Generally, I don’t follow speculation about new games until they’re ready to drop, but E3 is on and Gamespot’s article on Fable 2 hilights some interesting mechanics which could make it quite fun.
After Shamus Young’s panning of the first game, I have to say I’m a bit wary of any big claims that Molyneux wants to make regarding a sequel, but I’m liking some of the stuff I see there. None of them are necessarily huge improvements on Oblivion, but if the world is as open and free as it sounds, then I’ll probably pick it up.
I’m looking forward to a world where I get the choice of silencing the bard who sings of the ignominious goins on during my last adventure. And apparently consequences for unprotected sex. We’ll see if that gets past a ratings board.
nobody has previously mentioned that I should give the original a try, and I might do that. After all, even independent writers have to be controversial to keep their audience coming back.
Maybe after I’m done with DBZ: Burst Limit.
3 replies on “Fable 2 expectations”
While Fable: The Lost Chapters can be a pleasurable diversion, I wouldn’t necessarily place it high in the priority list. The primary problem I had with it was that it was a fairly shallow experience, broad, but lacking in depth. Joystiq (via Eurogamer) have written that Lionhead have told them that the single player experience lasts 12 hours here.. This worries me because it is possible that like the first game Fable 2 will lack depth, offering a broad range of goofy, fun for a bit and largely meaningless activities (aka mini games). While I will adopt a wait and see approach, it doesn’t bode well for what I hoped from the second installment – and that was more depth to a fun but shallow jaunt from Fable er…1.
Oh and it’s likely the unprotected sex will get rated as it has consequences. This works from the assumption that the sex depiction in the sequel will be as silly as in the first game. The OFLC at least had the courtesy to explain that the drug use in Fallout 3 (the reason for their non-classification) was that non-trivial drugs (morphine) were treated trivially, including graphical representations of use and general lack of consequence. I suspect a name change will be sufficient to clear classification, based on previous situations, however, the OFLC can be inscrutable at times.
Lack of depth is definitely major concern for the Fable games. As an example, the original game was touted as having an open morality system where decisions you make have real in-game consequences, but it boiled down to choices as bland and consequences as exciting as the Little Sisters in Bioshock.
Personally, the (relative) subtlety and in-game effects of Oblivion’s fame/infamy system. I also like how you have different reputations with different groups in the game world, and that can affect your access to good prices, items, people and quests. And, of course, you’re forced to make these choices by the quests you undertake.
The more I think about it, the more unprotected sex things really feels like a gimmick. A gratuitous try for an M-rating that comes off about as mature as Beavis and Butthead.
I downloaded the trailer for Fable 2, and it looks pretty enough but nothing is enticing me to buy it. I kind of wish that game retailers allowed us to give games more of a test run before purchasing.
[…] my earlier skepticism, I encouraged P to pick up Fable 2, as it’s probably the only Western RPG passing near the […]