Reviews// Fable the Journey

The real issue is that you should never be punished in a game for the control system not working. I feel Fable: The Journey could have befitted from a little more aim assist in order to make you feel powerful.

As it is you'll be reminded that you're using a imperfect peripheral far too often and although the game constantly tries to tell you how to use Kinect, even when following the instructions it can fall on its arse.

The Tale
The story of Fable: The Journey takes place fifty years after the events of Fable 3, which didn't really make sense to me as everyone died at the end of my playthrough.

As a story it doesn't feel as complete as the previous games in the series. In fact to some extent it feels like a side quest. The characters aren't as fleshed out and the events seem toned down yet falsely inflated.

The humour is somewhat lacking too. Instead of the ironic Britishness that the Fable games previously seemed to embrace, this feels more like a pantomime at Wimbledon Theatre. I was constantly waiting for Reg from The Bill to turn up pissed.

It's clear that the game wants you as a player to fall in love with Gabriel's horse, Seren, in the same way you did with your Dog from Fable 2 and 3. However, for some strange reason they've removed the cartoon-style expressions that your two previous pets had.

This means you very rarely get any emotional response from your horse. There are moments in the game where you must tend to Seren's needs by brushing her or healing her, but you'll never feel connected and these moments of attempted emotion seem like nothing more than a chore.

Albion
Having said that, it's still nice to be back in Albion. It's a beautiful world and the one thing Fable: The Journey stays faithful to is Fable's distinct and wonderful art style. Although this is essentially a game completely on rails, the track certainly takes you to some great locations for wonderful views.

But it's the destruction of the world that makes for the best sights in this game. The Unreal Engine 3 is certainly getting old these days but the one thing that it always seems to do well is scenery destruction and Fable: The Journey certainly proves that.

Child's Play
The thing I noticed most about Fable: The Journey when compared to the previous games is that this is clearly not aimed at adults. The plot is simple and overly spelled out by characters who gasp and over-act their lines as though they're in a Disney cartoon.

Adults will get bored during the relatively short playing time. There isn't any need to replay. Even though this is a completely guided experience, it would have been nice to have alternative routes to explore. Even Virtua Cop managed to do that.

But there is no doubt in my mind that kids will have a blast playing this. It's pretty enough to enjoy watching and there is a lot of fun to be had playing with magic. It's got enough variation to keep them playing to the end and the setting is a place that feels like it could belong in a children's fairytale book.

It's just, well... Not for me.

Pros
+ Great for kids
+ Wonderful Visuals
+ Combat can be fun

Cons
- Kinect simply isn't accurate enough
- It all seems watered down compared to other Fable games
- It's not for adults

SPOnG Score: 6/10

And lest we forget what we were promised...