Fable 2 Review (Xbox 360)

Graphics - 9/10
Sound - 9/10
Gameplay - 10/10
Story - 10/10
Overall - 9.5/10

Fable 2 was definitely one of the most anticipated games this year. And with good reason. The original Fable was a great game, albeit with a few flaws. Fable 2 corrects many of these imperfections, making for a very good game.

As you can see, I didn't give the game a full 10/10. There are a few things there were taken out of the game, such as the lack of armour. The game IS set 500 years later, but it is still in an age where swords are the dominant weapon. Therefore, armour would still be required. The sound clips from the villagers tend to get repetitive quickly, just as in the original Fable. They also seem to play at awkward times as well. For instance, you can be sweet-talking your wife, trying to seduce her, and leading her up to the bedroom for some night-time activity. Out of the blue, she'll mention that she absolutely LOVES traveling to Brightwood.


But enough of the small things. The graphics in Fable 2 are much better than the original, although your character still has oversized hands, and the still slightly cartoon-ish design may be a damper for some people. But generally the attention to detail is nice, and the quality is certainly noteworthy. The Will animations are very nice, and I think that the character scars are more noticeable. Depending on your alignment, you either get a halo and blue body markings or horns and red markings. Both are equally visible, whereas in Fable 1 I sometimes had trouble seeing how my character actually reflected his alignment.

The gameplay is great, just as in the first. The only thing I don't like is the removal of armour and a lack of variety when it comes to clothing. The storyline is deep, although I can see several repetitions of the original. You must save a woman from a group of thieves, win an arena tournament, your family is killed by the villain, etc. While it isn't an entirely original plot, it's still fun to play. The Xbox 360 controls might be a bit confusing at first, especially if you're used to the PC version. You'll notice that your character runs a bit slower, and turning takes a wee bit longer. But the real estate portion of the game is much better. In the original game, you had to travel to each house/shop to collect rent. If you made the trip before rent was due, you would have to return again some other time. And if you wait too long, it would build up to the max and you couldn't collect anymore. This time around, rent is collected every 5 minutes, whether you're playing or not. There are MANY more shops and buildings available to be bought, all of them, in fact. You can even purchase the temple of light or temple of shadows. Upgrades to your shop or house will yield a noticeable increase in rent prices, which are adjustable.


The sound in the game is great, with many witty remarks from NPC's. The Will and Skill sounds are nice, and theres even a good blood-squirting clip for beheadings. As I mentioned earlier, the only drawback I can find is that some villagers will repeat the same thing several times in only a few moments of play. The women who fall in love with you are also a bit too convincing. Not to mention nagging. Every woman you pass with a heart over her head will profess her unyielding love for you, unless you don't buy her a ring. This is a topic that is overstated in towns where you are famous.

Overall, Fable 2 is great. While not quite perfect, it's definitely a must-have. I recommend this game to anyone that enjoys a good RPG/Adventure game. I've even persuaded a few people who have NEVER played an RPG to buy this game and they absolutely loved it. Pick this one up next time you pass a Gamestop, if you haven't already.