Skip to main content

Twisted Fables

Game ID: GID0369242
Collection Status
Description

Twisted Fables is a fast-paced fairy tale fighting game inspired by old-school 2D arcade fighters. In Twisted Fables players take on the roles of beloved heroines from some of history's most famous stories, myths, and legends. Plucked from their traditional settings, these characters have been thrown into a world of cybernetic assassins, magical manipulations, and malevolent darkness. These are not the classic characters you remember, but rather superpowered fables drawn from their own lands to battle across sweeping, bizarre alternate dimensions and realities. What mysterious force has drawn them together? What is the purpose of their war? Only the Weaver of Tales knows for certain.

Driven by deck building, Twisted Fables is a game for two players in 1v1 Mode or four players in 2v2 Mode (available with the separately released 2v2 Upgrade Pack.) In the game, each warrior will strengthen their abilities, learn potent new skills, unlock devastating special powers, and use unique asymmetric strategies to defeat their opponents. Even the same character may display completely different fighting styles depending on her player's decisions. The different specializations a character can choose from not only provide fantastically flexible tactical choices, but also offer one more layer of depth and surprise to this frenetic, frantic fighter. Twisted Fables brings a highly interactive experience to deck builders that you'll want to come back to again and again.

The book is opened. The fables have arisen. Let's begin.

—description from the publisher

Year Published
2021
Transcript Analysis
Browse transcript mentions, sentiments, pros/cons, mechanics, topics, quotes, and references.
Total mentions: 6
This page: 6
Sentiment: pos 4 · mix 1 · neu 0 · neg 0
Mentions per page
Top
Showing 1–6 of 6
Video SGD2PXFuiho Board Game Coffee unboxing at 0:11 sentiment: positive
video_pk 12797 · mention_pk 37338
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:11
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Stunning artwork and a bold reinterpretation of familiar fairy tale figures
  • Clear, fast-paced two-player combat with strong visual storytelling
  • High-quality components and thoughtful insert design that supports storage and setup
  • Distinct character aesthetics create a strong sense of identity for each fighter
Cons
  • Prototype punch-outs can be finicky or misaligned in transport, indicating potential production variance
  • Two-player scope may limit some players seeking broader player counts
  • Rulebook length and clarity may require a careful read and some experimentation to fully grasp nuances
Thematic elements
  • Fairy tales with a twisted, cyberpunk/art-deco aesthetic; themes of power, danger, and mythic combat
  • A dark, reimagined fairy tale universe where iconic princesses and villains are reinterpreted as stylized fighters in a compact, duel-focused setting
  • Gothic-fantasy with modern, tech-inspired visuals and a punchy, battle-focused vibe
Comparison games
  • Android: Netrunner
  • Destiny (video game)
  • Portal (video game) elements
  • Mirror's Edge vibe
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Card-driven combat — A compact two-player skirmish where attack and defense or action cards determine combat outcomes, with emphasis on timing and hand management.
  • Character cards with unique identities — Each character has distinct visual designs and thematic flavor, plus potential asymmetrical effects or abilities.
  • hand management — Players curate and deploy a deck of cards to execute actions, with strategic choices about when to push offense or hold back.
  • Tokens and board components for status tracking — Shields, HP-like indicators, and other tokens track health and conditions during a duel.
  • Upgrade/level system — Mechanics imply progression or state changes that enhance capabilities over the course of play.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • the artwork is awesome
  • this artwork looks wicked
  • i love me a good battle game
  • it's awesome let's get into it
  • the art on this is awesome
  • i'm really looking forward to playing this today
  • this is coming out on kickstarter sometime soon
  • the artwork is awesome and the vibe is strong
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video WTfkfgM6DOo Board Game Coffee general_discussion at 20:03 sentiment: positive
video_pk 11296 · mention_pk 33209
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 20:03
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • engaging duel mechanics
  • stylized art
Cons
  • prototype to final version may differ
Thematic elements
  • two-player combat with evolving decks
  • Fairy tale duel with twists
  • story-driven head-to-head combat
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • two-player combat — attack and defend with position-dependent moves
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Star Realms is fantastic
  • we should probably give Star Realms the boring coffee seal of approval
  • Sorcerer is a fun game
  • the artwork for Sorcerer is fantastic
  • Space Explorers is a simple fun game
  • it's cooperative and accessible
  • this game makes you think like a winner
  • the 3D buildings are amazing
  • it's the giveaway sirens
  • Munchkin Dungeon is a wild ride
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video D7QlQXT3U7k Board Game Coffee rules teach at 0:31 sentiment: positive
video_pk 9210 · mention_pk 27147
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:31
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Engaging combat-driven deck-building core
  • Relic system adds strategic depth
  • Epic cards provide powerful, lasting options
  • Deluxe edition aesthetically appealing with minis
  • Two-player 1v1 (and 2v2 with upgrade) modes provide flexibility
Cons
  • Setup can be involved and space-intensive
  • Relic variant adds rule complexity
  • Reliant on top-deck mechanic for purchases (no digging) may frustrate some players
  • Limited to 1v1 unless upgrades are used
Thematic elements
  • combat-focused, deck-building competition with relics and epic cards
  • Fairytale world featuring classic fables as combatants on a fight track
  • story-driven fable world with individual fables as fighters
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • basic action card combinations — skill cards must be combined with a basic card to trigger effects.
  • combat on a fight track — attack, defend, move to deal damage and reduce opponent's health.
  • deck-building — players acquire and add cards to their personal deck to improve actions and options.
  • Epic cards — powerful cards that can be added to hand from epic deck when epic threshold is reached.
  • power points and buying — accumulate power to buy new cards; power points do not carry over between turns.
  • range and placement — you must be within range to attack; distance management matters.
  • relics — relics add extra effects and can be activated during the relic phase.
  • start/turn structure with phases — beginning, activation, power-up and end phases govern flow.
  • Twist cards — twist cards unlocked when a skill card is purchased and reveals additional effects.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Twisted Fables is a combat driven deck building game.
  • The deluxe edition uses minis instead of standees.
  • The goal of reducing your opponent's health to zero before they do it to you.
  • Power Points are earned by doing actions and spent to buy new cards.
  • Epic cards become a permanent part of your deck once drawn.
  • Relics activate by discarding a skill card to replace its icon with the relic's value.
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video 0mW86FVSM2k Board Game Coffee playthrough at 0:10 sentiment: mixed
video_pk 5070 · mention_pk 15070
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 0:10
Overall sentiment (raw)
mixed
Pros
  • Thematic, female-led duel with recognizable fairy-tale characters
  • Asymmetrical play and upgrade paths add variety and replayability
  • Clear relic/poison mechanics with tangible tempo shifts
  • Twist and epic cards introduce evolving strategy and late-game moments
Cons
  • Rules complexity can be intimidating for first-time players
  • Hand management and poison interactions can feel chaotic or punishing
  • Balancing between two very different heroes can lead to uneven early games
Thematic elements
  • Power, danger, and deck-tuning through asymmetrical hero kits and permanent twists.
  • A duel between fairy-tale heroines in an arena-like setting with a relic track and poison mechanics.
  • Competitive, action-forward duel with evolving decks and thematic character hooks.
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • Asymmetrical heroes — Red Riding Hood and Snow White have distinct starting powers, ranges, and upgrade paths, creating different playstyles.
  • deck-building — Each character has their own upgrade deck and a core shared pool; players buy cards to improve their decks and gain new options.
  • Epic cards — Epic thresholds grant powerful one-time or persistent effects; they can shift the balance late in the duel.
  • Link cards — Skill cards must be attached to a basic attack/move/defense card; symbols determine how they combine and resolve.
  • Poison deck — Poison cards affect the opponent's deck/discard, slowing tempo and reshaping choices.
  • Power economy — Power is generated by playing cards and then spent to buy/upgrad cards; defense resets and some effects modify power gain.
  • Range-based combat — Most attacks require being within a certain range; some abilities extend reach via skills.
  • Relic track — A nine-space track composed of relics that influence movement and actions during the round.
  • Twist cards — Permanent upgrades that modify the character's abilities or grant new effects when drawn.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • Twisted Fables is a one-on-one combat deck builder uh themed around these deadly ladies
  • these aren't the gentle characters that you know from fairy tales these are the hard core
  • it's all female heroines girl power
  • poison ... screws up your deck
  • the twist cards don't go into your deck they go below your character and they act as permanent upgrades
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video zcmaM5eHXL8 Board Game Coffee behind_the_scenes at 1:53
video_pk 208 · mention_pk 574
Video thumbnail
Click to watch at 1:53
Pros
none
Cons
none
Thematic elements
  • Twisted fairy tales
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
Mechanics unknown.
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • we went from it used to take hours and hours to do unboxing
  • i don't even watch them anymore
  • since we started recording everything in 4k it all goes so much smoother
  • i'm mark maya and this is board game coffee and remember have fun keep gaming
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Video lwoVNZqD5hU Unspecified unboxing sentiment: positive
video_pk 94 · mention_pk 240
Video thumbnail
Overall sentiment (raw)
positive
Pros
  • Unique character designs
  • Interesting thematic twist on fairy tales
  • High-quality components
  • Multiple play modes
  • Solo play option
Cons
  • Some character proportions may be excessive
  • Bent foil cards
  • Potentially complex gameplay
Thematic elements
  • Alternate universe fighting game with reimagined characters
  • Twisted fairy tale/legendary characters universe
  • Arcade-style fighter with unique character interpretations
Comparison games
none
Mechanics (from transcript analysis)
  • 1v1 or 2v2 Combat — Players fight against each other using character-specific abilities
  • Deck building — Players build and modify their character's deck during gameplay
Video topics + discussion points
No key topics recorded for this video.
Quotes (from this video)
  • It's like a fairy tale fighting game
  • All these fairy tales are like twisted
  • The artwork is pretty cool
References (from this video)
No references stored for this video.
Transcript Navigation
Top
Showing 1–6 of 6
View on BoardGameGeek