The first "Fable" was a charming game that did not quite live up to its expectations. Lead designer Peter Molyneux promised many more features in the second installment, which lives up to its hype. Even if the morality system has weak spots, "Fable II" an excellent RPG with fun, exciting quests and an epic world.
"Fable II" takes place 500 years after the first "Fable," and the setting has changed considerably. The first game was set in a medieval era, while "Fable II" is set during a time period reminiscent of the Enlightenment era. Towns are larger, castles are taller and the map is different. Your character begins as a street urchin and winds up being drawn into a dark conspiracy that will decide the fate of the world.
The new Albion is bigger than the size of Albion in the original "Fable," and there is a great deal of exploration to do. New to the series is a "bread crumb" trail - a glowing dotted line that will show you the quickest way to wherever you want to go. It's an effective system that never winds up leading you straight against a cliff or castle wall, but it's also optional.
Combat consists of melee, ranged and magic attacks, all of which have various uses in different situations. With different weapons for different combat styles and actions, you can perform context-specific actions like kicking enemies off a ledge. There's very little punishment for dying, but this is barely a problem with the actual combat.
You won't be fighting and exploring alone, since early in the game a dog becomes your loyal pet and companion. Throughout the game, the companionship turns into a genuine emotional connection. He behaves like a real dog, and he can lead you to treasure chests or point out dig spots, and he can assist in combat.
Quests involve diverse tasks ranging from eradicating bandits to more complex quests that serve as moral testing grounds. The moral system of good and evil is integrated very well into the quests. There is also a purity and corruption system that adds another layer of depth to being good or evil, but there's some incongruity about what constitutes purity or corruption.
You'll also want to stop by cities when the various vendors have bargains or sales for items you just might need, and there are job openings that range from simple timing games like blacksmithing to bounties that need collecting. You can purchase houses and businesses, decide whether to have protected or unprotected sex and have kids. Your actions range as far as being able to help or hurt the world economy if you own enough territory.
Graphically, "Fable II" is very impressive. Fields are dotted with flowers like poppies, and the individual leaves on each tree are dazzling. The architecture of the various cities and locales also has a fairy tale theme that makes everything charmingly lighthearted. The musical melodies and sounds are all finely tuned for the environments. There were some technical slip-ups including the dog clipping into the side of a wall, although they're rare.
"Fable II" builds on a lot of aspects of the previous game and brings them together in a detailed, dynamic world with plenty of stuff to do. Even if the game stumbles a little when it comes to morality and the social system, Fable II is engaging, immersive and a time bandit. Be a real estate tycoon, a family man secretly sleeping with other women, a benevolent hero, and more - it's at your fingertips with "Fable II."
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
