PlatformOVERALL
Xbox 3606.90
Overall 6.90
I don't want to spend too much time on this review so lets be quick about it. Have you played Fable 1, yes, good its like that slightly better in some spots with more time wasting stuff to do in towns. Never played Fable 1, this is an extremely basic hack and slash fantasy game with some cute NPC interaction like farting.   Biggest problem I have with the game is that the core gameplay which involves the combat and questing is about as basic as it gets.

All combat is handled with three buttons, one for each kind of attack, melee, range and magic. Now I love the idea of instantly switching from swords to guns in an instant but the system is so basic that it becomes all about mashing. Also magic becomes like a nuke that is unstoppable, once you get high level magic the challenge is gone. All enemies are basic, maybe 4 or 5 types in what is supposedly a big action/adventure game, that is unacceptable. Boss fights, ha good luck finding any, there is like two and they suck. Want puzzles, too bad you only get emotion riddles which while interesting can't carry a whole game. The combat areas are basically straight paths of enemies attack you. If you remove all the extra stuff from fable you basically get a game that is like one of those LOTR movie games from a while back but I would argue those games had better combat.

But ignoring all the side quests would not be fair as that is where most of the fun comes in. Fable's world is interesting as well as funny. The best compliment I can give is that it makes you want to explore and experience the silly side stories. You can get married, have kids, own practically anything but above all the game is about being loved or feared by the masses. Sadly the mechanics that govern how townsfolk views your character is so simplistic it often leads to you simply standing in the middle of town making a fool of yourself, and yes farting. So you fart and fart and fart and soon everyone loves you, women through themselves at your feet, people give you gifts, it is absurd. Instead of making you work for anything, instead of making time matter; you can basically get the response you want instantaneously.  Such a shame cause I really enjoyed just messing around the world.

I know this is a very negative review, its just that the negative stuff stick out to me cause they could so easily be fixed if you get a game director that understands good gameplay. This game is in my favorite genre, I can play games like this forever. While everything is super easy and rather simple that does not mean it is not fun. Fable 2 has a level of charm that most games never reach. It has plenty of content leading to well over 20 hours of gameplay. It is compelling in almost all the ways that are not related to gameplay and that is the biggest problem.

Overall Score: 6.9
Posted by Dvader Thu, 30 May 2013 02:56:07
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 03:14:11
It is this one or the first one that has the space prison?  Because that to me is my only memorable Fable moment.

I recently got Fable 3.  What could possibly go wrong.
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 03:23:19
Space prison?

There is a prison but its on earth. It looks like a scifi setting though.
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 03:32:20
Yeah, that was Fable 2.  Okay, now some good memories are coming back.  It was a fairly breezy game with a lot of annoying characters, but it looked nice and had an enjoyably dark story.

I probably gave it a 7.
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 03:38:33
Looked it up.  I finished it in late 2011 and gave it an 8.
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 03:43:42
I gave the first an 8. If I never played Fable 1 my score would be closer to an 8. But its practically the same game and failed in almost every major gameplay concept it had. Combat is better, world more interesting though. Games in general have gotten much better, Fable didn't.
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 11:00:39
So it's just like Fable then. Damnit. I own this one.
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 14:54:44
Combat was better as you said.  The story and map was better too.  I remember just not being able to pin down what Fable 2 was missing for me.
 
Thu, 30 May 2013 17:06:17
Well I don't agree with you at all on this one, I'll leave it at that.
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