Game Of The Week - Fable II

Today see's the release of Lionhead Studios' Fable II, Perhaps one of the most wanted games this year. Some have had their worries as to whether the game will meet all the promises Peter Molyneux had told, but the game seems to be getting astounding critical praise. The only feature to truely recieve negative comments is the online co-op, such negativity infact that member of the Lionhead forums have been insulting Molyneux and Lionhead, calling them failures at developing games. As a player who didn't buy the game for co-op, this doesn't affect me, and from what I've read the co-op doesn't actually sound too bad. I suppose some people will never be pleased...

The game takes place in the fictional world of Albion, 500 years after Fable's setting, in a colonial era resembling the time of highwaymen or the Enlightenment; guns are still primitive, and large castles and cities have developed in the place of towns. The world in Fable II is fully dynamic, interactive and free roaming with no set quest path to take and includes all 4 seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter). Since the game takes place over a hero's lifetime, many things can change; Molyneux gave an example of a trade camp that the player could either help or destroy. Trading in such camps would increase their profit, resulting in a small town growing around them.

All combat is context specific, so that, if a player is on top of a tower, pressing a particular button may cause the player to throw an enemy off of the tower rather than attack with a weapon.

Additional features are included:
Positional advantage: if an enemy is above the player such as on stairs, the enemy will have a tactical advantage
Skill increases: better combos and flourishes become unlocked as the character progresses
Weapon specific attacks: the character's combat style will change according to the kind of weapon they are using.
Ranged weapon targeting: while using a gun, the player can aim more accurately by using a crosshair. During co-op, if either player would like to use the crosshair to aim, it would be shown from the same perspective as the rest of the fight, unlike behind the hero's shoulder in single player.
Unlike the first game, Fable II will not have a mana bar. You can choose either a surround or a targeted spell.
If the player presses and holds the X button he will block, and holding down the button while moving the analog stick will unleash a flourish.
Armor will not play a role in combat. Your player's defense is based on the rank of his or her toughness ability. (This means you could wear a robe and still have as much protection as a suit of armor would give you.)
Weapons include: pistols, rifles, axes, swords, hammers and maces. Longbows will not be in Fable II due to the appearance of guns in Albion, however, crossbows will still be available.

The player will have a companion on his journeys, in the form of a pet dog. The dog will help in many ways, replacing the normal mini map he will point out places of interest, whether it be nearby bandits or burried treasure. He will aid you in combat in many ways, specifically if the player has a sword drawn and approaches a group of bandits, 3 with swords and 1 with a gun, the dog will attack the bandit with the gun leaving the player open to attack the close combat bandits etc.
Your dog will also form a close bond with you, completely loyal and never leaving your side, no matter how you treat it.

Perhaps the most important part of Fable II is choice. Fable II enhances the system of morphing one's character based on their actions as introduced in Fable. Character morphing revolves around two main alignments: Good and Evil. There is also Purity and Corruption and a number of aspects that are involved with it such as:

Good or Evil
Pure or Corrupt
Kindness & Cruelty
Wealth & Poverty
Slim or Fat
Young or Old
The hero's Skill, Will, and Strength attributes play a key-role in character morphing. These alignments either enhance or degrade a character's features. The player can be good but cruel, or be evil yet kind, etc.

The only question is, who will you become?

Fable 2, Fuck. Yeah.

Change this topic to Dead Space and i'll properly take part in discussion

Squadala wrote:Change this topic to Dead Space and i'll properly take part in discussion

Go fap over Sonic or something.

I've just finished the first proper quest and so far I'm loving it.

Combat is much, much funner than I thought it would be and the whole atmostphere to Albion is fantastic. I'm gonna try to take my time so I don't finish it too quick. D=

Squadala wrote:Change this topic to Dead Space and i'll properly take part in discussion

What Cyberfrost said but not as mean.

If you want to go and talk about Dead Space then go make a topic about it. Don't bother posting in an undrelated topic about it. It's like me saying I was going to get this but I'm getting The Orange Box and Soulcalibur IV instead.

So has anyone got the quite awesome looking Halo armour?

I

Love

Fable II

Some guy whistled at me, I'm so scared. ;_;

Swifteh wrote:
So has anyone got the quite awesome looking Halo armour?

I love that armour!
The energy sword was quite good, but I have a better axe now.
I love the game. The dog is actually awesome. I felt so bad when it limped towards me in some Hobbe infested cave. Haha.

Happy Lou wrote:

Swifteh wrote:
So has anyone got the quite awesome looking Halo armour?

I love that armour!
The energy sword was quite good, but I have a better axe now.
I love the game. The dog is actually awesome. I felt so bad when it limped towards me in some Hobbe infested cave. Haha.

Yeah I was guessing it would be a meh weapon and meh amour and would just be in there to look cool.

I also didn't get this cause I'm a big dog lover and I wouldn't be able to cope with the dog being kicked and so forth.

"OI, LIL' SPARRA'!"

I can't wait to get it, hopefully next week or so.

Getting tommorrow.

FINALLY! A 360 GAME I'M CARED ABOUT WILL BE MINE!

I'll get it soon, maybe christmas. I never had the original Xbox nor did my friends, but I can see what the fuss is about, it looks awesome.

Pretty much everyone online on my friends list had Fable II next to their name today

AndyMatronic wrote:I'll get it soon, maybe christmas. I never had the original Xbox nor did my friends, but I can see what the fuss is about, it looks awesome.

Pretty much everyone online on my friends list had Fable II next to their name today

This. Aslong as dog abuse is at a minimum.

Now I've decided to read that very long first post to see if it's for me.

AndyMatronic wrote:I'll get it soon, maybe christmas. I never had the original Xbox nor did my friends, but I can see what the fuss is about, it looks awesome.

Pretty much everyone online on my friends list had Fable II next to their name today

I counted 11 of 13 friends playing Fable.
...Then it reached 17/24

With the others playing SaintsRow2, FarCry or Dead Space.

..Me? - I was playing portal. (Y)

im getting this tomorrow... (well today technically since im posting at 1 in the morning)

stupid school trip ending at 7pm ¬¬

T2 Hodgie wrote:

AndyMatronic wrote:I'll get it soon, maybe christmas. I never had the original Xbox nor did my friends, but I can see what the fuss is about, it looks awesome.

Pretty much everyone online on my friends list had Fable II next to their name today

I counted 11 of 13 friends playing Fable.
...Then it reached 17/24

With the others playing SaintsRow2, FarCry or Dead Space.

..Me? - I was playing portal. (Y)

And you were blatently the cooler out of all of your friends.

Swifteh wrote:

Happy Lou wrote:

Swifteh wrote:
So has anyone got the quite awesome looking Halo armour?

I love that armour!
The energy sword was quite good, but I have a better axe now.
I love the game. The dog is actually awesome. I felt so bad when it limped towards me in some Hobbe infested cave. Haha.

Yeah I was guessing it would be a meh weapon and meh amour and would just be in there to look cool.

I also didn't get this cause I'm a big dog lover and I wouldn't be able to cope with the dog being kicked and so forth.

My title in the game is Dog Lover lolololol

RPG Of The Forever, Molyneux redemption, non-believers pwned, etc. Most fun I've had with a game all year.

[ODNETNIN+] wrote:

T2 Hodgie wrote:

AndyMatronic wrote:I'll get it soon, maybe christmas. I never had the original Xbox nor did my friends, but I can see what the fuss is about, it looks awesome.

Pretty much everyone online on my friends list had Fable II next to their name today

I counted 11 of 13 friends playing Fable.
...Then it reached 17/24

With the others playing SaintsRow2, FarCry or Dead Space.

..Me? - I was playing portal. (Y)

And you were blatently the cooler out of all of your friends.

I'll take that as a compliment and love you. Getting Farcry today. Dead Space next week. Fable for Christmas. n_n

Or should I get Fable today, Farcry next week and Dead Space for Christmas. D:

TKOAC wrote:RPG Of The Forever, Molyneux redemption, non-believers pwned, etc. Most fun I've had with a game all year.

Until the 2 MEGA games come out in the next 2 weeks.

T2 Hodgie wrote:Or should I get Fable today, Farcry next week and Dead Space for Christmas. D:

Fable II plz, we play together sometime.

I'm a little dissapointed at the length of the main quest, but theres still loads to do after finishing it. I have to fnid that pesky first Demon Door that wants dog tricks. Didn't have enough tricks when I first came across it.

For anyone who has finished the game:

Spoiler:

What choice did you make at the end? I chose my family and dog. It was more to do with the Dog than the family. I cant live without him :G