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• Fable II

Fable 2 looking ready for October release

• By Chris Morell
• August 21, 2008 14:59 PM PST
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A near-finished Fable 2 dazzles with combat at graphics.

Peter Molyneux's Fable 2 is just about complete, and is looking every bit as good as the famed video-game designed said it was going to be. Sure, in the last two years we've been force fed the importance of such so-called inventive features as the in-game dog and good/evil storyline. But Fable 2 is going to be what each player makes of it. I received an update demo of the game at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, and am here to whet your appetite before you get your hands on it in October.

In Fable 2, you can choose to be good or evil or anywhere in between, but you can also make the world completely personal, altering your look and even changing names of other major or minor characters in the world. Come across an old lady by a lake on the way to a quest? Why not change her name "Lake Monster" to remember the old bag? It's just one of the many creative tidbits in Fable 2 that helps keep things personal.

Make it your personal experience in Fable 2, releasing in October.

Like the original Fable, controls are very user-friendly--as much as Fable 2 is grounded with role-playing concepts, it's really an action game wrapped around a compelling story. X launches melee attacks, Y fires guns and B casts spells. Simple enough. Holding down the B button can also set the desired strength of a spell, which is displayed in a handy vertical spell menu on the left side of the screen, which displays in real time.

As you make your way through the gorgeous in-game world, you'll have the option to enable "safety mode," which keeps you from attacking civilians. Turn it off and innocents glow red, reminding you that you don't have to harm everything you see--unless you've got a knack for evil, of course. Approaching characters reveals a like/dislike meter on the screen, and there's a full expression system that lets you interact with characters as you like. With it, you can easily perform simple expressions or interactions using a circular system of icons. I watched as our hero begged for money from a ragged old man, who didn't give in.

We've all heard enough about man's best friend in Fable 2, but the way the dog interacts is really impressive. He'll bark and point out things he discovers in the environment, leading you to certain objectives. Other times he'll be more passive, but you'll usually notice his presence throughout the game.

Next I was shown one of the game's numerous villages, where you can meet new characters and engage in missions, but you can also buy property to live in or even rent out. You can date, marry, have affairs, marry multiple times--it's really up to you how normal or wacky you want to be with your hero or heroine.

Seeing as how Fable 2 is heavy on action, it makes sense that the combat engine has been completely reinvented. There are loads of melee weapons, guns and spells to use to pummel hordes of enemies. I was shown a spiked club and some sort of wooden gun, along with a time-slowing spell that came in handy against multiple enemies.

At this time, another character joined the game to show off the new cooperative mode. Joined by a female character, the two engaged in a side mission that was entirely combat-based. The pair faced groups of baddies, but at times were overwhelmed and got knocked out. Instead of dying in Fable 2, you'll get knocked out, losing experience points each time. Obviously, the game is a lot easier when you have XP, so getting knocked out can become a bit of a drag.

I loved the first game, and Fable 2 is looking absolutely gorgeous and entirely fun to plan. I know I can't wait until October.

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