Fable: The redheaded stepchild of Microsoft games.

Ever notice that whenever people talk about Fable, it's usually either about how it didn't live up to some grandiose promise that Molyneux made, or about just not liking the game in general?  
 
Well, I have. And while I can understand the first one (I still don't see any trees growing in real time), I don't really get why so many people are always downing on Fable.  
 
First, let me explain my history with the Fable games. I never played the first one, mainly because I didn't have an Xbox at the time. When Fable II came out, the reviews were mixed, so I waited for it to go on sale. I ended up picking it up for $30-ish, and loved every last second of the two times I played it. Seriously, I played it through once (playing as a good guy, of course), and immediately had to go back in and do it again (this time being all evil and whatnot).  
 
Now, I'm not saying that my gaming tastes are the same as everyone else's (I seem to have enjoyed Deadly Premonition more than most people), but I still don't really get why so many people seem to dislike Fable. Do people these days just not like action-adventure games? Do they not like anything that tries to be laid-back and move at a leisurely pace? Do they not have fun unless games are about nothing but shooting people/zombies/aliens in the face?  
 
What I liked about Fable II was the fact that it reminded me of the games I played as a young lad, where I would just go exploring for hours on end, not actually accomplishing anything toward beating the game, but still having lots of fun. But from what I've read on websites, I guess this yesteryear of gaming only ever existed in my memory, with me not playing games the way they were intended to be played, and spending countless hours messing around in games like Banjo-Tooie, rather than collecting Jiggies or actually beating the game...
 
Anyway, to get back to the point, Fable III comes out today. And as always, reviews are all over the place. IGN says the game is great, and that anyone can play it. GiantBomb's Brad said that the game has plenty of great moments, but a lot of stuff dragging it down (he didn't seem too fond of the ending he got). Destructoid, meanwhile, gave it a 5.  
 
But what does all that mean to me? It means that it's just another Fable game, which means that when I play it, I'm probably going to love every second of it, just like I did with Fable II. And I'm probably going to end up playing it twice, just so that I can do it again as a bad guy. 
 
 The hell with mediocre reviews, and the hell with haters. I love me some Fable, and I hope that they make a Fable IV. I think they should probably wait a while before doing it, but someday.