Customer Reviews
Another Molyneux "classic"
Peter Molyneux, the main brain behind this game, has a tendancy to create games that look flexible from the outside.. that look like there may be different ways of playing the game. Indeed, Fable does offer it's share of variety. For one, I've seen a few other games try to offer the concept of getting married but fail in some way. Fable does do a little better in this respect, but once you're there you're like.. is that it? There's more even, such as buying up other houses and buildings, renting them out and returning later to collect rent. An interesting concept few other developers have explored. But, again, there's not much to it and you're again left with a desire to find more substance out of this game.
The combat system reminds me a little of the Dark Cloud series on the PS2 and the Zelda Wind Waker game from the GC (if you play more of a melee type in Fable). In this respect Fable is not that original. It is more involved than those titles, yet this is also a bit of a downfall. It was a system that could've accomplished more actually with a little more simplicity and common sense.
Another downfall is leveling up your character. You can make your character more skilled or powerful, however you wish to view it. But, by doing so, your character gets older. If you get too old, you die. I think Mr. Molyneux has forgotten that there was a reason why RPG makers left out aging and dying of old age in RPGs so long ago. Not only did Molyneux forget it, he tied the "dying of old age" concept directly to one of the main reasons why people play RPGs- character building. Remember, every time you level up you age. I'd like to be able to work on my character and make it better without worrying about being punished for it later on.
This brings me to the worst part of Fable, but this is mainly my opinion (I say that because I don't see many people talking about this next part). Molyneux's worst tendancy is to create a game that offers different things to do, but one that will harrass the player if that player just isn't playing the game the way the designers or Molyneux himself intended. I saw this trait in Molyneux's old games, such as Dungeon Keeper 2 and it's very present in Fable. If you decide to divert from the main storyline for a while to explore other possibilities (getting married, being a landlord, etc) you are harrassed with the following message:
"Ah, there is an important quest card at the guild for you."
"Ah, there is an important quest card at the guild for you."
"Ah, there is an important quest card at the guild for you."
Over and over and over again, every so many minutes and there's no way to shut this one thing off. No, it doesn't seem like very much at first, not while the game is still new to you. But, it wears thin quickly. That may not be much of an issue to some people, but I found it irritating enough. When one considered everything it was simply the icing on the cake, as the saying goes.
Peter Molyneux's titles always leave me with the feeling that he's more interested in being different with his games than anything else. Creativity and diversity are the main reasons why I prefer RPG titles to any other kind of title. However, things such as getting married or being a landlord are just spice. There's a lot of spice in Fable, but Molyneux needs to realize that adding tons of spice to a rotten dish doesn't make it any less rotten.
Amazing... Better than Zelda 64
I was amazed by Fable. All the interactions you can have with different people. All the different missions you can have. The amount of weapons and magic powers you can use is amazing. I relate this game a lot to Zelda 64. The storyline is really good. And the graphics are above par. Overall, I recommend this game very highly.
A pleasant diversion
I think that the great sense of disappointment that attended the game's release last year was a result of the intense hype that resulted in mountainous expectations (many of which sprung from the game designer, Peter Molyneux, who promised this would be nothing less than the greatest role-playing game ever made). Unfortunately, a lot of elements that were promised for the game, such as choosing your character's gender, and immersing yourself in a multiplayer environment, were scratched during the design phase, which also helped to dampen enthusiasm for the final product. However, ignoring the hype and expectations, the game in and of itself, is a lot of fun to play and should keep you occupied for the better part of a weekend.
PROS
Audio/Video: the game's sounds, music (especially the score penned by composer whiz Danny Elfman), and graphics help to create a beautifully detailed and believable world.
Combat engine: At last, a realistic fighting system that actually requires you to block and depends on character placement. No more random pressing of the buttons as quickly as possible!
Side quests: Albion is a pretty large world. For those interested in maximizing their gaming experience, there are entertaining side quests that complement the main story line.
CONS
Too easy: I suspect that even novices to the RPG genre won't have too much trouble finishing the game. I'm no master gamer, and even I completed all of the major/minor quests without dying once. Obviously, the game isn't as exciting when you enter into situations without worrying whether you will be able to survive them.
Game length: The main story arc takes only about 10 hours to complete. For those interested in participating in the various side quests, you can tack on about 5-6 hours to that number. Most gamers could finish the game in a weekend, suggesting it is probably better to rent than to buy.
Low replay value: Like many RPGs, once you complete the game, there really isn't any benefit to playing it again. Although I played and finished it twice (as a good character and another as a bad guy), it wasn't really any more fun the second time around.
Horrible manual: Was the manual deliberately kept bare bones to encourage people to go out and purchase a strategy guide? It is a complete joke and does a horrible job in describing the game's features. Spells, weapons, and skills are virtually ignored. Do yourself a favour and go online to learn more about the game. The manual won't help.
Overstated morality engine: My biggest complaint. The game's tagline, `for every choice, a consequence,' suggests that it's better to have a good moral compass. Well, having finished the game as both good and bad characters, I can advise that my extremely evil character was infinitely more powerful, rich, and respected than my moral character ever was. Unless Fable meant to suggest that bad people are the winners in life, making the moral decision really doesn't help your character.
