Skip to main content
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+ The Games, Movies, TV & Comics You Love
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
flag of UK
UK
flag of US
US
flag of Canada
Canada
flag of Australia
Australia
  • Games
  • TV
  • Movies
  • Hardware
  • Video
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Guides
  • Deals
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • SFX
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Total Film
Gaming Magazines
Gaming Magazines
Why subscribe?
  • Subscribe from just £3
  • Takes you closer to the games, movies and TV you love
  • Try a single issue or save on a subscription
  • Issues delivered straight to your door or device
From$12
View
Trending
  • Prime Day Deals
  • Superman
  • Donkey Kong Bananza
  • Switch 2 stock
Recommended reading
Fable 4 screenshot showing the hero holding a sword and sitting next to a man clad in armor called Humphrey
RPGs Fable 4: Everything we know so far about the new Fable game
RESIZED fable 4 screenshots
RPGs Peter Molyneux's new game shares more than just the Albion name with Xbox's RPG - playtesters apparently said "Oh my god, I'm playing Fable"
Final Fantasy 16 screenshot of protagonist Clive Rosfield standing in front of flames. He has dark hair and a tattoo on his left cheek.
Final Fantasy After conquering Clair Obscur and Persona 3 Reload, I'm continuing my JRPG discovery journey with Final Fantasy 16 on Xbox – and I'm very impressed
Borderlands 4 screenshot showing a player on a Digirunner
FPS Games After 4 hours with Borderlands 4 I'm not yet sold on its biggest changes, but Gearbox says "it would be strange" if Borderlands wasn't "constantly growing and adapting"
Tron Catalyst screenshot
Action Games Tron: Catalyst feels like Deathloop and Hades had a baby in the Matrix and I'm hooked on it after just three hours
Borderlands 4 Timekeeper concept art
Borderlands "It is a turning point in our universe": Gearbox explains Borderlands 4's deliberately less-stupid story, and it feels weird to actually be interested in a Borderlands plot
Resident Evil Requiem screenshot showing Grace Ashcroft walking down a dark hallway with a lighter in hand. The GR+ Summer Preview 2025 banner frames the image
Horror Games In just 30 minutes, Resident Evil Requiem scared me more than anything in the series' 29-year history
  1. Games
  2. RPG

Fable: The Journey - 6 reasons were excited for the Kinect controls (and 3 reasons were still worried)

Features
By Charlie Barratt published 5 March 2012

Following a fresh look at the game, we’re warming up to Fable’s motion-sensing evolution… but not without some reservations

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

When the next Fable game was announced as a Kinect-only title, we were as suspicious (and frankly, disappointed) as you. Although the series has never been the deepest or most complex of RPGs, we couldnt imagine navigating through an RPG with motion controls at all.

But our latest look at Fable: The Journey, which included significant hands on time, has us cautiously optimistic again. Heres why we could see the move to Kinect working for Fable after all, as well as a few reasons it still might not.

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
THE GOOD: Fables developers didnt trust Kinect at first, either

THE GOOD: Fables developers didnt trust Kinect at first, either

Peter Molyneux, famed designer of the Fable franchise, started our recent demo by assuring us that he and his team had the same concerns about Kinect as we did. They worried about adding imprecise controls to the series, and about players growing exhausted by moving around so much for a full-length game. They chose to make Fable: The Journey a Kinect game only once theyd made certain the concerns wouldnt translate into actual gameplay problems.

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
The motion controls are subtler than you expect

The motion controls are subtler than you expect

Much of Fable: The Journey takes place behind the backside of a horse your hero traverses the fantasy kingdom of Albion on a drawn carriage, with you taking control of the imaginary reins in real life. And just like real life, you wont need to flail your arms around continuously to get anywhere. If thats how it worked, why would anyone have ever used this method of transportation to begin with? Just lean back, relax and guide the carriages direction with small, easy movements of the hands (or spur the horse on with your voice, which it will learn to recognize). Its almost easier than pushing buttons.

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Interacting with the horse really is rather special

Interacting with the horse really is rather special

Molyneux hyped the dog in Fable II so much that it became an industry joke. To some degree, though, he was right we really did grow to care for the furry little guy. And that was before we were the controller! In Fable: The Journey, you can pet and pat your horse exactly as you would an actual horse. And try not to bond with the virtual animal when youre pulling an arrow out of its side, then healing the wound with a wave of your hands.

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
The magic is manic fun but fun

The magic is manic fun but fun

When you leave your horse, itll usually be to engage in combat with surrounding enemies. Magic is the primary weapon in Fable: The Journey, at least in whats been shown of the game so far, and its fun. You can shoot fire and lightning at individual baddies, or at a whole group. You can shoot a spell out of each hand simultaneously. And, most entertainingly, you can use a tentacle-like spell to fling monsters into the air, then shoot them or grab them and throw them into a nearby pillar. Does this fun last longer than a few minutes? Hard to say at this point. But it has at least the potential for diversity, if enough different spells are introduced.

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
The puzzles prove precision

The puzzles prove precision

After the fight, we solved a simple puzzle to unlock a large stone door. Whats exciting about that? Well, the puzzle required that we rotate concentric circles until a series of orbs were lined up in a perfectly straight line. We did so in about ten seconds, which is a positive sign that the Kinect controls can be precise as necessary, when necessary.

Editors note: The image above is from Fable III, as the puzzle we describe from Fable: The Journey is not shown in any screens or videos available so far.

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
This is still a true RPG

This is still a true RPG

We cant speak to this one from personal experience, as weve experienced limited sections of the game so far. Molyneux promises, however, that Fable: The Journey is not a casual, dumbed-down version of his franchise. Theres exploration, theres leveling, there are collectibles. To the same extent as previous Fables? That remains to be seen.

Now for the lingering worries

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
THE BAD: Lean forward to move forward?

THE BAD: Lean forward to move forward?

During our demo, Molyneux said that Fable: The Journey doesnt have to explain movement controls to the player because theyre so natural and instinctual. With one minor (edit: major) exception. To move around the world outside of your horse and carriage, you must lean forward to walk forward, lean back to slow down or stop and lean left or right to turn. Thats kind of the opposite of natural, wouldnt you agree?

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
Auto-targeting

Auto-targeting

Despite the apparent preciseness of the Kinect controls, Molyneux confirmed for us that Fable: The Journey does assist you in targeting enemies with your magic. He elaborated that the more magic you use and presumably, the better you learn the movements the less the game will take pity on and help you, but for critics of auto-targeting, that will be small consolation.

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
On rails? No. Sort of on rails? Maybe

On rails? No. Sort of on rails? Maybe

We know for a fact that Fable: The Journey is not a completely on-rails game. You can choose your path across Albion, and choose where to get off your carriage to interact with the world. What we dont know is if those sections are on-rails or not. After dispatching a group of enemies in the combat section of our demo, we were automatically placed in front of a treasure chest and asked to open it by mimicking the real motions of opening a box. Thats neat, but we didnt walk up to the chest of our own volition like we would in Skyrim or even an older Fable game. Weve heard a lot about true freedom in Fable: The Journey, but we have yet to witness it.

Are you excited or worried about Fable: The Journey? Do you consider this an authentic entry in the series, or a mutant Kinect spinoff? Let us know in the comments below.

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
TOPICS
Microsoft
CATEGORIES
Xbox Platforms
PRODUCTS
Fable: The Journey Fable
Charlie Barratt
Charlie Barratt
I enjoy sunshine, the company of kittens and turning frowns upside down. I am also a fan of sarcasm. Let's be friends!
See more Xbox Features
Read more
Fable 4 screenshot showing the hero holding a sword and sitting next to a man clad in armor called Humphrey
Fable 4: Everything we know so far about the new Fable game
RESIZED fable 4 screenshots
Peter Molyneux's new game shares more than just the Albion name with Xbox's RPG - playtesters apparently said "Oh my god, I'm playing Fable"
Final Fantasy 16 screenshot of protagonist Clive Rosfield standing in front of flames. He has dark hair and a tattoo on his left cheek.
After conquering Clair Obscur and Persona 3 Reload, I'm continuing my JRPG discovery journey with Final Fantasy 16 on Xbox – and I'm very impressed
Borderlands 4 screenshot showing a player on a Digirunner
After 4 hours with Borderlands 4 I'm not yet sold on its biggest changes, but Gearbox says "it would be strange" if Borderlands wasn't "constantly growing and adapting"
Tron Catalyst screenshot
Tron: Catalyst feels like Deathloop and Hades had a baby in the Matrix and I'm hooked on it after just three hours
Borderlands 4 Timekeeper concept art
"It is a turning point in our universe": Gearbox explains Borderlands 4's deliberately less-stupid story, and it feels weird to actually be interested in a Borderlands plot
Latest in RPG
Cyberpunk 2077 DLC screenshot
5 years after it was kicked off the PlayStation Store, Cyberpunk 2077 joins the PlayStation Plus Game Catalog
Faelian
Bethesda decides Oblivion Remastered players were right, adds a new difficulty mode to "act as a better bridge between 'Adept' and 'Expert' for players"
Oblivion Remastered
This Oblivion Remastered player "killed the entirety of the Mythic Dawn cult" at the start of the RPG: "Problem? Solution? Remove problem"
A zoomed-in screenshot from Deltarune, showing Susie, Kris, and Ralsei posing with other characters.
Deltarune just got another small update, but I'm more interested in this brief, fine-print teaser for upcoming patches containing "some extremely slight adjustments to gameplay"
Baldur's Gate 3 screenshot showing Astarion, a pale male elf with short curly white hair and red eyes, looking over his shoulder with a smirk on his face
Baldur's Gate 3 dev secretly wrote the D&D RPG's release date on a whiskey bottle in a bar 5 years ago, but somehow "nobody found it" and it "never leaked"
Karlach uses her fire powers to light a cigar in Baldur's Gate 3
Baldur's Gate 3 Karlach actor says the biggest misconception around the Tiefling is that she's a "sweet" and "happy-go-lucky person": "She was a piece of work in hell"
Latest in Features
Superman kisses Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman
After years of loveless Marvel and DC movies, I hope Superman and Fantastic Four prove romantic relationships are just as important as world-saving spectacle when it comes to superhero flicks
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom gameplay running with the Switch 2 upgrade
I wanted to make a beeline for Tears of the Kingdom's ending, but Zelda's Switch 2 upgrade has forced me to slow down
Heroes 3 screenshot
The greatest strategy RPG ever is making a comeback with the publisher behind Manor Lords, and I'm ready to relive my Behemoth-collecting 2000s
Star Wars Battlefront 2 (2017) screenshot showing Darth Vader walking through a hangar flanked by two stormtroopers
I've spent 11 hours fighting AI in EA's Star Wars Battlefront 2, and it's taking me back to the glory days of PS2 skirmish modes
Dollman is lost in thought in Death Stranding 2: On the Beach
This is now a Dollman fan account: Death Stranding 2's puppet pal makes for my favorite PlayStation duo since Ratchet & Clank
Agent 47 on a mission in Hitman: World of Assassination
I'm loving Hitman: World of Assassination on Switch 2, but the game's always-online requirement is worse than ever
  1. A Gundam style mech in Mecha Break
    1
    Mecha Break review: "This mech battler makes up for lacking customization with a varied roster that lets me live out my Evangelion fantasy"
  2. 2
    Death Stranding 2: On the Beach review: "This tarpunk delivery epic is more Metal Gear Solid than ever, for better and worse"
  3. 3
    Rematch review: "As with Rocket League, the just-one-more-game pull is magnetic"
  4. 4
    Tron: Catalyst review: "Disc slinging is a thrill in this gorgeous rendition of the series, but I'm let down by a time-loop story that falls flat"
  5. 5
    FBC: Firebreak review: "A disappointingly bland multiplayer FPS that's missing far too much of what made Control special"
  1. David Corenswet as Superman inside the Fortress of Solitude in James Gunn's Superman.
    1
    Superman review: "A triumphant reinvention and a promising start for the DCU"
  2. 2
    Jurassic World Rebirth Review: "An unscary sequel that needed a little more time in amber"
  3. 3
    M3GAN 2.0 review: "A bold sequel with a slightly underwhelming conclusion"
  4. 4
    28 Years Later Review: "Enough terror, splatter and suspense to satisfy”
  5. 5
    Predator: Killer of Killers review: "Great characters, thrilling action, and gorgeous Arcane-esque animation"
  1. Lee Jung-jae as Gi-hun in Squid Game season 3
    1
    Squid Game season 3 review: "A staggeringly excellent final season wraps up one of the greatest Netflix shows ever"
  2. 2
    Ironheart review: "A relic of Marvel's content-at-all-costs era"
  3. 3
    Star Trek: Strange New Worlds season 3 review: "The show's most assured run of episodes to date"
  4. 4
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 8 spoiler review: 'The Reality War' is "a mix of the good, the bad, and the truly baffling"
  5. 5
    Doctor Who season 2, episode 7 spoiler review: 'Wish World' is "an exciting and ambitious" start to the season finale, with hints of WandaVision

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...