Fable II Reviews

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Written by BuckGB on October 21st, 2008

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Easily the most complex and arguably the most impressive of the game's super-systems is the simulation game. Beyond the questing and combat akin to any normal action RPG, this is where Fable II really comes into its own, and this is the one aspect of the game that realizes much of Molyneux's hype.

As was the case with the first game, a large portion of the draw for Fable is that the character evolves visually and in other, more important ways based on how the player acts in the game world. Like many Western RPGs, there are meters and statistics which determine whether you are good or evil based on your actions. The more evil you are, the more evil you look: you'll sprout horns, you'll grow fat if you eat too much food and sleep too much, and you'll sport a menacing grimace if you become corrupt; or, you'll grow radiant, tall, and handsome if you become pure and good. These aspects fluctuate over time as your character changes his behavior, and they affect both you and your dog, whose appearance mimics yours.

However, the simulation system in Fable II is much more advanced and intricate than that of its predecessor. In addition to the quests, which have moral choices that result in large blooms of either good or evil experience, the subtleties of social interaction play a large part in the way your character evolves. Every interaction you have with other residents of Albion now affects the way you change through a series of actions and reactions.

One of the big elements that has been expanded and changed from the first Fable is the concept of real estate ownership. In the first Fable, you could buy a couple of houses and occasionally decorate them with trophies, which was amusing but pointless. Fable II takes the concept and runs with it, allowing you to purchase any building in Albion, from a modest gypsy hut to the lord's castle. Buying a house allows you to rent it out or move in yourself. Renting out the house is a great way to make money; you receive a monthly rent and can do certain things to improve the value of the house, such as buy furniture or make friends with the tenants, which allows you to sell the house for a tidy profit. Moving into the house, however, has its own benefits. Each house has a specific set of abilities bound to it, such as a speed boost, health regeneration, and increased strength. Houses can also have bad effects, though, such as decreasing your attractiveness or causing you to more easily become corrupt. You can buy objects that will change the effect of your houses. If you get married and move in with a spouse, the effect of that house increases, and this bonus is further enhanced if you have a child. Keeping a happy and healthy family isn't just for good feelings; it gives you bonuses as well.

Which brings us to the story. The story in Fable II and the player's role in it -- is much improved over the original. I daresay it's a bit more grown up. While the overall arc of the story follows the tried and true RPG formula of "find the sacred whatsits to stop the Armagedd-O-Majig," it's handled very well, not in small part thanks to some superb voice acting (Firefly fans will be pleased to hear the voice of Ron "Shepherd Book" Glass). Let's just put it this way, I don't really remember the details of the original Fable's story, but I won't soon forget many of the moments in Fable II.

The story, though, is practically a second thought in comparison to everything else you can do in Fable II. That statement isn't meant to mock the story, it's just that the extremely wide range of quests and activities is more than likely where most players will spend the bulk of their time. Indeed, I essentially had to force myself to avoid all the game's various sidequests and activities so that I could complete the story in time to write this review. Thankfully, a handy glowing trail is always there to point you to your main objective (or any chosen objective, for that matter). That's assuming you can resist the urge to wander off the beaten path, of course.

It is hard writing about Fable II without spoiling anything. There are so many things to do and small moments that you'll find brilliant. The game does have it's weaknesses, a clumsy menu system and some slight slowdown during the larger battles but nothing that should detract from the charm and fun of the game.

So overall Fable II is a remarkably fun & original game, there is nothing quite like it available. Some small issues are not enough to make this anything other than a must purchase. Peter Molyneux and Lionhead have exceeded our expectations.

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