Fable

S

Shipgate

Rear Admiral
Have any of you been playing this at all? For me, I thought at first it was quite frustrating the way the game is and all its shortcomings. But I've gotten pretty far on it lately and I've really been enjoying it a lot more. The combat in it is pretty nice, and though it lacks the kind of freedom and non-linear type gameplay that Morrowind has, it still stands pretty well on its own. So far. I've been using way to much magic though and now my hair is all gray. I'm also too good and I need to start doing evil things to balance it out.

Tis a shame though that the blocking isn't passive.
 
I have no XBox, but reading around I got the impression that most people are complaining a lot about it being too small and way too linear, considering how much the touted the "free form RP" thing.
 
Eh, it's actually not all that bad :)

Heya, fellas.

I picked up Fable the day it came out. Truthfully, I wasn't all that impressed at first. Though the graphics were pretty cool (is it just my imagination, or does the whole world operate around a day to night to day cycle, so you can actually see the sun rise, or watch lights turn on in towns at night?), the game started out pretty slow...starting with a segment at the beginning where you need to do good or evil acts to save up enough money to buy your sister a present for her birthday, then after a massacre in the town, you join this Guild of Heroes where you start training with swordplay, archery, and magic for awhile (they obviously did this as a bit of a tutorial to get you used to some of the basic controls of the game)...

But...ASSUMING you can live through all of that (it was a struggle for me!), the game definitely does pick up after it, I thought. The quests you do can be pretty thrilling, and seem to be getting better the further you go. There is quite a bit of content in the game. After you kill this giant bee harrassing a picnic on your first quest, you can parade around with its head and show it to as many people as you can find in a given time limit in order to gain fame.

I've come to love the music in the game...I'm weird like that - being a bit musically inclined, I listen for catchy tunes even in video games...the graphics are pretty nice like I say (the lighting is actually pretty amazing...depending on the time of day, some people almost seem to glow in the sunlight which creates a cool luminescent effect), some of the battles can be fairly thrilling from an action standpoint (it's not just click a guy to attack, you have to somewhat aim your attacks, time your special moves, block, switch between magic, melee, and your bow)...and the fact that you communicate through an ever-increasing number of gestures is kind of a neat idea.

I think the only problem that Fable has was that the company that was developing it promised more than they could deliver, so it could never live up to all the hype. Originally, I think they had their hopes high - promising things like leaving footprints on the ground, having more depth to the NPCs that aren't involved in the major plot, having multiplayer (which would have been AWESOME), etc. And in the end, they couldn't do it all...or rather, maybe they could have, but not before the second generation XBox would come out and people wouldn't care about Fable anymore. :)

As for the game itself, though...I'm pretty thrilled with it, I have to say. Once you get into it, I think it's kind of hard to put down. Unlike you, Shipgate, I'm more a swordsman myself. And they did a pretty fantastic job with the character development as well. Whereas Shipgate's character's hair is turning gray because he's using magic, my character's face looks a little beat up with a few scars and slashes from his close encounters in melee combat.

I'd recommend getting the game if you like RPGs and a game that's pretty rich in content. I think the largest game names I've heard up until now in the RPG industry (not counting all those annoying MMORPGs that are about) are "Neverwinter Nights" and "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," both put out by Bioware. While I did like both, I was just never a huge SW:KOTOR fan - always found that I could put that down whenever I wanted and didn't really care even IF Bastila was egging me on! - so I would have to say that (again - this is just in my own opinion) Fable is better than SW:KOTOR. I wouldn't go so far as to place it in higher regard than Neverwinter Nights, though...I would think NWN could pretty much accomplish all the same stuff with slightly less impressive graphics. The fact that you can make your own adventures in NWN, though, would have to make it infinitely better than any pre-designed RPG.

But if you're an RPG fan, like I say, Fable is at least worth a rent to look into. It might not be all they originally promised...but I think it's pretty decent and entertaining for what it is. :)

The only reason I myself haven't played it lately is because I'm not that huge an RPG fan...and with Burnout 3 out now as well as Star Wars: Battlefront, ehhh....there's only so many hours in the day, ya know? :) (Oh, and not to deviate from the topic at hand, but just a little plug here - if you haven't already, DEFINITELY look into these 2 titles if you're an XBox owner!)

Anyway, that's just my 2 cents... :)

- FireFalcon ~};^
 
Wow, nice post. That about says it all right there, I would like to add my own opinion though.

I really do like Fable for what it is, I'm just dissapointed in a few things. First off, the main story was way too short. It almost seemed like they added it in as an afterthought. I did enjoy the storyline of Fable, I just wish there had been more to it. Secondly I wanted more side quests. Not only ones that came from the guild, but random quests that you'd come accross whilst running around outside or in towns. It would have made the game's world seem all that more dynamic and alive. And Lastly, I was annoyed by the fact that you can't have more than just one of any particular weapon or armor peice. I know that sounds like a small thing, but it's the small things like this that add up to make a great game.

I don't regret buying Fable though, I've really enjoyed playing the game itself, just for other reasons. It's not your typicall RPG, I think it's unique enough that anyone could enjoy it for what it's meant to be, and I think it's the kind of game that focuses more on character developement freedoms than anything else. In my opinion, if you added all the positive features of Fable with all the great things about Morrowind you would have the perfect game. I'm glad Fable came out when it did, perhaps other game makers will be able to learn from it, and the entire RPG gaming comunity will benefit.

Oh, and Greg, Eric has the article about The Elder Scrolls IV at his house. You really need to read it!
 
Though there aren't an awful lot of side quests you can do in Fable, the rewards for them are pretty great. I like how there is a cutscene for every quest you take on and complete. That's one thing that was sad about Morrowind. Rarely ever a scene. It just said your journal has been updated.

Last night I finished the quest where you get thrown into prison, shorn and tortured. Turns out I did have quite a few scars from swordfighting after all.

But that part where you have to listen to that guy's poetry (which really was funny and creative for a game I thought) was hard because I kept opening the wrong book out of those three. So finally, I allowed myself to be imprisoned and tortured for another year because by this time there are only two books making it much easier to pick the right one (they were a different book every time during the first time around you tried to do it.)

And yes, the plot does seem a bit short but it's kind of refreshing because I still find it an interesting story. I loved the part about your sister and how she was raised among bandits after having her eyes cut out. So if the game itself (I've yet to finish it) is indeed short, I feel I've already gotten a lot out of it with the fun combat and entertaining cutscenes. Not to mention having sex with my three wives! I'm gonna kill one of them though so I can get into that one evil door.

Oh and I've sort of mixed my armor, Jim. I've got the dark chainmail outfit except that my torso is covered in the dark will users robe. It's really cool looking.

I also really agree with Firefalcon about the music. I'm a big fan of lots of video game music. Particularly Land of Lore, Wing Commander, Starcraft, Warcraft, Morrowind, and now Fable.

You can totally tell too that the game was made by Lionhead Studios. Since the people look a lot like they do in Black & White. Especially the leader of the Guild. He looks like your good conscience.

There's just one thing that's really bothering me in my game right now. Why won't people stop calling me "Chicken Chaser"?
 
Chicken-Chaser!

Heya, Shipgate.

Yeah, I've heard that title "Chicken-Chaser" one too many times. ;)

I'm a little bummed after reading through your post...lots of spoilers in there (the last mission I played was like the third or fourth one of the game where you have to escort those traders through that dark forest, and one of them changes into one of those huge werewolf-like beasts that you have to slay, and then you need to take on that huge rock-like monster that rises from the ground at the end...so I haven't gotten all that far).

As for "Chicken-Chaser"....don't know what to tell you about that. There's nothing worse than going up to a cute lady in some town and wanting to flirt, only to have her start making fun of you before you get the chance, "Chicken-Chaser...CHICKEN-Chaser!"

I thought I read somewhere (if not the instruction manual, then maybe some article online) about being able to buy a title for yourself somewhere or something like that? Maybe I'm all wet on that one...I sure hope to hell you don't have to go through the whole game being called that, though. ;)

As for being evil....ehhh, you could probably just run into a town and start zapping people with lightning or hacking them to pieces with some weapon if you wanted to head down that path. I hope you like a character who grows horns out of his head, though. ;)

- FireFalcon ~};^
 
Sorry about the spoilers, guy. Usually when I talk about a game I will mention if I'm about to have some spoilers but it just kind slipped my mind. I read a major spoiler for the game once when I was trying to get some hints. I really wished I hadn't read it too.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top