Another Host of Fable Reviews

Yet another avalanche of Fable reviews have hit the web, ranging from mediocre to extremely high in their scores. The first is at WorthPlaying with an overall score of 9/10:

The question that everyone has been asking though is: does Fable live up to all of the hype? Fable has undergone a massive change from what it was originally supposed to be, and it was this original idea that generated a lot of the hype. Too many of the groundbreaking features were either taken out or changed for Fable to live up to all of that hype. However, the game does come across as one of the best Xbox games out there to date. Every Xbox owner should give Fable a look, even if they are not RPG fans, as it is a darn good game! Big Blue Box has proven that it has what it takes to make an outstanding game, and with the power of Xbox 2, they could easily make a sequel that even exceeds the original ideas and expectations of the first installment. Fable has sucked me into its world, and I don’t want it to stop here! Please give us more!

The second is at The Adrenaline Vault with an overall score of 3.5/5:

Fable presents some good ideas, and even implements them well. At the beginning, I was rather pleased with Fable, but the more you play, the worse it gets. The failure here is a general lack of content on nearly all fronts. It’s too short, the world is too small, there aren’t enough monster types, missions, NPC designs or dialog. I almost think more should have been dumped, so that other features could be fleshed out. The icing on the cake is a small set of endings which give you no sense of accomplishment whatsoever. My only real gripes as far as gameplay mechanics are concerned is the slightly cumbersome magic system, and the sometimes uncooperative targeting controls. With all that was accomplished, I can only hope it sees a sequel with enough content to live up to expectations.

The third is at Inside Gamer Online with an overall score of 8.6/10:

So, after years of speculation and anticipation, Fable is finally here. It’s not quite as deep and rich as some may have hoped it would be, but it is still a beautiful and very engaging game that’s got plenty of personality, and anyone who ventures into Albion hoping to experience a solid, well-crafted adventure won’t be disappointed.

The fourth is at LoadedInc with an overall score of 7.5/10:

The big problem with Fable is that although it was built on a great concept, the concept alone didn’t make for a great game. The idea of building a Hero that is dynamically affected by his environment and his actions is a great concept for an RPG and it’s the best implemented feature in Fable. But backing that up with unfulfilling combat and a weak story really took the wind out of the sails. The open-endedness is entertaining at first, but after a few days, the game gets stale and you’ll wish for something with more substance. Here’s hoping Knights of the Old Republic 2 will deliver!

The fifth is at GameStyle with a perfect score of 10/10:

Just remember, Fable is not Project Ego. What it is, though, is a redefinition for RPG’s. It takes out all the frustrating elements of the genre, and instead puts in a heap of fun options and possibilities. This is why; despite its disappointing conclusion, Fable is one of the most gripping and enjoyable games that has come to grace the console scene.

There can be no other conclusion. Buy it, play it, and like anyone else who’s done the same, appreciate it.

And the sixth and final review for this evening is at Lawrence.com with an overall score of 86%:

Fable is a side-quest and customizer’s dream. There is enough content here to keep anyone busy for weeks. It’s too bad the core story didn’t have a multitude of branching storylines as it once was supposed to be. That would’ve made more sense and could’ve made Fable a timeless adventure given more polished and purposeful combat. Still, Fable has generally made a good mark for Microsoft, establishing a brand that has tremendous potential.