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Running Fable is a competitive title in the vein of Mario Kart or Crash Team Racing. However, unlike its famous peers, there isn’t a vehicle in sight. Moreover, it has a tactical and cruel twist that can make or break every race. Accordingly, it is much more brutal and a lot less cute than its high-flying competitors.
This harsh racing game has been published and developed by Seashell Studio. What’s more, it is a cross-play 10-player experience. As such, if you are lucky enough to compete against 9 others, you’ll endure an amusing but hectic time.
Running Fable is a straightforward affair.
With no story in sight, you’d expect some serious meat on the gameplay bone. However, this isn’t the case as Running Fable is a straightforward affair. This point A to B racing title offers little originality, and that was disappointing. Furthermore, if you undertake the offline mode, you won’t be challenged at all. Instead, you’ll go through the paces as you run a muck and win every race.
Where this excels, and I use those words very loosely, is the online action. Accordingly, when you compete against global players, you face some stiff competition. Yet, this doesn’t do enough to liven up a bland and mundane gameplay loop. Sadly, no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t overcome the mediocrity of this tiresome game.
Basic mechanics.
Before a race begins, you must select the character you wish to control. Each racer has a special move, but they ultimately all do the same thing. Consequently, you end up picking the one you like the look of most. After you have all selected your character, you must choose to lay traps or helpful items along the track. This idea was fantastic, but the execution wasn’t great. If you don’t know the track layout, you end up placing items in the weirdest of areas. Moreover, you can trigger your traps and this can cause you to lose a race.
Once you’ve laid your traps, the main event begins. Subsequently, once the race starts, you must sprint from A to B whilst managing your stamina. Additionally, you must avoid the aforementioned traps and avoid environmental hazards such as water. En route, you’ll pick up different coloured eggs to replenish your stamina. These items are essential if you wish to win each race. Therefore, you’d be foolish to ignore them.
Disappointingly standoffish.
Where other racing games excel is the constant flux within race positions. However, Running Fable lacks this basic element. The balance in the gameplay is so biased towards experienced players that it ruins the core concept. Moreover, the lack of weaponry and sense of retaliation is overwhelmingly disappointing.
If your traps aren’t triggered, or you run into them yourself, you face an uphill battle. As such, you may never see the race leader again. When this happens, and it does practically every race, you become disheartened and your desire to continue evaporates immediately.
Running Fable is tough to follow.
Graphically, Running Fable is vivid and attractive, and it has an interesting stage design. However, it is let down by its appalling camera system. The action moves at such a pace that it can be tough to keep up. As such, you’ll fall off the edges and land in a water trap. When this happens, you respawn, lose time, and inevitably push yourself harder. Yet, by doing this, you fall into the same trap repeatedly. Consequently, instead of enjoying a smooth racing experience, you are stuck in a losing battle.
Visually, it struggled. However, the audio was very good. The upbeat soundtrack was perfectly suited for the genre. What’s more, the sound effects are fun and playful. What was missing, though, was some unique sound bites for each character. It would have been pleasant to add some personality to the action.
Simple controls.
If you can cope with the camera angles, you’ll enjoy the simple control system. Additionally, a thorough tutorial highlights the fundamentals without patronising or overwhelming you. Yet, the controls are let down by the frustrating camera system. Had this been automated, the game would have been vastly improved.
Unfortunately, I can’t see this being as popular as the major racing brands. Though it utilises some interesting mechanics, it lacks originality and balance. Moreover, many of its core elements are frustrating, and this reduces replay value and longevity.
Running Fable was disappointing.
Running Fable is an inexpensive title that tries to break the mould. Yet, it fails as it doesn’t get the basics right. Disappointingly, it isn’t balanced enough and there isn’t enough character variety. What’s more, online lobbies are rarely full, and this enhances the sense of frustration further. Subsequently, I don’t recommend that you buy it! However, more information can be found here.
