10 Toughest RPGs That Are Incredibly Rewarding

7. The Banner Saga

In the real world, there are a huge amount of consequences. From sleeping in late to skydiving without a parachute, any one of your actions could spell trouble down the road as we try to navigate this life we have.

Video games are usually a nice little escape from this.

... Usually.

Inspired by Norse mythology, The Banner Saga follows two main characters with intertwining storylines as they attempt to save the world from The Dredge, a resurrected force of evil monsters. Players control a caravan of heroes and must build a party of fighters in between turn based, Final Fantasy Tactics style battles. Eschewing the Phoenix-Downing of the Square Enix behemoth, The Banner Saga’s battles all come with weighty consequences, as downed characters suffer stat reductions due to injury, and certain loses can set off intensely negative effects further down the line.

Rightly well regarded upon release, The Banner Saga received as much praise for its gorgeous visuals and story as it did for this unique approach to combat and consequence. Players try desperately to keep their party alive and well managed both on and off the battlefield, as one wrong move could spell the end not just for their favourite fighter, but for the world as a whole.