I have been a lover of the Fable series since the very first, so when I heard about a Fable adventure that let you use the Kinect to control it, I was fairly apprehensive, but also very excited at the prospect. I was able to pre-order, and have just finished my first run-through and I'm here to give you the "skinny" on Fable: the Journey.
Story: **Caution, some spoilers**
The Journey takes place centuries after Fable III, when the deeds of previous Heroes have become little more than legend and no one believes in magic anymore. The Hero bloodline has dwindled, none left to defend Albion from any of the treacherous creatures native to the land, let alone the great impending Darkness that is after our new hero Gabriel.
Gabriel is a bit of a dreamer, having grown up hearing the stories of magic and heroes and wishing the world was more like that. He and his faithful steed live a relatively quiet life as part of a Caravan moving across Albion trying to make a living and find a better life. He's also stuck in this life, wanting more but feeling like his life has been planned out before he's really had a chance to choose for himself, so he tends to be late, and is well known for falling asleep at the reigns, having fallen in a ditch more than once.
Enter Theresa, the Seer, running from an unknown evil. Gabriel stumbles across her, and helps her escape. The Journey then follows the story of Gabriel in 'from zero to hero' form, slowly accepting his fate as not only a hero, but the only person capable of saving Albion from the Darkness. Those who have played Fable III at least once will notice it is the same Darkness from before, though it has returned stronger and is unfortunately unopposed this time, save for Gabriel and Theresa.
During the course of Gabriel's adventures, you have the opportunity to fight all our old friends, from Hobbes to Balverines, from Stingers to Hollow Men. And as your journey progresses, you learn more about Theresa as well as previous heroes. Some of my suspicions about Theresa were actually confirmed during the stories she tells, so I was gratified to know I had figured her out fairly well. We also see some new information on her as well, and don't worry, I'm not going to ruin any more of the story. That is part of your own foray into The Journey and I won't spoil it.
Graphics:
The graphics in The Journey are absolutely perfect. They are as good as Fable III or slightly better, and for a fully Kinect based game, that's pretty impressive in my book. All our old friends and foes are detailed and beautifully rendered, and the world around you is just as meticulously preserved as you'd want. More than once during the game, you'll have the opportunity to take a gander at some truly impressive scenery, including an early-on view of the skyline around the Spire, which is always an impressive sight.
Gameplay:
The gameplay was a bit disappointing at first, but as I got used to it and accepted the difference in style from previous Fable games, I realized that it was really one of the only ways using the Kinect would've been feasible. The experience is less 'Open World' and more 'Interactive Movie', which is a huge change in style from every other previous Fable, but as I said, once you let yourself get into the action, it is a lot of fun.
The battle sequences are fast-paced and, I won't lie, more than a little tiring sometimes. Your dominant hand, which you choose at the beginning of the game, is the one wielding offensive magic. Your other hand uses more passive magic, the ability to push or move things by magic, a la Force Push from Star Wars. This can be used to push enemies back, throw them into obstacles, or throw obstacles at them instead. You can also use it to stun or hold them in place for a short time. This ability becomes particularly handy when you come across shielded foes, who you need to push or pull to make them vulnerable before you can land any offensive magic successfully. Offensive magic starts with a simple bolt spell, and as you progress you are rewarded with Fireballs, and Blades. Each one of the additional offensive spells is activated by either Voice Command or by certain gestures with your right hand, turning the original lightning bolt into a fireball or blade with a wave, or pulling the bolt behind your shoulder (turning it into a lance).
Once you have the mindset that it is an interactive movie and let yourself enjoy it as such, the game is amazingly fun, and full of humor and jokes just as all the Fables have before it. I also enjoyed a few of the Achievements, because their name or description were based on Memes, music or movie references and the geek in me couldn't help but laugh and love that.
Music:
The music is both beautiful and familiar, bringing you back to Albion easily while helping to distinguish the past Albion from what it has now become. From the victorious and cheery to the dark and ominous, the score was delightful and as good as any Fable before it.
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly:
The Good: Pretty much everything. I have very few complaints, other than it was a bit short (took 3 days to beat, and not very many hours per day either), but most games are shorter than I'd like.
The Bad: Targeting your magic can be imprecise, but you can go through the calibration for it at almost any time. I didn't re-calibrate but I did go through the original calibration several times to get it as accurate as I could. I suggest you do the same. I also found that while my right hand was usually spot on, I had a lot of trouble aiming with my left. Don't know if its just me, though. Lastly, you need to find the perfect distance and center yourself towards the Kinect so it can be as precise as it needs to be. If you're too close, the accuracy goes way down, and when you're driving the cart, the reigns will go crazy on you if you're misaligned. I definitely need the attachment lens to be able to play closer to my Kinect, so that may make the difference for some people.
The Ugly: Hobbes. Definitely still ugly. Also Balverines and Hollow Men. I guess most of the stuff you go up against are ugly, really... but luckily, they don't count against the overall score.
Replay Ability:
While the game is definitely fun and I will play it again without a doubt, it doesn't have me aching to go back right away. Instead, it is actually making me miss Fable II and III and making me wonder when Fable IV will come out. I'd say the replay factor is good, though, since it has an Arcade Mode, which you slowly unlock as you go through the game. It seems to let you go through the battle sequences in the game without having to sit through the story, which... well, I wouldn't unless I wanted to exercise by randomly shooting magic at Hobbes and Balverines without knowing exactly why, which suddenly seems like a wonderful exercise regime actually.
Scores:
Story: 10/10
Graphics: 10/10
Gameplay: 8/10
Music: 9/10
Replay: 7/10
Overall Score: 8.8 / 10
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