Bannerman

Bannerman leans on old-fashioned action-platforming, with a sword, traps, and a lot of timing in tight levels. By our assessment, that directness is its best quality: it knows exactly what it wants the player to do, and it does not hide the rules. The limit is also part of the appeal, because there is little here beyond movement, combat, and repetition of the same basic test. In practice it feels crisp when the controls are cooperating, then stern the moment a jump or hit window is mistimed. Against the broader platformer field, Bannerman sits closer to compact retro action than to elaborate modern adventure. It is the sort of game that works best in short stretches, with patience for restart-heavy stages.