User Review : Fable 2

A critical Review of Fable 2. Many spoilers, intended for those who've finished Fable2 storyline.

Quotes;
‘Completely absorbing, Fable 2 is unfettered by its few faults and while perhaps not entirely epic in depth, it is truly epic in scope – and even more fun.’- ZTGameDomain.com
• In a flowery way, this one says it all. All scope, no Depth.

‘It's still not the revolutionary piece of software Mr. M lauded it to be’- Computer and Video Games.com
• Well Obviously.

‘The almost 20 hours of campaign of Fable 2 are an experience that a few fans to the western roll players are due to lose.’- 3DJuegos.com
• This guy meant 20 hours gameplay as a compliment, and he was being very generous.

For all its flaws, Fable II is still a masterful piece of game design, and utterly compelling.-IGN.com
• Don’t get me wrong, I agree. Worth buying and playing beyond doubt.

Okay, I warn you that this is an all out review of Fable 2, opinionated and mostly centered on the original Fable/What Molynuex promised for this game. Yes, it is quite lengthy. I want to ask you not to critically analyze it for spelling, for grammar, and simply read it. If what I’ve written offends you or is something you feel strongly against, tell me in a message, and I’ll reply. Don’t spam up the forum with it. Also, I’ve centered my comparison with fable TLC, as, add on or not, it was still completed long before Fable2. If you have a point about the vanilla, Fable, it will not even be taken into consideration by me.

Know that, as an absolute-qued-up-for-fable-day-it-came-out-and-still-played-it-to-this-day fan, I type these words with a heavy heart, for first comes the disappointing features of Fable 2.

It took me a while to work something out. I wandered all over Albion, I killed, I pillaged, I looted, and I even saved a few lives, I did it all (that’s something to note, there is not a single aspect of this game I have missed, go on, try me) and yet the entire time I kept checking my volume to see if I had it on mute, without ever really knowing why. It’s something that hasn’t been raised much, but I am really disappointed with the Fable 2 Soundtrack. Its fable the original, cut short. Where was the epic and tantalizing main theme when you started the original fable? Where was the dramatic music at moments (oh, another note, this thing is very spoiler heavy. You’ve been warned. Oh fine. *SPOILERS*. Happy?) Such as shooting Lucien into the pit? Or when he says your family is dead? Or even the Dog Bodyguard Moment? I mean, music is something I distinctly remember of Fable being the most catchy and enthralling out of the games of its era, which seems to have been cut short, losing the drama in Fable 2.

Second thing, which I’m led on to from that point, is the simple lack of emotion in fable 2. Storyline starts, loved it. Absolutely perfect. Criticize it if you wish, but I liked it. Had all the drama and action of the original Fable, and possibly even more. But something that really took it away for me was the lack of a powerful narrative. Don’t get me wrong here, I love the voice over for Theresa, (Who always seems to play a mystical blind old bat) yet there was just no power or depth to it. Where were the dramatic moments where the guildmaster says (with the powerful main theme music in the background for good measure) “He was Alone.” Where, later on, was the moment of “And so the bandit leader sliced out her eyes” which I’m sure any fable fan can recall, or the “Revenge burned in the Hero like a sun... Jack had cast a shadow over his entire life.” Which still reverberates at the back of our minds? It makes the Theresa short opening narrative pitiful, and really highlights for me how badly constructed the storyline really was, with no summarizing aspects at all. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not criticizing the voice acting of Theresa, there are absolutely brilliant moments- “But the Spire is mine.” Was beautiful. But the voice was just not delivered in the right way. We were given brief shoddy “you shoulds” galore, and please please don’t get me started on the Spire (Which I loved, don’t get upset) with it’s shameful “Many years later.” Which doesn’t dare compare to the Fable guildmaster line “For another year the darkness of the cell consumed the hero’s mind.” It’s just shameful in comparison. It seems to be lazily done to me, and I just felt no passion or character in the game.

Speaking of lazily done, 50,000gold? I’m sorry. I wanted to pull the xbox out at the plug. That’s disgraceful. You need a million to get in to Fairfax castle. 50000Gold? Unforgivable. Would have preferred one gold piece, then it might have been funny. Anyone who wants to know what I’m talking about, PM me.

Now, the storyline. Started brilliantly. I think everyone can agree with me in saying that, or at least that it was well done. Tails off from there in my eyes I’m afraid. Loved the little snip bits, such as the Reaver diaries and the Garth bed thing. But honestly, the main story was quite weak. Just sort of ‘This happened then this happened then this happened’. I just think it should have depended more on its name sake, and been a true fable. But it wasn’t particularly bad, if a bit jumbled from 50 different non-Lionhead games, but it was ok. So I won’t criticize it, only the emotional attachment to the quest which was absent in Fable 2 but so present in Fable the original. I’m sorry, where was the moment of the commentator saying (With beautifully annunciated tones) “But will he Kill Whisper?” or better, the final moment as you stood over Maze in his dying moments, with that creepy melancholy music playing. That moment stirred me. Yet in fable 2, I barely blinked when Lord Lucien stated quite flatly that my family was dead. I jumped when my dog died; don’t get me wrong, but my wife?

Pfff. Kids? Didn’t care. Was sad that my sister died, but no one mentioned it so I forgot to be honest. All I felt was that I really didn’t care too much about my hero, which is a major let down after the groundbreaking psychological attachment to the old Fable hero. Oh and for the record, had a love-hate relationship with the starting name, Sparrow. Loved it too much. Didn’t even change it for ‘King.’
Was gutted and yet thrilled. Nothing compared to sparrow. The last achievement I actually got was the one for changing my name. Amazing. Might be only me, but loved the name sparrow.

These are just the issues I felt weren’t really touched upon, but I know of dozens, not sure if we’re in the hundreds yet, of gripes with this game. These were just the ones that were most important to me.
Now, to tackle what I liked. Property, thank avo that you didn’t have to kill the owner to buy the house. First major point. All buildings buyable? I think most is more true to the point, but it is plenty. Loved the real estate empire, and especially buying Fairfax castle. Beautiful. Many people say money was too easy to find, but methinks they used the infamous glitch. I thought the money was well balanced first time round, albeit ridiculously excessive by the end. But I liked that.

Also, most people have been disappointed with the Maxing out of their characters. Admittedly, the experience potions were a put off for me, but I can see how they worked fine and were leveled. I thought it bad that you didn’t need to even come close to maxing out your character, (which I’ve proved by completing it without spending more than one bit of experience on force push at the start, Unavoidable m’fraid, and yet having 100% the game, Second time round of course). But to be fair, in a game where Game over is gone, what can you expect?

Ok, one of the biggest ones, the plate armour. Please, I know it looked good and all; I would probably wear it if it was there, but come on. I’m told World of Warcraft is where you go to wear plate armour in colonial times. There aren’t armour bonuses, and although I think most of the clothes look awful, the dyes give a new level of customization, and Plate armour would have looked totally ridiculous.
The main thing I loved in this game were the guns. Me and that master flintlock pistol, we shared some damn good times. Beautiful. I had a small issue at the shooting range where I was constantly zooming out from manual aim, but that’s a minor easily-worked-around issue, and compared to how well done it was for the hero, it’s nothing major. But I have to say, I’m sorry, did a bad guy ever do any significant damage to you with a gun? (Go on, say Lord Lucien at the start or endish: P) Honestly, I barely noticed it. This just made it over powered for me to stand with the red dragon and spam them with bullets. Not that this is too big a deal, (to be honest I loved it) But I can understand this to be an issue.

I also loved the dog. It was so blatantly stolen from two possible games, neither of which I will mention, but I loved it all the same. Best of its kind, regardless if it was copied. The bark, the treasure, all of it. Loved that it turns blonde or black, loved that it bites a bullet for you, loved that you can save it (Which is so obviously the only choice. Come on Lionhead. Way Over the top on the Democratic thing.) So no complaints here, despite the rare ‘caught in the water glitch’.

Also, I have to say the Jobs were brilliant. Mindless medial tasks, which make it just so realistic. No complaints at all.

The kids? Boring. Pointless. Went on one quest to save them. Yawn. Didn’t really care. Disappointed, but its still a massive step from old fable so no complaints.

Now, I have to end it on this. Ironically, it’s about things being too short, which my review definitely isn’t. I have been insulted, shouted at, groaned at and been called a moron so many times now, but I don’t care, it has to be said, Fable 1 was indisputably longer than Fable 2. Fable 2 play time for me? Maybe I’m ridiculously fast, (and everyone on my friend list is too) but I very nearly hit twelve hours play time to 100% the game. Second time round, (to make all the evil choices) It took me seven. Aha, you might say, that’s replay value! Fine. Add them together, 19 hours max gameplay. Fine, to be generous, 20. I spent plenty of time Messing around on my friends games, showing off my character and even left it running until my controller switched off once or twice, but I’ll give you twenty anyway, to make it nice and square. 20 hours gameplay. Don’t feel like playing it again, not for a long time. One Hundred Hours gameplay? No. Not possible. I couldn’t if I tried. One hundred hours hasn’t passed since I got this game and I’ve 100% it twice. Pathetic. Sorry, It is. So anyone who is reading this and disagrees, (please note I’m comparing this with Fable TLC, I did say so any complaints from someone who hasn’t played it, go away,) then I will gladly join private chat with you and hammer you down in a debate. This is pathetic. I’m officially joining the petition to ban peter Molynuex from discussing his games ever again prior to release, and I’m damn proud of it. Whilst I’m on that point, I’ve overlooked all the Rubbish he told us about the game (..hmmm…jumping from chandeliers wasn’t it? Tch.) Simply because I can’t be bothered, it’s all painfully obvious and I feel very cheated by Peter. But the gameplay time. Only time will tell if I ever feel like playing this again, but I’ve already taken the warm disc from my Xbox and put it in it’s drawer. My fable 2 days are long over, and it came out yesterday (when I wrote this at least.)

P.S.
Loved the Multiplayer, brilliantly done, loved the orbs and the chatting and trading for my hero dolls, but the join session in progress felt rushed, last minute and went against all conceived plans.
All this said, Buy this game, it's a once in a life time experience, particularly if you've never played Fable, and I may one day simply write a normal review of how good this game is.