Fable Wars Review [The Epic Puzzle RPG]

On the surface, Fable Wars is a fun and challenging mobile game, but if you dig a little deeper, what will you find?

This is my review after 2 weeks of daily play.

Fable Wars and Gameplay/Battle Overview (Epic Cube Pop Game)

Fable Wars: Epic Puzzle RPG is a “Block Blast” or “Cube Pop” mobile puzzle game created by Gamesture. What sets it apart is its ability to integrate Heroes and Monsters into gameplay.

By assembling teams of Fable Heroes, players engage in strategic battles against Human (PvP Defenses) and Bot opponents, ascending through a myriad of levels or battling in Tower Events, Arenas, and completing Missions.

This game infuses matching tiles with strategic gameplay.

At the start of each battle, you’re presented with a field of blocks/cubes, that you pop to cause direct damage and charge your unique Hero Skills.

Your Heroes materialise below the field of play, while the enemy appears above (as seen in the image below). The objective is to destroy the enemy Heroes and win the battle.

For each battle you win, you’ll earn new Heroes and resources, which can be used to level up your other champions. There are no buildings to manage and Battle Items are either won or purchased.

You can download Fable Wars from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, however, while it’s listed as Free To Play, you should note that there are also in-app purchases available.

Fable Wars Heroes/Warriors Structure and Portals

In Fable Wars, Heroes range from 1 to 5 Stars.

Heroes can be Summoned at a Portal, awarded on Stage completion, or can be found inside the ‘Idle Chest’. And once obtained, you can begin the process of levelling them.

For the first 6 days of play, I wasn’t able to snag a single 5-Star Hero, but then, on day 7, I received Red Ridding Hood as part of the Daily Login Bonus, and also happened to pull Merlin from a free Elemental Summons:

Portals work by using special coins as a currency for each spin, and you can purchase more coins from the in-game store:

This looks like a Gacha Game setup, however, it’s reasonably generous with free coins and free Heroes.

You can also purchase some Heroes directly as part of the “Hero Packs” which are available at the in-game store.

I checked out the ‘Epic Summon Portal’ to discover the Odds/Chances and here they are: 

3-Star = 73.4%
4-Star = 25.1%
5-Star = 1.5%
Bonus Draw = 0.8%

Before we get onto the problems I found, let’s check out the good stuff.

The Pros of Fable Wars (Combine Puzzle Combat)

I love mobile games that manage to combine puzzling and combat. And this game takes a simple Block/Cube pop game and transforms it into something much more dynamic.

Selecting your Heroes for battle is fun, as is battling, and the in-game environment has a pleasant cartoony vibe to it.

But there’s more:

The Heroes are all animated and look really cool, and some even perform a fun little action if left idle.

And speaking of idle, there’s an Idle Chest that gives you free goodies when returning from a period away:

There’s also a Daily Login Bonus, where you receive a free Legendary 5-Star Hero on day 7, seen here featuring Red Riding Hood:

And after the first 7 days, a new 7-day Login Bonus starts, this time featuring King Arthur:

Finally, the in-battle animations are reasonably fluid and the Hero Specials are pretty coherent and synergize well.

The truth is, the whole game just has so much potential but sadly, there are a few issues that hold it back from greatness…

The Cons of Fable Wars (Fantasy Mobile Cube Popper)

Alright, as I said, this game has so much potential and maybe these issues will be sorted in time, but for now I’ll list them:

• It feels like there is a significant lag after each move you make, as the animation from your last move plays out on the screen. A Hero Special has to be viewed to completion before you can move forward. This slows down the game and is annoying after a while.
• Early in the game, Stages are too challenging (around the Stage 25 mark). From there, each battle is a real slog as you struggle with your weak Heroes to overcome much stronger enemies. -Wins become harder to obtain until you get that free 5-Star Hero from the Daily Log-In Bonus.
• You can’t replay old Stages in order to earn more resources. Which would help you level up your Heroes for those challenging levels you might be stuck on.
• In “Arena”, where you face other players’ Defense Teams, it’s hard to find teams at your low level (as a beginner to the game).
• There don’t appear to be any Alliances, Guilds, or any other way to communicate with other players in this game. It feels a bit like a ghost town compared to the other Puzzle Combat games I’ve played (maybe this unlocks later? I’m currently on Stage 74).
• There’s nothing to reach for, which is fine for a “pick up and play” game while you’re out and about, but not great for making you want to return to it once you’re back at home. -There’s a lack of depth.
• According to the Apple App Store, the game has not been updated in nearly a year (version 1.8.4). Google Play records a last updated date of 28th Oct 2021.  That seems like a long time, especially when there are in-game features stating, “Coming Soon” (like the Boss on the Explore page).

My Final Thoughts on Fable Wars: Epic Puzzle RPG

Fable Wars is an immersive and enchanting mobile game that’s easy to pick up and play on the go. It’s imaginative, free-to-play, and successfully combines strategic elements, immersive gameplay, and simple block-blasting fun. 

However, very quickly things begin to slow down. 

There are Events & Quests to complete, where you could gain more resources, however, they feel far too difficult for a beginner roster.

That said, if you like this game I would encourage you to stick around to collect the free 5-Star Legendary Heroes from the Daily Login Bonus because just one strong Hero is enough to punch through a bunch of Stages.

And it appears the Login Bonus continues, with more Legendary Heroes to collect over time.

There is an undeniable charm to this game. It’s fun to play and has real potential.

If I were to grade Fable Wars, I would give it 3 out of 5 stars. 

The main drawback for me is the slightly laggy in-battle animation, the lack of depth, the lack of updates, and most importantly, the lack of an in-game community.

It’s a pity because it’s a fun game that could easily earn higher with a few changes and upgrades.

If you’re looking for a fun game to pick up and play when out and about, I’d give Fable Wars a try.

Anyway, please feel free to have your say in the comments below.

You can find all my mobile game reviews over here!

Old Cynic’s Grade:

Notes: 1. This review was based on the Apple App Store version of the game. 2. I did not make any in-game purchases for this review.

Copyright: oldcynic.com
Images are screenshots used by way of review/tutorial
Fable Wars is owned by Gamesture