Fable II Pub Games

There's no personality here -- just a trio of games and nothing else. And only two of those games are good. If you've pre-ordered Fable II, then by all means, you should download and enjoy this free game.

If you're lukewarm about Fable II or gambling in general, then Pub Games doesn't do anything well enough to warrant your attention.

The Fable II Pub Games are sort of a strange case, as they are just barely games and in no way worth the $10 no matter how excited for Fable II you are.

Pub Games does exactly what it's supposed to do and it does it in a fairly charming way. The background music and the graphics are quietly stylish with the occasional flourish - the way the hero cards spring to life in Tower of Fortune is a neat touch - but it's thoughtful design that makes the games worthwhile.

As a freebie for preordering Fable II, Pub Games is an average bonus and will appeal to the fans of the original Fable on the Xbox. As a standalone game on Xbox Live marketplace, Pub Games certainly isn’t worth the 800 points ($10).

The marriage of XBLA and boxed game is a nice idea, but the Pub Games themselves are lightweight and boring, and the potential benefits for Fable 2 players are the sorts of things typically bundled on Collector's Edition bonus disks in the first place - and typically overlooked by the majority of players who can think of better ways to spend the extra money.

Getting a head start in terms of money and items will appeal to Fable fanatics, but for everyone else, it's not worth the gamble.

Pub Games is really a half-game aimed at those that want to get a jump start on building their Fable II loot. Those looking for a good standalone title are out of luck - far from scoring a jackpot, Pub Games is a complete bust.

Without that little marketing ploy, this is a boring and ill-conceived collection of ‘games’ that just aren’t worth your time of day.

Unfortunately, none of them are fun because of horrible odds that suck your gold dry.

The games don’t provide enough entertainment and will bore many players after an hour or two due to the games being luck-based.

For Fable fans only, games require more luck than skill.

A promotional toy that would've been better offered as a freebie, levelling the playing field for Fable 2 anticipators.

Had there been more variety of games then it would be a cool game to recommend a purchase. The only reason this game is going to be popular is the interactive element with Fable II as gamers seek a head start when they start playing in October.

It's slightly less offensive as a Fable II preorder bonus, but it comes nowhere near justifying its 800 point ($10) asking price.

Having three gambling games is OK, but when two of them are boring you start to question why this is released now rather than bundled in with the main game.

Anyone who's been waiting for Peter Molyneux's latest epic will no doubt spend hours in front of Pub Games trying to earn cash, whether they like it or not. But on its own, it doesn't offer nearly enough entertainment.

It's not bad as a bundled freebie, but it struggles to justify its 800 Points (approx. $13) price separately. There is very little game here to keep you occupied.

An exclusive gamble for Fable fans.

Fable 2 Pub Games is a nice little bonus for people planning to play Fable 2. It's free when pre-ordering, so you can start collecting money and items even before Fable 2's out. It's great as a free extra, but you should not buy it for 800 points on Marketplace.

The idea of earning cash ahead of time for your pre-created Fable 2 character is a neat idea, but the structure could have been implemented better.

For anyone who plans on picking up Fable II, Fable II Pub Games is an easy XBLA title to choose. Those who aren't interested in the game's lineage or continuing story line, or those who aren't fans of board games, will likely pass this one by.

Obviously, if "Fable II" bores you to tears, steer clear, but if there's a chance you'll chase Molyneux's dream, by all means play on. [Issue#37, p.116]

The 3 mini-games in this Fable II companion are decidedly mixed. [Nov 2008, p.80]