Fable II Reviews

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Written by BuckGB on October 22nd, 2008

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However, much like its predecessor, Fable II will undoubtedly still be subject to its fair share of naysayers. The original, though fairly ground-breaking at the time, was frowned upon for its basic combat mechanics, relatively short story and point to point objectives. And in that respect not that much has changed. The combat system, though much renewed, often tends to fall back on the over-reliance of mashing X than the more tactical measures you'd expect to find in an RPG.

My foray into Albion started with me picking a female character; I don't know why but I always pick the girls. In Oblivion I was female and don't get me started on Final Fantasy. Now, my moral compass does not always point North and true, being more of a Sith than a Jedi, but feeling in a somewhat positive mood I set out on my adventure determined to do good and be just. Man, was that a hard thing to keep up. For a while it was OK. I occasionally blustered into a situation, said the wrong thing or acted inappropriately, thus racking up evil personality points. But that was Fable 2soon rectified by my healthy derring do. However, by the time I had reached Bloodstone, a town that is a haven for Albion's more unsavoury types, do-gooding was wearing thin. I wanted to be bad, but it all got a little out of hand. As I had a character with an attractive personality I was able to get a number of people to follow me. This included a number of men and three women who practice the world's oldest profession. Yep you guessed it: strumpets! Well I took them to a room in an inn and had a gangbang. I then promptly whipped out my newly-acquired cleaver (no pun intended) and proceeded to do a Jeffrey Dahmer. Having just butchered my new bed buddies I checked my stats. I had contracted an STD, I was worried that I might be pregnant (STD equals unprotected sex) and I had just murdered the father. Karma? Maybe, but it was fun to be evil and this really sums up Fable II's truly awesome dynamic, the ability to act and interact with all the NPCs as you wish. As in the original game you have an expression wheel, but this time there are a lot more icons which give you more options in how you talk to and treat people.

"Fable 2" is a much improved version of 2004's flawed original, but it's perhaps better viewed as a counterpoint to this year's other groundbreaking open-world game: "Grand Theft Auto IV." The latter looks and moves like a stunning real New York City, but heinous act aren't met with real-world repurcussions. "Fable 2" takes place in a generic and less detailed fantasy setting, but it's most certainly not a rules-free playground.

Pilfering from private homes and killing shopkeepers, for instance, is the easiest way to make money, but it can ruin the reputation of the protagonist (referred to simply as "the hero"). Making money via honest work like chopping wood or slaying bandits is slower and more tedious, but results in throngs of adoring fans. Unlike the first "Fable," the sequel features frequent breaks in the main plot and strongly encourages players to delve into life in Albion. It's astonishing to realize that every building can be bought and sold, every woman or man wooed, and every character socialized with via actions like dancing, gift-giving and growling. It doesn't take long to find oneself with a wife, two kids and a house in one town; a husband and three businesses in another; a reputation for thievery and using prostitutes in a third. (Bigamy can result in blackmail, however, and even a double divorce if the two spouses cross paths.)

There's so much to see and do in Albion that it's very easy to get distracted or lost, but you can always follow a glittering trail of breadcrumbs to your next destination. At first, I really hated the glowing path that constantly stretched out before me, because I felt compelled to follow it. Once I was able to ignore it in favor of exploration, I began to truly appreciate how useful it was, and how it actually encouraged me to leave the main path. I could go wandering around wherever I liked without fear of ever getting lost or too off track. The trail is smart enough to adapt to your surroundings; it doesn't just stick to the road, or try to send you off a cliff or through a wall. You can also adjust it to suit your needs at a particular moment, whether that's guiding you the next location for the main quest, or to a shop that's having a sale. If you'd rather trust to the tracking skills you learned in the Scouts, you can turn the breadcrumb trail off completely.

Parents need to know this game is rated "Mature" for good reason. Along with the violence and blood (though nothing out of the ordinary or over-the-top for a role-playing game), players might see things like someone killing your spouse in front of your child, having sex with partners (though no nudity is in the game; the screen fades to black), and gay and lesbian marriage and sexual relations (where unprotected sex between people of the opposite sex causes pregnancy). Some foul language can be heard but nothing overly inappropriate.

Families can talk about whether games that ask players to make moral choices -- such as Fable II, BioShock and Mass Effect -- are a good way for gamers to learn by "role playing" through the dilemma. Is it healthy? Should games be entertainment or tap into some inner desires? Should a game that makes us feel uncomfortable at times -- as many books, TV shows and movies do -- be acceptable, as well?

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