Fable: The Journey

A great story that Fable fans will absolutely eat up, but some long stretches of lonely road keep this from being an absolute must-have for every Kinect owner.

The game will tire core gamers, but brings entertainment to families and kids who are looking for some fantasy-action with movement.

Like the games before it, Fable: The Journey stands strong on its accessibility, its sense of charm and wonder and because it, more than any other game, makes you feel like the hero of a fairytale.

Fable: The Journey loses many of the elements that made the main series famous, things like PNG interaction, moral choices and freedom, but it makes a very good and pleasing Kinect game, even with some story revelations that will please the series fans.

Fable: The Journey makes excellent use of the Kinect.

Approached with an open mind, and accepted for what it is rather than what it isn't, a guided tour of Albion proves surprisingly appealing.

If you've got a Kinect gathering dust, you need to get it plugged back in. While Fable: The Journey has its fair share of issues, it is certainly one of the best non-dance games for the Kinect.

It's not demo material or a novelty release, but an uncompromising adventure game that weaves an engrossing story while utilizing the full potential of motion control. It doesn't always work flawlessly, but the sheer ambition alone makes it a must-own for Fable and Kinect fans alike.

Strong characters entertain throughout the game's uncharacteristically involving story, with sheer imagination turning those limited core systems into something just that little bit more magical. There are tears, laughter - and most importantly, the first successful stab at Kinect-enhanced immersion - as Fable: The Journey gallops toward its epic conclusion.

It's a fun little side story that doesn't hook you like other RPGs, but does keep you entertained for the most of its running time. Most importantly, Fable: The Journey is the closest thing we have to a hardcore motion-controlled game, and it sets some amazing groundwork for future motion titles.

For Kinect owners who love Fable, The Journey is a must buy and will likely result in many hours being spent traversing Albion, enjoying a charming story with interesting characters and likely finding a new love the Xbox 360 peripheral. If you're on the fence about whether or not you need another Kinect game or you're trying to find an excuse to purchase a Kinect, Fable: The Journey is by far one of the reasons to pick up this piece of kit.

Rising above many of the system's shortcomings, areas of the game may fall into some of the same traps many developers find themselves in due to the Kinect's limited capabilities, but when the game works it provides one of the most engaging and immersive titles available, inventively putting the technology to great use. It's just a damn shame about that irritatingly inaccurate precision tracking.

Fable: The Journey is a good Kinect game. It is obvious Lionhead built the game around Microsoft's peripheral device and knows how to make full use of its capabilities. The gameplay is intuitive, even though it is somewhat repetitive. It's not the perfect Kinect game, but Lionhead's Albion adventure shows other developers how to make good use of the device.

If you own a Kinect, I definitely feel like Fable: The Journey is worth checking out. It works extremely well as a unique, core experience, and considering those experiences are few and far between on Kinect, I think that's saying something. And if you're a Fable fan, you'll definitely find some enjoyment over the setting, characters, and lore offered up here. It's nice to get a Kinect game that actually works every once in a while, and Fable: The Journey certainly works quite well.

Overall, for Fable fans, the story alone is worth the purchase, and Fable: The Journey is easily the most extensive Kinect title to date. But it is a very different experience to the usual RPG, and while the Kinect does a good job, it's not spectacular, and you may have to be prepared to fiddle around with your living room setup and lighting to get the best out of it.