Fable Heroes

Weak brawling mechanics and frustrating progression undermine this charming jaunt. [July 2012, p.83]

Fable Heroes is a fun, simple way to wait for The Journey. Keep in mind that you'll really need some friends to enjoy it, otherwise you'll end up playing for a really short time.

It's worth 10 bucks, plus the trouble of getting enough friends together to ensure a properly chaotic loot-grabbing experience.

If you are a fan of the Fable series and know a few friends who enjoy party-games, have at it. It's not the golden goose by any means, but, for what it is, this Fable will do.

The main reason to play? You'll be able to transfer gold earned here to your Fable: The Journey character.

If you intend to buy Fable Heroes, make sure you have some friend to play with, because the single-player is not exactly the most attractive. The game is structured to encourage participants to work together to kill enemies, but at the same time to compete in collecting coins scattered throughout Albion, an idea as much fun as weak if you play with three AI-controlled bots. The audio-visual impact of the title, despite glitches in the graphics, makes it rather enjoyable thanks to an excellent soundtrack and a colorful visual style that's pleasant to behold.

If you look hard enough, you'll find the fun in Fable Heroes – especially with friends. But in the long run the lack of variety and more so the lack of content will keep you from going back to Albion.

An overall completion time of around five hours doesn't help the game either.

Take the style, universe and chicken-esque twisted sense of humour of Fable, re-imagine and cross it with Castle Crashers & Fat Princess, add 2D stunning artwork and you have this Fable Heroes. It's a shame than the Gold Fever in-game is more important than the hack 'n slash mechanics, something that can cause a feeling of boredom in some players. But in cooperative, it's an ode to the extreme competition for gold pieces. Happy Pals joined together to combat evil criatures? Not in this game.

Fable Heroes does a good job of keeping you entertained if you are new to the hack 'n slash mechanics and you love the Fable universe.

Fable Heroes is more of a small multiplayer game than a traditional video game. Again, it's mainly fit for multiplayer, so if it's not your call, don't answer it.

Overall, Fable Heroes is a mediocre title that is lacking in depth. While the game is fairly enjoyable, it's certainly short-lived and, at 800 Microsoft Points, there's not a lot on offer. Needless to say, this will definitely whet Fable players' appetites until Fable: The Journey's release in September.

Grading this game isn't hard: it's a pleasant product for a reasonable price. It should appeal to players that are familiar with Fable series but that don't consider it to be something sacred. Remember that fun is dependent on the amount of friends playing with you.

Fable Heroes has a little of Fable, a family game that will not encounter the favores of the fans.

It's not the disaster many expected, but Fable Heroes is a simplistic game that takes advantage of a well-known name.

The Fable faithful might love the look of this adorable take on the franchise, but those who favor gameplay depth over a fan-pleasing presentation, won't find more than thumb-blistering brawling beneath its charming exterior.

By turns clumsy and clever, annoying and addictive, Fable Heroes isn't as different from the series that inspired it as it initially seems to be. It turns out one of the golden rules of being Albion's king also applies here: surround yourself with good people and you'll enjoy yourself all the more.

While Fable fans may be put off by the lack of a new chapter in the franchise's grand story, it's hard to deny the charm of Albion's miniature puppet incarnation. How long that charm will last depends entirely on how many friends join you.

Fable Heroes' appeal is all Fable, rather than its elaborations on the well-worn, side-scrolling brawler. Played in a group, there's a knockabout charm in vying to emerge the victor, but unlike those gold coins there's not quite enough longterm value beneath the outer sheen.

It's one of the most painful types of disappointing game because it's very clear that it could have been something so much better, but this sodden and poor treatment of a co-op baddie-thwacker ensures Fable Heroes never manages to become the fun game it deserves to be.

Micro-characters for mini-adventures that maybe will appeal to a younger audience. Just don't pretend to call it Fable.

Fable Heroes is a mediocre four-player brawler that's only partly redeemed by its fabled license.

Vaguely enjoyable. [Issue#86, p.101]

Don't let the title fool you. This game has nothing to do with the beloved RPG franchise from Lionhead. It's just a bland, repetitive and boring hack 'n slash adventure with some mini-games in it.

It is undeniable that Fable has become one of the big names associated to the Xbox brand, and this was primarily due to its very rich fantasy world, combined with the depth of its structure. Fable Heroes is the opposite of this.

Tedious and about as challenging as walking to your kitchen.

The presentation doesn't do too much either. Some of the levels look good, and the animations aren't bad, but the dolls are unappealing and don't really sparkle with much personality.

The playful visuals hardly compensate for old ideas and mundane action. Hardcore Fable nerds may find something of interest by drudging through the brief campaign. It's an amusing but empty distraction.