"Fable II is packed with improvements, and the total package is so much better than before. "

Jason's Score:

9.0

I enjoyed the first Fable as a solid console RPG. I didn't get involved in the hype (which even Peter Molyneux admits was over the top), so I wasn't as offended as some were when the game turned out to be not as dynamic as promised.

With Fable II, Molyneux scaled back the hype (mostly) and scaled up the features, and what was delivered this time is so much closer to what was promised. Fable II is packed with improvements, and the total package is much better than before. The world is more interesting to explore and interact with, the story pulls at the heartstrings far better, moral choices are handled more dynamically, and it even looks prettier. I still have some reservations, but when all is said and done, Fable gets the seal of approval.

Fable II begins centuries after the first, and there is no heroes' guild. Heroes seem to be a thing of the past. You start as a street urchin and work your way up to the status of a legendary hero, changing the world along the way. This time you can choose to be a male or female character, and as you venture about, the world will change you in turn. Get clobbered in a fight, you'll be scarred. Focus on magic, and blue lines of power will radiate through your skin like electrified veins. Eat too much meat and you will get big and portly. Be an evil bastard and you'll look like Darth Maul, down to the horns. Be a saint, and you'll have a halo.

Pretty much all of what you could do in Fable I is back and tweaked, expanded or improved in some way. Starting with the combat. Perhaps it helps that you can't really die; you respawn as soon as you're killed with an experience penalty (and a new scar for your troubles). As before, you can use a ranged weapon, a melee weapon and magic... to what degree is entirely up to you. Whatever attacks you use most will produce more points to level up that aspect of your character (ranged weapons lovers tend to level up their Accuracy fast, for example).

To me, the switch between combat moves felt more natural and smoother than before, so it was no problem to shell somebody with a flintrock rifle as they charged me, then finish them with the sword when they got close enough. As a result, I could see incentive to be a more balanced character, which was an issue with the first game. I didn't want to learn a lot of magic, but I did want to learn spells that would freeze my opponents, complimenting my ability to shoot them between the eyes.

Moral decisions were a big part of the first game, but the system was very rigid, with you literally selecting whether you wanted the good or evil part of the quest from a menu. Now things are much more organic and on the fly, although I'd say this is merely on the level of other RPGs with a morality system. Improved yes, but not as revolutionary as I'd hoped. Getting to the end of a fight with some bandits and being given the choice to slay or arrest the leader is fine, but BioWare has been offering that choice for years. I will say this though: the writers of Fable II came up with some truly grueling moral situations for the player to endure. I tend to play RPGs in a saint-like way on the first play-through. Here though, there were times when I was sorely tempted to cross the line in order to save my ass. There are definite costs for being a good guy.

Fable II is also genuinely more emotionally engaging than the first. Your dog companion plays no small part of this. As promised, the dog is one of the most useful and unobtrusive AI companions ever. He'll growl when enemies are nearby, sniff out hidden treasures, even participate in a little combat. Not once through my entire adventure did he get in the way when I was trying to kill something or get somewhere.

And you know what? He is cute and fun to play with. The game's emoticon system is very enjoyable and amusing, especially when you're trying to impress the villagers with some over the top expression like belching or farting. Your dog plays along into the act by playing dead or dancing along with your story. They found some really clever uses for emoting, like a Demon Door that requires you to perform a series of dog trickss before it will open.

I admit, I got right into my dog, and it turns out that I'm one of those people Peter Molyneux described: one that can't be mean to an animal, even if it's a virtual one (virtual people on the other hand...). So I treated my doggy nicely, constantly praising him and giving him treats. And during a fight when I saw a bandit clearly hit my dog, I went nuclear on that bandit's ass. The dog is very, very well done, not only on a tech level, but for what it draws out of the player.

Then there's the family stuff. Fable II allows you to marry (several times, if you like), even permitting same sex couples. You can also have children. It's pretty cool, though not as successful or engaging as the dog. While it's neat to have your virtual wife or husband give you a gift because they're happy with you, or your son/daughter praise you for some quest you completed, the people don't feel as real as your dog. Without spoiling, there is one moment where your character is put through hell, and by extension, your family should suffer. But upon my return from that ordeal, my virtual wife cheerfully gave me a present and behaved as though I'd popped out to the store for five minutes. There was an opportunity there for some real emotional bite, and the whiffed on it.

Overall though, the gameworld and story are quite enjoyable. Fable I had lots to do. Fable II has lots to do and some real motivation to do it. You can buy up and rent out properties. Buried treasure is far easier to locate thanks to your doggie. The Demon Doors are back and their quest requirements are often hilariously silly. Or you can just bask in the adulation or terror the citizens send your way when you became famous (or infamous).

One of the best new features really comes as a surprise to me: Fable II's multiplayer is excellent. Two people can adventure together, and the hooking up for this is very smart. Rather than going into a lobby or searching for games, Fable II simply drops you in the game world. If other friends are online and playing Fable II, their portraits will appear in-game. You can then run up to them and swap gifts, or launch a co-op game. Certain achievements can only be unlocked during co-op play, so there are some good reasons to try it, besides the fact that two people being more likely to kill some of the meaner critters than one. Still, if you're not into it, the feature can be disabled.

Like a well-oiled machine, Fable II does a lot of things right and chugs along merrily. Plus it ties it together with some excellent writing and even quality voice acting. It's hilarious just to listen to the townspeople make conversation. The enemies too. "What have you got against bandits?" mourns one highwayman when you make his pal into a chopped steak platter. If you're looking for a revolution, it's probably not a good idea to look to Fable II. If you're looking for a quality RPG, maybe even a great one, you'll find it.

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Bottom Line

Jason's Score:

9.0