Game Review: Fable 2

Rick Fulton - Scottish Daily Record

FABLE's creator Peter Molyneux has been criticised in the past for his failure to deliver on his lofty ambitions. The man behind classics such as Populous and Black and White promised much in the original Fable on Xbox, but it fell short in key areas. Now, a console generation on, Molyneux has revisited the project and has delivered much of what he set out to achieve four years ago.

Fable is a role-playing game in the truest sense. How you approach your adventure is up to you. Will you choose a noble path - vanquishing foes, upholding the law and doing good deeds? Or will you choose the dark side - killing and looting with no regard of the consequences?

Or maybe you'll choose a niche somewhere in between, the choices ahead are yours to make. Choosing either a male or female character, the story begins with your character as a child.

As the snow gently falls, you run around the town of Bowerstone doing deeds to earn coins. This brief, but beautiful, section serves as a tutorial and, by the end of your childhood, you'll be ready to explore the wider world of Albion.

However, unlike the original, you'll not be alone. This time you have a trusty canine to accompany you. This adds a lot. You can pet, play, scold and feed him and even teach him tricks as he runs around the countryside, sniffing for treasure.

Albion is a sizeable place and, to prevent you getting lost, a golden breadcrumb trail leads the way to your next objective. While you might think this makes proceedings too easy, it doesn't get in the way. But if you choose to ignore the trail, you will find many side quests, treasure chests, demon doors, silver keys, etc. In Fable 2, it pays to venture from the beaten path.

Albion is also beautiful. The art team at Lionhead Studios created a stunning, living, breathing world. There's a full day/night cycle, and watching the sunrise cast its soft tones is memorable. Whether you are running through fields of flowers or creeping through gloomy caves, Albion is a joy. And the subtle soundtrack fits perfectly.

Combat is straightforward, with melee attacks, ranged attacks and magic mapped to separate buttons. The length of time a button is held determines the strength of each. It works extremely well and chaining a mixture of all three types of attacks together is easy, fluid and graceful.

Unlike many other adventure games, completing quests in Fable 2 doesn't reward you financially. Instead, it increases your renown. As this level increases, you become more famous around Albion.

If you've been trying to stay good and pure, people will flock around complementing your appearance. If you've been naughty, villagers flee as soon as they see you.

To earn money, you have to earn it - and Fable 2 features many ways of making gold. You can take on a variety of jobs, such as blacksmithing, woodcutting or even pulling pints in the local pub.

You can also buy houses, decorate them, then rent them out to increase your wealth. Shops and businesses can also be bought, adding more cash to your coffers.

Of course if you think you have too much of the shiny stuff in your pockets, you can always fritter it all away on one of the three gambling pub games available.

When not questing or making money, you'll find yourself hanging around the towns and villages doing your own thing - playing the lute, dressing up as a chicken, visiting a stylist for a new haircut, dancing, drinking, flirting, flexing your muscles,posing for sculptures and eating lots of meat pies (yes, you get fat if you eat too many).

Fable 2 also allows you to get married and have kids. Of course, if you spend too much time away from your wife and family, you could end up divorced, so you have to plan your life as an adventurer carefully. I began the game determined to stay on the side of good.

However, because temptation lies around every corner, you'll have to make some tough decisions. I also made a mess of this plan of action early on in the game. I was dancing in front of a group of bemused villagers, when I accidentally cast a fire spell. They all ran away and a nearby guard arrested me and made me do community service. It took me ages to win back the locals' trust after that.

And that's the great thing about Fable 2, everyone will have their own unique stories to tell. You'll get out of Fable 2 what you put in. There is no point rushing it. Savour every moment and enjoy the ride. Games as good as this don't come along often, so do yourself a favour and buy it immediately.

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