The Banner Saga
LumiScore?Our 0–100 score for how developmentally beneficial and low-risk this game is for children. Higher is better.
Growth
57/100
Growth Value
- Strategic Thinking
- Reading & Language
- Ethical Reasoning
Risk
LOW
Engagement Patterns
Minimal pressure to spend or play excessively.
Heads up
Parent Pro-Tip
Before your child plays, let them know that choices in this game truly matter — characters can die and decisions cannot be undone. Frame this as a feature, not a flaw: talk about the choices they make and why, just as you would discuss the moral of a book or film.
Top Skills Developed
Development Areas
Representation?How diverse the game's characters are in gender and ethnicity. Higher = more authentic representation. Display only — does not affect time recommendation.
Bechdel Test?The Bechdel Test checks whether a game has at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. A simple measure of representation.— Fails the test
The narrative centers almost entirely on male characters (Ubin, Vognir, Ludin), with female characters present but rarely driving meaningful dialogue with one another.
Parent Pro-Tip
Pausing after key story decisions to ask 'What would you have done differently, and why?' turns The Banner Saga into a powerful family conversation starter about ethics, leadership, and empathy — skills that transfer directly to real-world social and emotional development.
What your child develops
The Banner Saga is a rich, story-driven tactical RPG that excels as a vehicle for cognitive and emotional growth. Its turn-based combat demands genuine strategic thinking — players must manage unit positioning, armor-vs-health trade-offs, and limited willpower resources across a roster of distinct fighters. Decision-making extends well beyond the battlefield: branching narrative choices carry real, often irreversible consequences, training critical thinking and an understanding of cause-and-effect. The game's dense, beautifully written prose means players engage deeply with reading and language. Perhaps its greatest developmental strength is ethical reasoning — the story relentlessly presents moral dilemmas with no clean answers, asking players to weigh loyalty, sacrifice, and leadership under pressure. Managing a dwindling caravan of refugees fosters empathy and emotional perspective-taking in a way few games achieve.
Regulatory Compliance
Tap a badge for details. Grey = not yet assessed.
About this game
The game takes place in a Viking world inhabited by three races (humans, Varls, and Dredges) created by different gods. Once between people and Varls was hostility, but with the emergence of dredges, they were forced to unite forces, for not being killed by them.