where a player's choice directly affects their personal journey. The lives of your clansmen and their families have never been more significant than in the final act of the series. Banner Saga 3 stretch goals for the Kickstarter campaign will aim to enhance the game further if the initial funding goal is met, ultimately this will include more content to help drive the story and add even more production value to the final game.

Battles in Banner Saga are turn-based, harkening back to the classic "Tactics" days of gaming. The combat is straight-forward and easy to learn, but after a few battles you'll realize the game's simplicity hides a vast tactical depth. Each turn is an engrossing challenge for even the most seasoned tactician.   

Build your party from a roster of over 40 unique characters, each with different abilities that interact in varying ways. Each unit has a combat style all their own, but it’s how they work together that counts and a well-chosen roster will equal more than the sum of its parts.

Banner Saga combat has a classic turn-based gameplay, with a strong emphasis on tactics over brute force and endless grinding.

Banner Saga draws heavily from Norse culture and mythology while creating its own identity. There is a low-fantasy approach to Viking themes. Giants - yes. Horned helmets - no.  

The choices you make as events unfold have a huge effect on how the story plays out - who survives, who dies, and what's worth saving. Add people to your caravan as you travel, or lose them when tough decisions arise. You're not just fighting to save nameless strangers, you're fighting for your neighbors, your family and your way of life. You’ll care what happens to them. 

The Banner Saga 3 will launch on July 24th, 2018 for PC, Mac, PS4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch.  Mobile platforms are expected to launch later on in the year.

Versus Evil & Stoic also unveiled the PC pre-order offer details for the ‘Dredge Ally Pack’.

Fans who digitally pre-order the game through Steam, GOG.com or other digital PC retailers will get the following in-game items as a bonus:

• Dredge Stoneguard Character - Rank 10 Hero called Kivi
• Unique Combat Ability: Tank
• Unique Dredge Item - Sculptor's Tools
• Exclusive Dredge Heraldry
• Unique Heroic Title: “Shield Cleaver’
• Exclusive Banner Saga 3 Overture Track – by Grammy-nominated and two-time BAFTA winning composer Austin Wintory

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“Banner Saga 3 represents the feeling of closure but also immense accomplishment to a trilogy that has been at the very fabric of our lives for many years.  We’re ever thankful to the fans and backers that have shared this epic journey with us and helped us deliver what we feel is a fitting end to our Viking adventure.” Said John Watson, Technical Director of Stoic.

There will be three digital versions of the game at launch. The Standard Edition of Banner Saga 3 on PC will cost $24.99, while the Deluxe Edition will be priced at $29.99 and will include the game’s official soundtrack composed by Austin Wintory in addition to a digital wallpaper, world map and the ‘Gold Wasp’ in-game title.

The Banner Saga 3 Legendary Edition is priced at $39.99 and includes everything that comes in the Deluxe Edition as well as the exclusive ‘Shadow Walker’ Heroic Title, the ‘Petrie Clan Ring’ exclusive legendary item and digital novel ‘Gift of Hadrborg’.

“Banner Saga 3 will maintain the legacy created by the previous two games in the series. Even more exciting is the fact that in addition to PC we are bringing Banner Saga 3 to PlayStation 4, Microsoft’s XBox One and the Nintendo Switch simultaneously at launch. Stoic have created a trilogy that will stand the test of time as one of the best RPGs ever created and one that has resonated with fans from all over the world.  This is it! This is the end. If there was ever a time to experience the Banner Saga it is now.” Adds Versus Evil General Manager, Steve Escalante.

505 Games will be publishing a physical retail package – The Banner Saga Trilogy: Bonus Edition - for both Xbox One and PlayStation 4 priced at $39.99.  The Bonus Edition will enable RPG fans to dive headlong into the entire Viking adventure and will include Banner Sagas 1, 2 and 3 plus a mini art book, poster, best of soundtrack and in-game digital item.  It will be available at major game retailers on July 24th in the US and July 27th in Europe. A digital PC Bonus Edition featuring all three games will also be available.

Banner Saga 3 is a mature story for adults, which means forming relationships and making tough decisions; not sex, violence and swearing.

Travel through stunning landscapes that evoke films from the golden age of animation. Sweeping vistas straight out of a Norse saga will accompany an emerging storyline and pin the imagination squarely in the realm of a Wagnerian Opera. 

The Darkness plays a major role in Banner Saga 3 and your exploration of it will be unlike anything you have experienced in the previous sagas. Interact with the vast city of Arberrang and travel its streets. The gods may be dead, but their godstones and their world, remain full of wonder.  

Every scene in the game is painstakingly hand painted with the intent of transporting you into a bleak yet beautiful world.

As the heroes gain experience in battle you can modify their stats, gain extra abilities, equip mystical items, choose Heroic Titles and more!    

Individually, heroes can be strong, but as the game evolves you’ll devise new strategies on how they work as a warband. Playing off each other's strengths will turn what seems like a rout into a great victory. In camp, rebalance each hero to fit your evolving team dynamic.

Most combat animations are done using rotoscoped, frame-by-frame video shot in Arnie’s front yard. Each ‘hit animation’ may take 20 to 30 shots to get right and each ‘death animation’... well, pummeling the heck out of each other to make every action in the game look authentic. Our friends at Powerhouse Animation then take all the raw footage and add even more drama to the action. The cinemas are all done in 2D and drawn by hand using good old-fashioned traditional animation techniques. It all comes together to give the effect of playing a film from the golden age of animation. 

Key Features:

• Player choice that drives your own narrative – every decision you make in travel, conversation and combat has a meaningful effect on the outcome as your story unfolds.
• Strategic combat with consequences - victory or defeat and even the permanent loss of a character depends on which characters you choose to take into battle and what decisions you make afterwards.
• The journey is as important as battle – your role in building and managing your caravan as you travel the vast frozen landscape is critical to not only your own survival but the survival of an entire civilization.

The Banner Saga 3 is in development for PS4, Xbox One, PC and Nintendo Switch, scheduled for July 24th, 2018.