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Posted on: Aug 14, 2008
It's Hero Time
WORDS BY: Kieron Gillen
Fable II will give you fame. You’ll give it morality.
The moment has come.
We’re about to go hands-on with Fable II. Designer Peter Molyneux passes us the controller. The game starts, and we’re thrown into a city; Dickens with a fantasy twist. The street-urchin child who’ll eventually grow into a hero stands alongside his older sister, Rose, gazing dreamily at a castle. Peter interrupts, stopping the game, speaking to Lionhead producer Will Braham: “Can we have a smooth transition from the first camera, back around the head rather than a cut?” He restarts the game. We carry on. A few minutes later, he halts it again. “Light on the bread-trail a little lighter.” We continue, our nuggets of play interrupted by Molyneux’s dictated notes for future correction.
And so goes our first hour with Fable II. It’s far from the usual hands-on. Which is somewhat appropriate — Fable II is far from a usual game, and it’s at an unusual place in its development cycle. It’s not a period during which a developer would often give access to us press types. The game is fundamentally there, but the complexities of a role-playing game take attention and polish. Lionhead’s currently getting completely random people to play the game with Molyneux watching and the studio taking notes. They’re going to be doing this for months, and we’re here for only an afternoon: It seemed only polite to volunteer to help.
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We wonder what happens with all the notes. “They go to the team. They make the changes,” says Molyneux. “Before that happens, America needs to do ‘Triage,’ which means they approve all the changes. Maybe half the things I say will get into the game.”
You begin to suspect it’s a good idea that they’re cut down. Even as it is, Fable II is a game that’s tried to include everything. Rhythm-based combat. Role-playing statistics and magic. Sims-esque social interactions. Co-op, both online and offline. An enormous open world you’re free to explore. The sort of property-purchasing that the Grand Theft Auto series ejected after San Andreas, along with all manner of jobs you can do to earn the cash to purchase that property. And a strong contender for the greatest videogame dog of all time, just because — hey — with the experience in simulating creatures from Black & White, they may as well have gaming’s greatest dog.
But when it starts, it starts simply. The aforementioned Dickensian City is set 500 years after the close of the first game, with you as an artful dodger-type trying to make his way in the world. You run around, getting a sense of the land. “I wanted you to start with no power and no abilities,” says Molyneux, “to see what it felt like to be powerless at the start.” The point being, within a half-hour the prologue is over, you’re a grown man, and you’re about to forge your destiny by blade, magic, and blunderbuss. From streetchild...to hero? The definition of the word “hero” is what Fable II is all about.
Sat, 11/01/2008 - 09:14
Posted by RAGE GT350
from what i have noticed RPG's loose their fun after after the first 20 missions/tasks and the side quests end up being much more fun so the introduction of co-op will freshen the game up alot.
Bring it on
RAGE GT350
Mon, 08/25/2008 - 13:08
Posted by blindside80
I'm stoked about this game but I'm hoping that it doesn't disappoint me like the first one did. Fable was okay but the hype just made it seem mediocre. Fallout 3 doesn't look like it's going to be THAT good but hey, I thought Bioshock was going to suck, too. Guess I was wrong.
Sat, 08/23/2008 - 12:35
Posted by steveo105
i like rpgs that can give me more than what i can handle because it just makes want to beat the game more than twice and during the second time around i always stumble over something new
Thu, 08/21/2008 - 07:41
Posted by J4Jandar
Fiction is a great escape. When I have had enough of the reality of this day and age I can always count on good ol' fiction to transport me from the harsh realities of the wold. I am a Pisces though. I have been leaning away from shooters and fast paced games and toward the RPG genre for some time now. Fantasy and fiction have plenty of intense moments (especially from Oblivion! Yeah, running backwards in an underground cavern four levels deep being chased by a silver minotaur is pleasant!) Now I have finally conceded to the fact I am an RPG gamer though Bioshock and Halo are excellent. In my youth (now 29) I was a hard core shooter fan but I have found my brain and learned how to use it. Fantasy and magic will eventually come to you and to you a great experience!
Mon, 08/18/2008 - 23:51
Posted by mrdirt
it would be nice if this game's formula worked with other types of games like gtaIV or maybe an EA Skate2, DEADRISING 2 ?!?!
I HATE WHEN GAMES PUT TOO MUCH MAGIC AND FICTION LIKE OBLIVION
Mon, 08/18/2008 - 23:43
Posted by mrdirt
i agree oblivion was fun but not "that" great
I thought Assasins Creed was really good and this fable looks like it will do even better on my standards
also: Imagine Fable enviorment + assasin's creed
that would be the best game
Mon, 08/18/2008 - 16:28
Posted by VapourArrows
I loved Fable becuase it was essentially an RPG for people who didn't like RPG's. Fable 2 looks to utilize the same formula, but on a much larger scale. I hated Oblivion, it seemed so dry and humorless, and a sad example of quantity over quality. Most people would disagree, but for someone who plays for less than 15 hours a week, I want a very vivid and distinct experience, Oblivion was too "run of the mill" fantasy RPG for my taste. Fable had a real character that made me want to play long hours with minimal showers, that's what I look for in a game.
Fri, 08/15/2008 - 14:32
Posted by insomniak
i totally agree with you about the co-op thing. In this age of online gaming almost every game released should have co-op in mind. Halo has never been more fun that when i jumped online with a couple of friends and played through the campaign on legendary. When GTA IV announced online play I was sure we would be allowed to play the story with a friends and was sadly dissapointed on release. Most the games im looking forward to playing all have online co-op planned. (Saints Row 2, Gears of War 2, Left 4 Dead, Resident Evil 5 ect...) I think we are finally at the point where the dev's are getting it and implementing it more and more but why the (expletive) did it take so long to figure out?
Fri, 08/15/2008 - 12:02
Posted by About 52 Smurfs
True, but Oblivion is my favorite game and thus I am excited about anything being developed by Bethesda
Fri, 08/15/2008 - 10:35
Posted by Social Outlaw
I prefer Fable 2 to Fallout 3 based on the ability to play it with other people, it will be more than another solitary RPG experience. Developers should stop discounting co-op play
Thu, 08/14/2008 - 16:57
Posted by About 52 Smurfs
I'm so stoked for this game! This will be the best game to come out this year (well except maybe fallout 3)!