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Fable is a game that promised a lot from the very beginning. The greatest RPG of all time, in fact. Sadly, “Project Ego” fails in every respect to deliver on these promises, instead delivering a patently average adventure game with some of the features once spoken of, though none of them ever feel like anything more than a gimmick. The basis of the game is simple enough. You run about from town to town, fighting monsters, bandits and the like with melee weapons, magic attacks or arrows. Are you thinking that these are things you’ve done before? Yeah, me too.
At least they’re done well here, there’s a lock on targeting system when you hold the L button, you know. Typical fare. The actual controls are quite smooth and fun to use though. Switching between your bow and your melee weapon is made simple with the black and white buttons, while X is your basic attack. B allows you to pull off more damaging flourish moves with your melee weapon, but only if your weapon is glowing. To do this you have to chain together a few hits without taking damage. You get used to pulling off these combos fast. The directional pad can be mapped with items for quick use, while Y blocks. I really like the way the magic has been implemented. Holding the R button toggles you into magic mode, with the face buttons now activating whatever spells you’ve assigned to them. This allows you to pull off an impressive number of attacks without shifting your attention or breaking the target lock. It’s quite a fluid system and some of the enemies put it to work, as you have to shift tactics constantly. Sadly, you won’t be practicing on many different things; there are maybe a dozen types of enemies that you’ll encounter throughout the game, not counting any villagers you might choose to slaughter (you evil person you). You’ve got your bandits, then zombies, and some werewolf things…tough at first, but easy enough once you know how to take them. There are also some mini-bosses in the form of Rock/Earth Trolls, and I have to say they make for good fights. Then maybe six or seven bosses, each challenging enough. I mean, it’s all fun, yeah. But it seems like there could have been some more variety in there. Still, do not discount what I’m saying here, the combat is done well. The world itself is disappointingly small, the areas downright claustrophobic at times. It’s also limited largely to paths, with impassible walls of trees rising on either side. That should set off alarms in any gamer’s mind. This wouldn’t be so bad if there were more reason to explore, but the side quests are few and not terribly interesting. Mostly you’ll be following the main story, taking the occasional extra mission in-between. It’s just not very freeform, there’s always something you’re supposed to be doing, and somewhere you’re supposed to be going. Of course, all games do this to a degree, but Fable is just a little too obvious about it. The graphics are rather pretty. In fact, the world of Albion is altogether so bright and lush in detail that it actually hurt my eyes to look at it too long. Unfortunately, there isn’t much variety, and you will often find yourself looking at the same objects and textures, however nice they may be. The character models are generally nice. Particular mention has to go to the player model. As you may have heard, he changes depending on how you play the game. This would be one of those gimmicks I was talking about. You get bigger if you use swords, old if you use magic, etc. I didn’t have a helmet early on, and gained a nasty scar across the whole of my face that stayed there the rest of the game. It was sort of annoying, but, y’know, that’s why you wear helmets. Your character will also sprout horns or a halo depending on if you’re good or evil. Don’t get all excited hearing that though, the system is much less refined and subtle here then in games like KOTOR. You can be good, or you can steal stuff and randomly murder people. There are some other, plot related good/evil choices, but they are few and far between, and it really makes no difference in the game beyond guards attacking you and villagers booing or cheering you as you walk past.
Everything I’ve said so far could add up to a good game if Fable
weren’t so lacking in depth. The story is obvious, the characters
flat and unexplored. There simply isn’t much depth or absorption to
the game. It’s not compelling. Instead it seems to concentrate more
on what I think is supposed to be tongue in cheek humor, but
basically amounts to bodily noises and innuendo. Being able to belch
with the press of a button is only funny for a minute or two, even
if that’s up your alley. In the grand tradition of British-developed
adventure games (see: Star Fox Adventures, Sudeki) the
ending arrives far too soon and is completely underwhelming. Rest
assured, there will be a final battle, and a villain will be
vanquished, but it will not really matter to you. The plot up
to that point will have been so one dimensional and uninteresting
that you will be adrift in a sea of apathy, merely beating the game
because it is your creed to do so. Highs:
Lows:
Final Verdict: I don’t want to say Fable is a bad game. The engine itself is fine. But after you’ve killed your hundredth or so bandit, you realize there isn’t much reason to go on. With a better, longer story and interesting characters, this could have been a really good game. Instead, I would call it an excellent rental if you like Action RPG games. The word is average, and there’s nothing really wrong with that. But for a game that promised so much, was in development forever and was hyped to death, we deserved a good deal more. Overall Score: 7.5 Additional Images:
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