Fable Anniversary

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 260 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 155 out of 260
  2. Mixed: 61 out of 260
  3. Negative: 44 out of 260
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  1. jayrumz
    Feb 9, 2014
    6
    Love the game. So much fun, one of the best action rpgs I've ever played. However... this is a technical disaster. Screen tears, frame rate drops, constant freezing(around 10 within a week of playing) and other various bugs(infinity spawning bad guys) make it really tough to recommend.
  2. Porko
    Jul 22, 2014
    6
    I would have given this a 7 out of 10 but the amount of times the game completely crashes is ridiculous, almost once an hour. When it does freeze up the only way to get out of it is to power cycle the Xbox. When it doesn't crash though it's great to see what the original fable was about. Personally I prefer Fable 2 and 3.
  3. Puciek
    Feb 10, 2014
    5
    As a disclaimer I finished the game and got all but one achievement locked for it.so I did it all. And the reason for the one achievement is locked is the reason for mediocre score as in simple terms - this games was rushed out, not tested, not even redesigned in smaller bits (beside the UI). They didn't even bother to fix the exploits and bugs from original fable!
    So if in original fable    As a disclaimer I finished the game and got all but one achievement locked for it.so I did it all. And the reason for the one achievement is locked is the reason for mediocre score as in simple terms - this games was rushed out, not tested, not even redesigned in smaller bits (beside the UI). They didn't even bother to fix the exploits and bugs from original fable!
    So if in original fable you were annoyed that your summoned wasp doesn't attack anything, ever, that is still here! If you were annoyed by very clunky and barely working tavern mini-games, they are still there (and required for one achievement). That and plethora of original, and some new, bugs. It also suffers from about as bad loading screens as the original ones (even though the devs claimed that they removed most of them).
    But on bright side the good stuff is still here too, completely untouched so it is a very nice game.

    But what is so annoying is that if they put more time into it, instead of turning it into an obvious "rush and cash", they would create something of an epic proportion that would drag a lot of new players into it. But as it is - it's a mediocre game at best, and only thing dragging it's score up would be the nostalgia attached and quite good story.    … Expand
  4. BatFat09
    Feb 4, 2014
    7
    The fact that Fable one has held its own all of these years is amazing. All they did with this one is fix the controls and update the graphics. So while I can't give it a ten because it is only a slightly updated re-release, and not on fable 3's engine I might add, it won't get a ten. The classic fable gameplay is still fun, and it does merit a positive review.
  5. JohnMPH
    Aug 14, 2014
    7
    One thing I really enjoyed about Fable was the humour. Some of the comments from the people, and living things, that you meet along the way will have you laughing. That, coupled with the open world, relatively free roaming feel of the game are two reasons why it merits a 7. The relatively high number of crashes is a problem, and the game is not very challenging to progress through. ButOne thing I really enjoyed about Fable was the humour. Some of the comments from the people, and living things, that you meet along the way will have you laughing. That, coupled with the open world, relatively free roaming feel of the game are two reasons why it merits a 7. The relatively high number of crashes is a problem, and the game is not very challenging to progress through. But still an enjoyable game!… Expand
  6. bossmarvinc
    Feb 4, 2014
    7
    Being a long time fan of the series I have been put off in recent years but now I am quite happy about this remake of my personal favorite game in the series. The only problem I have found so far is a technical issue. That being that the graphics tend to be choppy when you are moving throughout an area. It seems that the camera or the area does not load fast enough to keep up with aBeing a long time fan of the series I have been put off in recent years but now I am quite happy about this remake of my personal favorite game in the series. The only problem I have found so far is a technical issue. That being that the graphics tend to be choppy when you are moving throughout an area. It seems that the camera or the area does not load fast enough to keep up with a running character.… Expand
  7. TheSquirrel
    Mar 21, 2014
    5
    Inferior to the regular xbox version in look and feel, the only notable upgrades to this game are the audio and the achievements. This is obviously a money grab from a company with little to no recent successes, and game refreshes like this are unacceptable. It is glitchy, oddly shaded, and the cut scenes look horrible.
    The game remains an excellent one in spite of the cheap spit and    Inferior to the regular xbox version in look and feel, the only notable upgrades to this game are the audio and the achievements. This is obviously a money grab from a company with little to no recent successes, and game refreshes like this are unacceptable. It is glitchy, oddly shaded, and the cut scenes look horrible.
    The game remains an excellent one in spite of the cheap spit and polish job attempted and if you have never played Fable give it a whirl. If, however, you have the original Fable Lost Chapters, just put that in instead. Bad form LionHead, next time you won't fool me so easily.    … Expand
  8. JohnWitten
    Feb 13, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Concept: Retrace your footsteps through your hero’s first adventures in Albion, ten years later, in this nostalgic adventure where everything is as it seems and as you remember it, because literally nothing has changed. It’s one of those ‘for better or worse’ things…

    Graphics: There are a few new looks, but for the most part everything is the same as it was, just given a lot better lighting and graphical update. Can’t complain about that, except when it lags or experiences other animation related issues.

    Sound: It’s the same old soundtrack, which is one of the things that can’t be ruined or marred in any way, as it works elegantly and perfectly to match the tone of specific story moments each and every time.

    Playability: The option to utilize several different control schemes is a wise choice to give players, as it offers the opportunity to play the game as it was originally intended, as well as how Fable 2 and 3 were meant to be played. Take the time to play once with both control schemes in order to ascertain which you like the most, and which works the best for you.

    Entertainment: It isn’t the greatest game, and is far from the greatest even in the series, but it also is a faithful update of the original, and far from the worst in the series- yes, I am looking at the poor Kinect titles which can barely be counted as “a part of the series” even if they are associated by name.

    Replay Value: Moderate.

    Overall Score: 7.0    … Expand
  9. H1P1
    Feb 6, 2014
    5
    No game should be re-made if it hinders nostalgia, yet sadly Lionhead fail to grasp this. If Lionhead have learned anything in game design the last decade it certainly doesn't show in this release, with all of the fundamental gameplay flaws still remaining in Fable Anniversary. Somehow there are more problems in this game than previously with a choppy framerate and audio glitches adding toNo game should be re-made if it hinders nostalgia, yet sadly Lionhead fail to grasp this. If Lionhead have learned anything in game design the last decade it certainly doesn't show in this release, with all of the fundamental gameplay flaws still remaining in Fable Anniversary. Somehow there are more problems in this game than previously with a choppy framerate and audio glitches adding to the list. Horrible locking systems in combat and constant loading screens are prehistoric feautures which, whilst fine in 2004, do not hold up today. Whilst some argue that it is wrong to judge this as a new game, if this line of argument is taken, then you are paying $60 for a fresh coat of paint. Whilst this may be ok for games that are flawless, this game is littered with bad design, and as such exacerbates it's weaknesses. If this is not a new game, then you may as well all save your money, load the original xbox game and enjoy the good memories. You won't have to pay acent nor think about how Lionhead truly missed an opportunity to add to our great memories.… Expand
  10. Silentwulf
    Feb 5, 2014
    7
    Fable being a guilty pleasure, and one of the few decent exclusives for XBOX, I was quite excited hearing about the remastering of the original Fable. Easily what I considered pre-order worthy. After playing a few hours, I'm having difficulty discerning issues with the Anniversary edition, that are shared with the original XBOX release.

    Visually, the game is very hit and miss. The    Fable being a guilty pleasure, and one of the few decent exclusives for XBOX, I was quite excited hearing about the remastering of the original Fable. Easily what I considered pre-order worthy. After playing a few hours, I'm having difficulty discerning issues with the Anniversary edition, that are shared with the original XBOX release.

    Visually, the game is very hit and miss. The updated visuals are of course welcomed, though Fable Anniversary suffers from some painfully blurry textures at times, early-gen models, and laughable animations. It's literally a new coat of a paint, in the most literal of senses. Thankfully, the iconic look of the franchise is still intact. The frame rate hovers around 30fps, and overall performs to expectation.

    A few very minor audio bugs aside, the original voice acting and music remain in place, and still shine as much as it did back during the original release.

    One change that comes off as very hit/miss, would be the controls. The scheme, by default, is more simplistic if your main preference in combat is melee. Locking on for ranged/magic attacks can be down-right disastrous, due to the aspect of friendly fire. Attempting to toss some fire at a goblin, can result in burning a villagers face off instead (Only a problem if you're trying to be the "good" hero)

    Changes aside, it's the same Fable you either loved, hated, or thought was just "ok". If you like the new set-dressing, and enjoyed the original, it's certainly worth a buy. Not the cleanest HD remake on the market by any stretch, but an enjoyable addition to the franchise, and a fine western RPG for the XBOX.    … Expand
  11. CoolDadTx
    Jun 15, 2014
    7
    This is the first, and probably best, of the Fable series. Unfortunately there are also lots of bugs and a few poor design issues. It is not simply a matter of recompiling code to bring it up to X360. The system is different than the original Xbox and some adjustments are needed but it doesn't appear that the devs bothered to change anything other than update the graphics. The mostThis is the first, and probably best, of the Fable series. Unfortunately there are also lots of bugs and a few poor design issues. It is not simply a matter of recompiling code to bring it up to X360. The system is different than the original Xbox and some adjustments are needed but it doesn't appear that the devs bothered to change anything other than update the graphics. The most obvious place this occurs is with the pub games. Most are timed and the X360 controls aren't quick enough to handle the tight timing requirements. You basically have to resort to cheating to win them. The card pair games is pretty much random as to whether you can win or not because the devs didn't seem to bother play testing it first. The coin golf games use physics that is inconsistent even within strokes of a single game. Overall the pub games didn't transition well and the game suffers because of it.

    There are larger bugs as well. Later in the game it would start to freeze when multiple spell effect sounds occurred at the same time. This could happen within minutes of starting the game or after an hour. A hard reset of the system was required.

    Yet another issue was with the graphics. In the coin golf games you had to alter your view angle otherwise you'd be looking at the surface of a glass. But this extended beyond the pub games into the world as well. On several occasions people were walking sideways through the world.

    If you've never played Fable on Xbox or PC then this is a pretty good game but accept the fact that the devs put minimal effort into it to port it to X360 while they work on the next game in the series.    … Expand
  12. ethanvenzin
    Jul 25, 2014
    7
    The game is fun,it brings the old one with improvements,but the voice acting in this game is really really awful but it still a great game like the old one is but i think the old one is still better.
  13. Wolfie1987
    Jan 11, 2016
    6
    Fun buggy game, but buy the Lost Chapters on PC. 150 Characters.......................................................................................
  14. MisterChief
    Mar 7, 2022
    6
    Love the game, it's a great a classic but have to give it a 6 besides the 9/10 I would usually give it because of how clunky it feels to play, beat on my XBox One X back in 2020 and the frame rate felt like it was between 15-25 most of the time, it just felt so clunky but I put up with it, now I went back to it on my Series X and it's still the same, this is a classic that deserves aLove the game, it's a great a classic but have to give it a 6 besides the 9/10 I would usually give it because of how clunky it feels to play, beat on my XBox One X back in 2020 and the frame rate felt like it was between 15-25 most of the time, it just felt so clunky but I put up with it, now I went back to it on my Series X and it's still the same, this is a classic that deserves a remake but I doubt it'll happen :(
    Just can't recommend this game as it is right now due to the bad performance but if you can get pass that it is a very good game.    … Expand
  15. AHRbro
    Jul 25, 2020
    7
    Being a newcomer to the series, Fable Anniversary may be an okay-ish game. It is indeed a solid RPG classic, but the controls are dated and there isn't any sensation of smoothness you may want to have in a meele-action game, not only because of the inconsistent and low framerates, but because of the long animations and wacky gameplay. Other flaws of this version of the game is that thereBeing a newcomer to the series, Fable Anniversary may be an okay-ish game. It is indeed a solid RPG classic, but the controls are dated and there isn't any sensation of smoothness you may want to have in a meele-action game, not only because of the inconsistent and low framerates, but because of the long animations and wacky gameplay. Other flaws of this version of the game is that there are not any fixed bugs, it is poorly optimized even for the Xbox One standards. Navigating in the menu may be painful at first, but you are accoustumed. Even though the lighting and shadows were improved from the original version, for today standards is kinda odd. Looking at it may be hard because of the weird shadows. To wrap up, this game is still playable but this is more recommended to the long time fans that got used to the older controls. It is a really good RPG but with weird and wacky combat controls.… Expand
  16. KayVen17
    Dec 28, 2021
    6
    Nun habe ich endlich mal Fable nachgeholt. Zumindest den ersten Teil und ich muss sagen... es ist okay. Es ist ganz nett in Sachen RPG Elementen, aber vielleicht bin ich da auch einfach schon mehr gewöhnt. Hätte ich dieses Spiel als Kind gespielt hätte ich es vielleicht geliebt. In meinem aktuellen Alter finde ich es aber eher ermüdend. Trotzdem muss ich zu gute heißen dass mir einigeNun habe ich endlich mal Fable nachgeholt. Zumindest den ersten Teil und ich muss sagen... es ist okay. Es ist ganz nett in Sachen RPG Elementen, aber vielleicht bin ich da auch einfach schon mehr gewöhnt. Hätte ich dieses Spiel als Kind gespielt hätte ich es vielleicht geliebt. In meinem aktuellen Alter finde ich es aber eher ermüdend. Trotzdem muss ich zu gute heißen dass mir einige Mechaniken sehr gut gefallen. Das Immobilien-Prinzip gefällt mir sehr. Außerdem liebe ich es in RPG's als Kind anzufangen und mit ihm quasi "aufzuwachsen". Dies fand ich auch in Fallout 3 hammer. Leider trug sich das ganze für mich nicht bis zum Ende durch.

    Ich quälte mich am Ende leider eher durch.    … Expand
  17. Stan_Osbourne
    Apr 6, 2020
    7
    Помню, как играл в FABLE ANNIVERSARY еще на компе, прошёл её полностью, и мне игра понравилась. Оригинальная, лёгкая в освоении и такая-же лёгкая по восприятию. Геройское приключение в открытом мире - я бы даже сказал, настоящий симулятор героя) Но когда я поиграл в неё на своем Xbox One S - то впечатления были уже не такие радужные. Многие писали о багах и глюках - ничего подобного яПомню, как играл в FABLE ANNIVERSARY еще на компе, прошёл её полностью, и мне игра понравилась. Оригинальная, лёгкая в освоении и такая-же лёгкая по восприятию. Геройское приключение в открытом мире - я бы даже сказал, настоящий симулятор героя) Но когда я поиграл в неё на своем Xbox One S - то впечатления были уже не такие радужные. Многие писали о багах и глюках - ничего подобного я не заметил, возможно, Xbox One сгладил эти моменты. Но играя сейчас - она ощущается очень ....устаревшей, что ли? Было непривычно играть с геймпада, но самое главное - игра оказалась черезмерно скучной и графически ооочень устаревшей. Одни вещи могут жить вечно, а другие - устаревают через пару лет. Ну, такова судьба.… Expand
  18. MANXMAN76
    Sep 15, 2021
    7
    When this game was announced I was so excited that my favourite game is getting remastered then as it relesed I was disappointed the game only had a vidual improvement and that's it no balancing to the magic at all bugs from the first game and crashes this was bearly a remaster and I'm very disappointed that not enough work went into this classic but lets hope that the reboot will give usWhen this game was announced I was so excited that my favourite game is getting remastered then as it relesed I was disappointed the game only had a vidual improvement and that's it no balancing to the magic at all bugs from the first game and crashes this was bearly a remaster and I'm very disappointed that not enough work went into this classic but lets hope that the reboot will give us a proper fable.… Expand
  19. P-Daniele
    Jul 7, 2023
    7
    fable è un titolo davvero particolare che ad oggi sente parecchio il limite dei suoi anni, e che questa versione al posto di migliorare tende a peggiorare l'opera originale.
    il gioco non gira in maniera ottimale con diversi cali di fps.
    ma è proprio l'opera di ammodernamento che fallisce in tutto, con dei comandi non sempre immediati, dei menù che dire confusionari è dir poco, e anche    fable è un titolo davvero particolare che ad oggi sente parecchio il limite dei suoi anni, e che questa versione al posto di migliorare tende a peggiorare l'opera originale.
    il gioco non gira in maniera ottimale con diversi cali di fps.
    ma è proprio l'opera di ammodernamento che fallisce in tutto, con dei comandi non sempre immediati, dei menù che dire confusionari è dir poco, e anche qualche bug nella selezione del inventario che molto spesso non ci verrà mostrato.
    dal punto di vista ludico ancora oggi si notano quelle cure che sono state riposte nel gioco permettendoci di plasmare la nostra avventura con scelte morali, e interagire con i vari personaggi che avranno una loro vita e che quindi si spostano in base all'ora della giornata.
    peccato per la struttura della mappa a corridoi che alla lunga risulterà ripetitiva da percorrere.
    difetti a pare dovuti al età del prodotto e della rimasterizzazione, fable resta un gioco da provare assolutamente, un gioco che racconta la storia di un bambine che negli anni crescerà e in base alle sue buone o cattive azioni molte cosse cambieranno, fino ad arrivare a vedere un cambiamento di come ci vedono le altre persone, davvero tante piccoli particolari nelle varie interazioni che ancora ad oggi difficilmente si vedono così ben implementate.
    voto 77    … Expand

Awards & Rankings

30
#30 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2014
5
#5 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2014
6
#6 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
68

Mixed or average reviews - based on 53 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 17 out of 53
  2. Mixed: 34 out of 53
  3. Negative: 2 out of 53
  1. DarkStation
    Jun 5, 2014
    40
    Despite its issues, Fable Anniversary is the best way for players to experience the original Fable. Just keep in mind that action RPGs have a come a very long way since then.
    Read full review
  2. Pelit (Finland)
    May 11, 2014
    87
    One of Molyneux's actual games, and worth remastering. [March 2014]
  3. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Apr 7, 2014
    60
    Works rather well even after all these years, yet there are still some technical irks that shouldn't be there at all. [Issue #239]
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