In a land far, far, far, far, away… there once was a glimmer of hope that Fairytale Fights would turn out to be a worthwhile title – those thoughts are now long removed. Playing as one of four fairytale characters, including Little Red Riding Hood, Snow White, the Naked Emperor and Jack from Jack and the Beanstalk, Fairytale Fights could’ve been a title that provided a satirical look at folktales, similar to Shrek from the film industry. Instead, what we get is an ultra-violent beat ‘em up that its beauty is only skin deep. The plot behind Fairytale Fights is that our four, once beloved, characters are looking to become popular once again. Jumping into a new story to increase their popularity, the lead characters find that the new worlds they are exploring are full of danger and jealous side-characters who want fame for themselves (i.e. gnomes, lumberjacks, etc.). Even with the high concept of combining the once innocent fairytale characters with a mature story-arc that involves blood, gore and carnage, Fairytale Fights fails to live up to its potential.
Slicing through levels with one of the 140 weapons featured, gamers have a wide arsenal of unique items to kill their opposition. A personal favorite turned out to be a waffle iron; the object isn’t the sharpest tool in the shed, but it definitely was able to get the job done more often than not. The list of weapons is extensive and clever. Here’s a quick look at weapons that are available to players: beer bottle, birdnest, marshmallow on a stick, nutcracker, candy clown lollipop, cuckoo clock, swordfish skeleton, giant fishhook, jawbreaker candy gun, mother goose gun and many more. Each weapon is rated on their weight – this allows players to figure out how fast they are able to slice and dice their enemies. There’s no voice-acting or dialogue to string the story along. There are sound effects, but they do the game no justice in serving a purpose to entertain – they are along the lines of filler that are only there because it’s an industry standard to have effects along with the action.
The visuals are a mixed bag. The characters have a peculiar look to them, but they are soulless. They have the standard big eyes that are expected from a children’s story; as if that counts for anything. The environments are detailed and portray different fairytale worlds, but even they aren’t the biggest attraction to Fairytale Fights. What exactly is the biggest attraction? The usage of the Unreal Engine 3.0 to display gruesome deaths is pleasing on the eyes for those mature enough to be witness to the executions. Each character has an inside skeletal system that, when cut apart, is represented quite well. Blood accumulates on the ground and players slip and fall on their opponent’s blood if they aren’t careful enough. In the end, the violence is the only saving grace of the title, but it’s not enough to keep gamers coming back for seconds and thirds.
The main complaint about Fairytale Fights was the controls. They aren’t responsive for the genre they are representing. Players are tasked to attack with the right thumbstick and move with the left thumbstick. Jumping is done with the A button and the right bumper allows players to pick up and throw items. The left trigger blocks while the right trigger executes a glory attack. Lastly, the B button is to push items and the X button drinks potions and items found on the map. These controls would be fine and dandy if the camera didn’t screw up the platforming aspects to jump across gaps or run across rotating logs. Jumps are easily missed and players die too often from mistakes due to the controls. Fee-fi-fo-fum! Gamers who are looking for an enjoyable cooperative experience need to look elsewhere. The chaos is fun to be a part of for the first few hours, but it becomes redundant too quick to recommend for anyone who isn’t looking for a title to play online or offline cooperatively with a family member or friend.
