There's a big difference between saying that you aren't going to pay $60 and own a game with an 8.5 rating and saying you will never play it at all because of the rating. I know plenty of people who rent most of the games they play or buy used, and only own the few really great ones that they know they'll want to play multiple times. I know Fable III certainly hasn't seemed like a must buy to me.
You pretty much nailed my thoughts Josh.
the review as a whole to me seemed kinda luke warm and seems like more of a departure from Fable II than their should have been.