Fable III

The best Fable yet and one of the greatest adventure games ever to hit 360. [Jan 2011, p.]

Fable III pushes the idea of the second game that little bit further, challenging players to prove their worth as a ruler. But not only that gives you a great deal of freedom on how you do it making it an even more engrossing experience that is hard to put down once the story and world of Albion grabs you.

Fable III is a brilliant addition to the series, with marked improvement in several areas. The story and presentation are still as polished as ever, and there's never a dull moment thanks to the numerous side missions.

Fable III might not be the ultimate edition of Fable that 'Peter Molyneux' had in mind, but it is a shining example of a masterfully made action adventure game.

A unique game that successfully manages to blend the boundaries between action and RPG, delivering us an immediate and engrossing experience. It will disappoint those of you looking for a real challenge, but if all you're looking for is a great adventure to lose yourself in, look no further.

This is the best Fable yet...It's entertaining, thoughtful and crucially, not entirely for RPG lovers - which could lead to the series capturing an entirely new audience of adventurers.

While Fable II seemed to regard the story as secondary to the newest toys thrown into the mix: making money and babies, Fable III draws our attention back to character building and history making.

Even if you don't play Fable 3 more than once, you can expect about 20-25 hours to play through the core game, and anywhere from another 15-20 more if you decide that you want to see most of everything the game has to offer. But I'd recommend not charging straight through – go wander about and sniff the proverbial flowers and have fun exploring the world of Albion.

Fable III offers many new improvements over its predecessor. At the center of the game stands a revolutionary new way to deal with equipment, magic, stats, inventory, outfits, pretty much everything. This makes for a seamless and engaging experience, but also one that feels more like an action game with RPG elements than vice versa. That doesn't change the fact that Fable III is a fine, fine game.

Fable III lives beyond the narrative arc and is another proof that Molyneux can gradually bring the water to his mill and the proof is that there is always a distinctive sign and controversy in his creations.

A bold experiment in storytelling that shines all the brighter for its many imperfections. [Jan 2011, p.93]

To be more succinct, Fable III is a beautiful mess, and for a game that attempts to capture the complexities of what it means to be human, maybe that's entirely fitting.

For all its faults and a clumsily handled denouement, Fable III is heavy on the fairydust, charming you enough to forgive such foibles, drawing you back into its wonderful world. So maybe true to form, there are a few unfulfilled promises, but there's that bewitching dose of all-important magic.

Essentially, Fable III is a much improved version of Fable II. It's more contoured, better balanced, and a lot more focused on experiencing the main storyline than its predecessor. However, to accomplish this, it did end up sacrificing some of the randomness that we could play around in. The options are all still there, but it doesn't feel as independent of the primary journey as it did in Fable II.

Fable III is most memorable not because it makes you laugh, but because it also makes you care. If a spouse gets carved up in your absence, you'll feel pangs of guilt. When your dog saves your bacon during a fight, you'll feel pride.

Although Fable III's streamlined approach to the traditional Fable concept might feel a little odd to franchise veterans at first, this iteration is every bit as engaging and rewarding as its predecessors. Moreso, in fact, given that Lionhead's subtle but deeply effective changes to character and world interaction add such a tangible sense of attachment. Big, clever and funny, you'll rarely have enjoyed going through such punishing emotional torment.

Somewhat fittingly, this is the Fable to rule them all. Its revolutionary themes complement the series' trademark gameplay style exceedingly well, bringing a murkier side to crucial player choices that make impending decisions all the more engaging. It's still an RPG for the masses, but then it was always going to be really.

Fable 3 finally merges the social, action and fighting genres in one beautiful and fun experience. It's a bit too easy and the "Being a King" part is over too quickly to fullfill all of its great premises.

From raising a family, becoming a land baron, and even partnering up with friends locally or online, this is the most fully realized version of Albion yet. It's a must-play for fans of adventure or anyone who thinks they can run things better than those bums in Washington. Good luck.

Fable III has become the innovative third part we expected: a role-playing game for the masses, without a classic menu(!), featuring atmospheric environments and creative quests that tell the story of becoming a hero and dealing with the consequences of it and high expectations. Very moral decision-making meets a Sims-like fairytale.

It's easy to recommend Fable III to anyone who enjoyed the second game. It's very similar, but the story is stronger, the decisions you make have more gravity, the coop is vastly improved, and the design forces you to sample everything the game has to offer.

Fortunately, those familiar concepts have been augmented with some innovative new ones, and while they aren't all successful, the overall package is an impressive, if imperfect RPG experience.

Put simply, there's nothing quite like Fable III on the market, and if you're willing to look past the game's simple combat and limited quest interaction, you'll find Lionhead's latest to be one of the most unique and enjoyable games this year.

Fable III is pretty much everything you'd want from a Fable sequel: more of the same and then some. There are certainly a few gambles from Lionhead this year, with some paying off and others not so much, but at the crux of it, it's pretty sublime.

Fable III improves over its predecessors' action GDR formula, offering some interesting new ideas, like the new visual concepts for the menus. It's a shame that the second part of the story, where the new stuff should really explode, feels too slow and not compelling as it could've been. It's still a good gaming experience, but if you loved the second you'll feel that somehow this is a small step back.

Though Fable III doesn't change the formula too much from what worked in Fable II, it's a strong continuation of the series for Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Studios. It's got great replay value, between the side quests and moral judgment calls, and the presentation, though not quite flawless, is truly fit for a king.

There are more highlights in the first two missions of Black Ops, then in Medal of Honor. The requirements of Treyarch seemed to be better, than in the past few years. They made an interesting setting. In addition, there's a nice zombie mode and an overwhelming multiplayer. No doubt, this is Treyarchs best Call of Duty ever!

Fable III has nice graphics, great controls, enough online possibilities and a lot of missions. Everything connects nicely, which will keep you playing for hours. This game can be recommended to everyone.

With an endearing, dynamic world and pure unadulterated adventuring, it will leave you with fond memories and a sense of accomplishment.

Fable III, as with the games before it, reaches for the stars with its ambitions, and for the most part manages to achieve them, even though the finale is somewhat weak.

The main handicaps to this game are the major, obnoxious glitches and the annoying combat. I can only hope that some fixes are already in the works for the glitches and as for the combat, just be prepared to grit your teeth and work your way through it if you're looking to play this game.

If you enjoyed the original games, you will enjoy the latest title in the trilogy and fortunately newcomers can jump straight into it.

It is not as revolutionary as the previous game, its combat system has aged in this two years, and it lacks that freshness, but Fable 3 is still a huge game, able to engage the player and absorb him into the world of Albion. This one is better organized, first it shows us the many things we can do in the game world, and then it let us decide what we want to do. And it is still full of that fairytale magic.

Despite the uninspired combat system Fable 3 still ranks among the best titles available on 360. What it lacks in complexity it makes up for in warmth, humour and fun. A wonderful cast, setting and plot make it a hugely entertaining game that most players will fall instantly in love with.

Fable III is a polished take of everything that has worked in the series, adding extra values with some really good ideas around the interface and visual presentation. But the core idea and mechanics remain too close to those of Fable II, and the larger concepts that should have taken the series to greater heights fall a bit short in the end.

Fable III is the result of a unique creative process. The game itself is unique, but it is not a universal masterpiece. In Fable III you can find adventure and a terrific world to explore, but you won't find a strong gameplay experience. Button mashing and narrative flaws are the greatest problems of the game.

This is a massive game, and yet it remains accessible to gamers of all skill levels. That in itself is a pretty special achievement. Tack on a solid combat system, an immersive world, and decisions with real consequences, and you've got a game that just about anybody can enjoy.

Fable III is a fun adventure game for casual players with a radiant world, amazing characters, and with the astonishing chance to wear king's crown as we have never seen in a game like this. This game gets Peter Molyneux closer to deliver its grandiloquent promises in the end, but at the same time gets the Fable series further from its RPG roots.

Fable 3 is even simpler than its predecessor while remaining utterly and distinctly charming when compared to the rest of the 360's library -- it just isn't quite as magical as Fable 2.

It would have been nice to see consistency in the detail, and the big ideas supported by more well thought out design. Nonetheless, genuinely funny games remain few and far between these days, and the laughs Fable III will inevitably bring you are worth the flaws and failings.

Lionhead carefully preserved everything that made Fable 2 so good. Though it's a pity that the "king simulator" concept is totally wasted here.

Fable III shows how much responsibility one has when becoming a king in a time where industrialisation has a grip on the world. This makes the game relevant without losing the subtle, funny vibe of the series. This makes the game the best Fable-game up until now, even though there are some niggles from previous games still present here.

This is the Fable we know and love, which is its biggest strength and weakness. [Issue#66, p.80]

Revolution in story is not followed by a revolution in the game system – unfortunately. Nevertheless Fable III is a decent ending to the series. Although great freedom of act is not followed by great responsibility. [Dec 2010]

Fable III is still a great game, but something this brilliant deserves a more considered - and climactic - ending.

Like its predecessors, Fable III manages to improve upon the last title while simultaneously falling short on the new elements it brings to the table.

While I thoroughly enjoyed Fable 3's imaginative and engrossing plot (and subsequent twists) along with its revised gameplay and core mechanics, as a whole package I simply didn't feel it was an epic in tale or scale that Fable 2 showed us.

More so than ever before it's the game's unrivalled charm and meticulously constructed world that makes the sprawl of Albion such a unique pleasure to explore.

Those expecting a quantum leap forward in this release will be disappointed, however the multitudes of people eagerly anticipating the kind of clever twists and darkly humorous social commentary Lionhead excel in will not come away empty handed. The trip to Albion is well worth the price of admission.

Fable III is a massive game targeted directly at those who like their open worlds anchored by a plot which they can get into without getting swallowed.

As an exercise in giving shape to the ego of the person playing it, it's second to none; as an attempt to realise the conflicts and compromises of high statehood, it falls short.

It's hard not to see flaws in this Fable III, which is less convincing in many areas than the previous one. Its inconsistent production values (sometimes beautifully executed, sometimes lacking a lot of polish), the over-simplification of some things that are sometimes not that efficient, the less than inspired bestiary: potential reproaches are numerous. But despite all those, Fable III, like it predecessors, remains so charming and mesmerizing that it works. The coop mode is a bliss (at last), and even though the "being King gameplay" is clearly underwhelming, one cannot be bored by this new Albion. Yes, Fable III could have been better polished and more ambitious, but it's still a game unlike any other.

The combination of gaming styles – action, role-playing and strategy – works wonderfully together and there are some real consequences to your decisions. It may be too accessible for hardcore RPG fans but Fable 3 is hugely enjoyable and the perfect game to play on a cold winter's evening.

While it's puzzling to watch so much effort go into streamlining Fable 2's already superb design without fixing its obvious technical shortcomings, try not to let that distract you from what remains an exceptional game. It may not be revolutionary, but it is royally fun.

For those of you looking to rekindle the Fable flame and get online and have digital babies, then there's plenty to sink your teeth into. You'll feel right at home with what's on offer, and be glad to make decisions for the greater good. It's an entertaining ride, and one that has the legs to keep you hooked from humble beginnings to royal conclusion.

Fable III is the better game when held up against the glitchy, twitchy gameplay of its predecessor, Fable II, but the heavy-handed moral of the game's story leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

It may be messy and clunky from time to time along the way, but Fable III is only guilty of indulging its designers' whim at the expense of necessary polish, and in the royal scheme of things it's a crime you're happy to pardon. Many more RPGs will follow between now and whatever Lionhead does next with the series, but few if any will possess half as much heart, and most importantly, whatever else they have to offer, none will have Albion.

Maybe this is not the revolution that everyone was expecting, but Fable III is still a fabulous and enjoyable game. If you liked the previous entries in the series, this is a piece of software you should buy.

Albion is still a great place for adventuring. Fable III is, however, a bit too similar its predecessors and thus prevents it for getting the highest marks.

Despite the oddities, the head-scratchers and the disappointments, there are some moments of pure brilliance that reminds us just why we were playing in the first place.

The best Fable yet. It's mature and thought provoking, with a final act that will genuinely surprise and confound you. It could've been a masterpiece, but its many technical problems bring it down.

The familiar Fable experience is as engrossing as ever, and it's incredibly hard to stay mad at a game that oozes charm from every one of its pores. Fable III is a game that is inexplicably better than the sum of its parts.

Overall, Fable III isn't a bad game, but neither is it a step forward for the franchise. The nasty bugs, the sluggish and uninspired story, and lack of difficulty make it the least enjoyable of the series.

What's more, Fable 3 is definitely a beautiful-looking game, with incredibly imaginative and well-designed locations where players may lose themselves in.

The fact of the matter is Fable III feels like Fable 2.5 rather than a full-on sequel.

With a little more polish, Fable III could have been a great game, but it fails to live up to its potential. Instead, it's good, but disappointing.

Lionhead Studios tried to do some new things with this RPG, but, unfortunately they didn't quite make the impression that improved the game.

Fable III is a good game; its new ideas can't really elevate it to greatness but it's fun, well-written, and creative

It improves in some ways on things that were already good without really remedying the things that weren't working, but at its heart, there's plenty of fun to be found in this game, and as long as you find the fun, Fable III's flaws aren't too big to be forgiven.

I wish I could say that Fable III exceeds expectations and blows predecessors away, but sadly some bizarre development decisions from Lionhead Studios have marred what is otherwise a terrific fantasy tale where industry and darkness threaten the city you are destined to rule.

This gorgeous world is brimming with humor and personality, but a bevy of technical problems and overly simplified gameplay distract from the fun.

Fable III is a good game, and in some ways it's a great one. But playing it, one can't help but wonder what it would be with better combat and a more thoughtful second half.

For all the game has got going for it, which is still a lot, Fable III is unable to transcend the sum of its parts and we're left to lament what could have been.

In terms of quest interaction, there's simply not a great deal going on. Fable III largely gets away with it through sheer charm, and the infectious sense of fun in its detail. [Christmas 2010, p.80]

The gameplay throughout has taken a back seat to the titles aspirations, and since a good deal of those aspirations do not quite pan out an outright purchase cannot be recommended. Fans of the previous titles will want to give it a Saturday's rental, however, if for no other reason than try to bed-down a peasant girl and possibly contract something nasty (no joke).

All of the areas where the game truly excels are exactly what we expect from the series - and from Lionhead as a studio - while its great leaps forward mostly fall flat and upset the balance of the whole. [Christmas 2010, p.90]

The Fable franchise has always been ambitious, promising big things and often failing to deliver. Unfortunately, Fable III suffers from the same plight, serving up a mediocre experience that's difficult to get excited over.

If the Albion lives its revolution in Fable III, that's certainly not the case for the Fable saga, which gets here an episode pleasant to go, but too close from its predecessor, at least in terms of its first and biggest part.

The main goal in this action RPG is to gather companions and then manage a kingdom. Lionhead has obviously wanted to simplify everything from Fable II, but the result is unnecessarily cumbersome and a lot of depth has been phased out in favor of ideas that does not feel particularly interesting. There is still a vibrant and atmospheric game world, and I had fun during the play through, but this could have been so much better with the right focus.

All the heroics of harder games without any of the fuss, and set in a place you've made your own.

Flaws in design and execution are even more obvious with this new game and, as usual, Lionhead fails to live up to the expectations.

The game plays like it should, and takes players across a variety of well-designed levels smattered with interesting characters and cheeky British humor. But a triumph for Albion it is not.

An aggravatingly poor sequel that insists on changing things that didn't need changing and refusing to fix those that did.

Too bad money is so ridiculously easy to accrue that Fable III's silly shift into a morality tale about the burden of the crown falls flat.

It's just the rough trimming around the edges, the ways that those grand elements could have been better realized and better conveyed to the player, that make this as frustrating a game as it is lovable.

Very disappointing. Lacking the sense of adventure of the previous games and making the most simple of elements more awkward and overdrawn, Fable III feels like a step back for the franchise. It's a shame because its narrative goals are truly outstanding and there's still a lot of simplistic roleplaying fun to be had. These positives are outweighed, however, by a downsized sense of scale, cumbersome attempts at innovation, and a total neglect when it comes to fixing some important problems.