Fable Age review: take your favourite fairy tale character on an epic puzzle adventure
Since the Fables comics first hit the shelves in 2002, fables, and reinvention of fable stories, have been all the rage. And it’s not just comics, it’s TV shows like Once Upon A Time, movies like Snow White and the Huntsman, and games like Blue Tea Games’ Fable Age.
Let’s see what’s inside.
Fable Age is puzzle combat game similar to Puzzle and Dragons but with a fairytale slant. You explore various fairytale kingdoms in the attempt to destroy the Lich King and rescue King Arthur, who is kidnapped at the beginning of the game. You will meet all the classic fairytale characters, including Aladdin, Goldilocks, and the Big Bad Wolf, as you journey through various fairytale lands collecting the books that you need to put the fable world right.
Familiar combat with a few twists
The first thing you need to do in Fable Age is select your fable character. You can chose the water-based Snow White, fire-based Beast, or nature-based Robin Hood. There’s not a whole lot of difference between them except which color gem fuels their attack. I went with Beast, because he’s a beast.
After that, prepare for the tutorial which makes you play through several levels to explain what could have been explained in one, longer level. I understand that they want to keep things broken up for players who are playing in short bursts, but this part felt like it took way too long.
The basics are that you must connect as many gems of the same color as possible in one swipe. Different gems do different things; blue gems allow water-based enemies to attack, and green does the same for nature, as red does for fire. There are also heart gems, which allow you to regenerate health.
If you have played Puzzles and Dragons_ this may seem a bit familiar, so Fable Age_ adds a few cool little twists. First, you can connect to different colours of gems using link points, which you start with, and regain, from high combos. This means that if done correctly, you can link massive numbers of gems for huge combos. You also get additional attacks if you can link back to the starting point.
Combos are insanely important, especially for later level bosses. You also want to get your fables to attack as often as possible in order to use their special abilities, which can drastically change the flow of a battle.
So pretty…
Fairytales and artwork go together hand-in-hand, and in fables told all throughout history, there has been beautiful artwork. Whether it’s Aesop’s fables on morality, Hans Christian Anderson’s disturbing tales, or Disney’s lighthearted re-imaginings, beautiful artwork has always accompanied them. Fable Age is no exception.
Fable Age is bright and beautiful, the artwork looks fantastic, and the characters are gorgeous. It’s not just main characters like Goldilocks, but also common fighters like “Nature Knight” look great. I especially liked the re-imagining of Aladdin because he looks totally badass.
Enemies do repeat a lot, but the designers have done a good job of tweaking colors and outfits so that it never feels like you’re grinding the same guys again and again. Though of course, you actually are.
Unfortunately, it’s not enough to escape from the games biggest problem.
(See: Gungho’s ‘Puzzle and Dragons’ probably made up to $86 million in sales last month)
Too easy!
The combat in Fable Age has a single fatal flaw: it’s too easy. Firstly, there are no times. You just sit and look at the gems until you know exactly how to make the best combo. There’s no rush because the enemies just sit and wait to be pummeled.
Three bosses, three attacks. It should not be this easy.
The second is that you aren’t tied into your mistakes. For example, if you make a wrong turn and connect the wrong gems, the game allows you to backtrack instead of punishing you for your mistake. It basically means that providing you keep your party leveled up to a certain standard, you are unlikely to have any problems.
It’s a real pity, because adding an element of challenge would have pushed this game from being very good, to great. I enjoyed the satisfying combat, and I really enjoyed pulling off the perfect execution of a badass fable boss. But it would have been much better if that badass fable had kicked my ass a few times first.
IAP that doesn’t get in the way
Still, can we all give Fable Age a big round of applause for having decent IAP? There’s the infamous stamina bar, but I never had an issue with it. There’s a decent selection of gold and experience to purchase from the store, as well as the obligatory “fable gems”. The premium currency of the game, Fable gems can be used to restart a battle if you fail (which as I mentioned is unlikely to happen) or to purchase new fables.
You don’t need IAP to get to King Arthur
Whatever the case, it’s a game that allows you to play with or without IAP, and that is a decision that I can only commend. Well done Blue Tea Games, keep fighting the good fight!
(See: If you put a stamina system in your game, I hate you)
Is it worth it?
Yes. A thousand times, yes. This game is gorgeous, it’s excellently put together and although it is not a challenge, it is enjoyable. And it’s free, which is always a good thing. Fable Age is interesting and enjoyable so go give it a chance.
You can download Fable Age from iOS here.
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