I typically try to give independent developers a fair chance when it comes to their games. They don’t have the money or resources to pump into a project that AAA titles do. This leaves them with limited options and often requires them to have a really interesting idea to get noticed, such as World of Goo.

 Then you have the independent studios that bite off more than they can chew. They try and develop a game to stand toe-to-toe with the big boys, offering what many would call a “hardcore” experience at a smaller price tag. The problem is that these attempts are too ambitious for a small team to pull off. Everyone starts small for a reason.

Fairy Tales: Three Heroes is one such game. The concept is to play as three different Slavic heroes teaming together to vanquish evil from the land. All the while these alleged heroes complain about being forced out of retirement, scold the peasants for not standing up for themselves while referring to them as “the weak” later on. Not quite what comes to mind when I think of the term “reluctant hero”.

Of course, the idea of the game is to be comedic. It’s supposed to be funny and be full of witty banter and dialog that attaches you to the world and characters. Yet the voice acting in this game is too poor to even call amateur. The script is way too verbose and takes an incredibly long time to get to the point or tell a joke. Jokes that often make no sense in the time period, such as asking a quest giver if they need a plane or submarine in addition to their laundry list of requirements.