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Never mind Peter Molyneux -- this is a great game in its own right!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: August 02, 2007
Author: Amazon User

This is one of the few games that convinced me to buy an Xbox, and I'm glad I made the investment. Think GTA San Andreas minus the infuriating difficulty, change the setting to medieval times, and you get Fable. If you're like me, you've been wishing for a more action-heavy RPG, where you viscerally decapitate your opponent with a powerful slash of your sword rather than kill them by choosing options in a menu. Consider your prayers answered!

You have direct control of the hero in fast-paced real-time battles. You'll be swinging your sword around, hitting foes from afar with your bow and arrow, avoiding damage by dodging or blocking, adjusting to the flow of battle on the fly as foes try to swarm and surround you, and even pay attention to the weight and reach of your weapons. I don't think I can ever go back to a traditional RPG after playing Fable!

The main character's quest of revenge is a theme we've all seen before, as are the rather stereotypical characters (i.e. the self-absorbed, condescending rich-girl snob Briar Rose, the old and fatherly Guildmaster, the mysterious Maze, the enigmatic and evil-as-could-be villain Jack, and so on). But what matters most is how fun the game is, and Fable hits the mark. To begin with, there are many things besides the main story quests you can entertain yourself with. You can flirt shamelessly with the lasses (or lads if you prefer) - although they won't give you a second thought in the beginning since you're just another newbie. You can drink at a pub till you drop, gamble away your hard-earned money, or go fishing. If you're feeling spiteful, you can punch people at random or fry them with a lighting spell, or even kill them, although you'll have guards tackling you pretty quick whenever you "break the law." When you get famous enough that people start cheering at your mere presence, you can get someone to fall in love with you and get married. Of course, you'll have to buy a house for your new bride/husband, and since you can own multiple properties at once, you can rent out the ones you won't live in for income.

As is the trend in games today, Fable has no moral compass - be as evil or good as you want to be, although I found that the game actually has a subtle way of pushing you in the good direction: one, the vast majority of the missions that are offered in the Guild are righteous ones. Two, people will flee in terror at the mere sight of you if you're very evil, which makes it all but impossible to show off your quest trophies to earn some quick Renown Points. Three, you'll automatically gain small amounts of good points every time you kill a monster. And four: some gamers have said that merchants will refuse to sell you stuff if you're too evil (I've yet to verify this). All too often I found that being evil was simply too inconvenient, so I took the good path.

Another minor gripe I have is in the combat system: you'll need EVERY button on the controller for combat, and since the Xbox controller is big and clumsy for people with smaller hands (like me), it's a bit overwhelming at first. Probably the biggest fault is that you have to hold down the left trigger to stay locked on your enemy; using the left thumbstick to move the hero while holding down the left trigger is not the easiest task unless you have football player-sized hands. I would have preferred a system similar to Jade Empire, where you can simply tap either trigger once and stay locked on until you change targets. Also, there is a bug that sometimes causes you to lose your lock-on for no reason, even when the left trigger is held down. This is kinda frustrating when you're outnumbered and about to be surrounded.

Another bug I found is that sometimes your magic spells will be "locked" and unusable. This happens when you visit the town of Bowerstone, then leave to another area. What actually happens is that when you visit Bowerstone, the people there will tell you that they "like their peace in their town" and prohibit all magic and weapons inside the town's borders. Your spells are supposed to be reactivated as soon as you leave, but sometimes they get "stuck." When this happens you can fix the problem by simply saving the game and then reloading.

Fable is now one of my favorite RPGs of all time. And the fact that Lionhead Studios took a chance and made Fable exclusive to the Xbox, a console not known for RPG fans, is that much more commendable. I'm eagerly looking foward to Fable II.

FABLE:Not Quite the Game We Expected

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 26, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Hi,anyone bored enough to read this i hope it help you decide whether or not to buy fable. My friends and I have been waiting a long time fo the release of Fable and I must say that we were not overly impressed. The graphics and sound on the game were amazing among other things, but the main flaw was that we had been hearing 20+ hours of gameplay. I tell you now that i went very slowly and I beat it in 12. The design of the game was amazing, and very well done. As a big fan of Lucasarts KOTOR i like the good/bad appearance etc. and I like the different combat system combat. Weapons, spells etc were very well done on the game. Fable is entirely up to you how you play it out. You could be the shadowy thief, the fat trader, the evil warlock, or the buff hero for god sakes you can even be homosexual/bisexual.I rate Fable a good 4 stars, the 1 star taken away because there werent enough quests. GIVE US FABLE BUT GIVE IT MORE QUESTS THAN MORROWIND!!!! THAT game I would give 6 stars.
PS I kno this isnt a message board but what is up w/ the three sidequests that are available when you have to kill the wasp queen but u dont have enough rep to do them? i think thats strange, i wanna kill the ice troll, put down the peasant uprising, and do the other thing, too. Y CANT I!?!?!?!?!?

thanks for reading this i hope it helped.
overall i would say fable was worth the $50 but i guess u guys are subject to your own opinions.

Xbox's Answer to Zelda & The Dark Cloud Series

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: September 24, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Imagine a game with a Mt. Fuji size buzz. Imagine a game that was over 3 years in the making. Imagine a game that could put Xbox over PS2. Now imagine the shock when you find out that game isn't Halo 2. Yeah, I know, I was shocked to. Really to be honest, I didn't even wanted to get this game to start with. I just wanted a game to rent from my local video store gamepass till Star Wars Battlefront came out. I asked the clerk what interested him, and he told me that this game just came in. I thought why not and brought it home. All I have to say now is "WOW!" The breakdown goes as this:

Storyline...
The game basically sets out the timeline of a man's life destined to be a hero or villian. Keep in mind this game was produced by the makers of "Black & White." So I guess in their minds, if it's not broke...don't fix it. Not to give away too much detail...the game starts off slow then draws you in to an addictive state with it's "Sims-like" control and life aspect. Note: To have real fun with this game, I suggest you have two saved files. One file for good intent, and the other file for evil intent and just go nuts.

Originality...
It's very hard to find a game that's totally original...this game is no different. It can be compared to Zelda or even Dark Cloud from PS2. What separates this game is it's combination of good and evil factor. The ability to upgrade a player. The addictive storyline. The ability to choose from numerous quests instead of being told what to do and when to do it. Hey wait, that sounds a lot like KOTOR, except, I wasn't actually bored. Also, KOTOR doesn't go as in depth with the training of the character and also other little nuances from the ability to make your character buff or fat, which can be a good or bad thing if you have him play in just his underwear to such as the morally responsible the hero can offer beer as a gift to villagers, oh how the women look funny drunk. Sad thing is...that's actually true.

Graphics and sound...
As far as graphics go...it's Xbox, enough said. If you're still not impressed, cast the numerous will spells on an HDTV and just be in awe. Now the sound...uh. I have a Bose 6.1 AM16 speaker system connected to a Pioneer Elite receiver. With that out of the way, I was shocked to hear range distortion from this game. Translation = The sound is really great and impressive. To get a real feeling, transport to different places.

Gameplay...
Controlling your hero is quite easy and fluid. The only really trouble is when you're in the middle of a battle and you're low on life, I found it hard to move my thumb over to the directional pad to activate food or potions. But for the most part the gameplay is just awesome. From the assortment of melee weapons to range weapons, btw...the oak crossbow just doesn't do it for me.

Buy...Rent...or On The Shelf....
Let's face it...this game isn't a GTA, Halo 2, or even a Madden game. Not everyone is going to want it before playing it. Keep in mind, no one liked Halo or GTA, till people actually played them and spoke on them. This game is no different. What I suggest is to first rent it. Chances are you'll love it and want to buy it. Seeing how it's over 60 to 80 hours of gameplay.

A pleasant diversion

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: January 10, 2006
Author: Amazon User

I think that the great sense of disappointment that attended the game's release last year was a result of the intense hype that resulted in mountainous expectations (many of which sprung from the game designer, Peter Molyneux, who promised this would be nothing less than the greatest role-playing game ever made). Unfortunately, a lot of elements that were promised for the game, such as choosing your character's gender, and immersing yourself in a multiplayer environment, were scratched during the design phase, which also helped to dampen enthusiasm for the final product. However, ignoring the hype and expectations, the game in and of itself, is a lot of fun to play and should keep you occupied for the better part of a weekend.

PROS

Audio/Video: the game's sounds, music (especially the score penned by composer whiz Danny Elfman), and graphics help to create a beautifully detailed and believable world.

Combat engine: At last, a realistic fighting system that actually requires you to block and depends on character placement. No more random pressing of the buttons as quickly as possible!

Side quests: Albion is a pretty large world. For those interested in maximizing their gaming experience, there are entertaining side quests that complement the main story line.

CONS

Too easy: I suspect that even novices to the RPG genre won't have too much trouble finishing the game. I'm no master gamer, and even I completed all of the major/minor quests without dying once. Obviously, the game isn't as exciting when you enter into situations without worrying whether you will be able to survive them.

Game length: The main story arc takes only about 10 hours to complete. For those interested in participating in the various side quests, you can tack on about 5-6 hours to that number. Most gamers could finish the game in a weekend, suggesting it is probably better to rent than to buy.

Low replay value: Like many RPGs, once you complete the game, there really isn't any benefit to playing it again. Although I played and finished it twice (as a good character and another as a bad guy), it wasn't really any more fun the second time around.

Horrible manual: Was the manual deliberately kept bare bones to encourage people to go out and purchase a strategy guide? It is a complete joke and does a horrible job in describing the game's features. Spells, weapons, and skills are virtually ignored. Do yourself a favour and go online to learn more about the game. The manual won't help.

Overstated morality engine: My biggest complaint. The game's tagline, `for every choice, a consequence,' suggests that it's better to have a good moral compass. Well, having finished the game as both good and bad characters, I can advise that my extremely evil character was infinitely more powerful, rich, and respected than my moral character ever was. Unless Fable meant to suggest that bad people are the winners in life, making the moral decision really doesn't help your character.

One Of My Favs

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 26, 2007
Author: Amazon User

I played Fable a couple of years ago on my friend's xbox. Then, after playing and beating the game several times, she took it back and I was sad. So, eventually I bought The Lost Chapters for PC and eh well..it's not as good on PC if you have a slow PC, let's just put it that way. And I don't like playing games on PC. BUT, then I got a new computer this past summer and was all excited because I could play it on it since it was faster, but no..it wasn't compatible with Vista so it messed up and I had to take it off. Now, I have an Xbox 360 and I was overjoyed that it actually worked on it. I thought that I would have to download some software to the 360 in order to play it. And you know the best part? I got Fable: The Lost Chapters Platinum Hits for $4.99. HA! I went on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving and found it on sale! Now I'm playing it on my 360!!

Now on a none-lame note, yes, if you like making your own choices and love fantasy creatures and worlds and magic and swordfighting, then play this game. There's a wide variety of choices to make and marry, along with buying and finding many weapons and armor. And after you're done with the game you can continue on to be even more of a renown hero by owning houses and just simply going anywhere that you please and gaining experience to become the best, if you're a freak like me and love this game. Fun, beautiful, great storyline. I recommend it.

Fable: The Pros and Cons

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 20, 2007
Author: Amazon User

So Fable was supposed to be this huge, innovative chose your own destiny game that was supposed to make our mouths drop open. I'd say it did a fairly good job of doing that. And here's why...

Pros:
-The Visuals and environments were fantastic, especially in HD.
-The controls were simple and effective.
-Character development was spot on.
-The quests were fairly self explanatory and there was no shortage of them.
-Weapons and armor were well done and the choices and combinations of each were fairly abundant.
-The choice based system was great but left a little to be desired (which is why this same statement will be a con as well).
-Damage taken throughout the game shows on your characters body.
-Character aging...and certain things age you faster, like heavy magic use. But certain things can make you younger.

Cons:
-The choice based system was great but left a little to be desired. For instance, when you are trying to be good, killing attacking people like bandits counts as an evil deed. I guess the game expects you to run from all fights.
-The game sort of feels incomplete, even the Lost Chapters version. The original felt much more incomplete though...mainly because it was.
-The targeting system was pretty poorly done. During magic use especially, you would often target friendlies and cause very bad things to happen.

All in all the game was a lot of fun and well worth the time and money put in to it. I'm very excited for Fable 2 to be released. I think it will be the first game I'll ever pay full price for it right when it comes out. That's how much fun I thought this game was.

Customization is Key...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 1 / 1
Date: December 14, 2007
Author: Amazon User

i baught Assassins Creed thinking it would be the game of the year...only to be highly dissapointed with its Mundane Repetition...so i took it back and picked up Fable. iv had my eye on Fable since 2005 but never really gave it the time of day until now...

i guess i should thank Assassins Creed for sucking..because i absolutely LOVE the customization that Fable offers as far as changing your Look to selling your equipment to buying houses and getting married. this is the direction games NEED to be going in when it comes to putting the player in Complete Control of the game they have purchased. its kind of like the Sims meets Assassins Creed. you dont even have to beat the game to enjoy all it has to offer. i spend all my time killing thieves in different sections and taking their money, finding treasures and pawning them and investing in new homes and getting multiple wives.

iv only had it for 2 days now but its definately worth the purchase for only 10 bucks. pick it up if your bored with Assassins Creed and you like the Sims.

iLL .

Dont Buy

2 Rating: 2, Useful: 3 / 11
Date: May 18, 2005
Author: Amazon User

Okay where to start,hmm, ok this game was supposed to be you can do what you want,when you want and its supposed to be the best.Well its not.First your limited to some missions,some boring and others difficult,and you go through a mediocre story line that will literlly take you about 2 hours.This game doesnt introduce anything special to the RPG genre,so dont bother with it.If your looking for a good RPG i recommend Star Wars Knights of the Old Repuiblic,Morrowind,and KOTOR 2.

At least it looked good....

1 Rating: 1, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: September 19, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Fable is an example of an all to common mishap in the video gaming industry. A brilliant concept is taken and mass produced into an underveloped and inadequate product. For everything Fable does right, it does two things wrong. For gamers expecting to have an open ended and unique fantasy-RPG experience, please consult some of the proven classics. This game offers little more than a reissue of three year old innovations wrapped around a plot that appears to have been thrown together in the week before release. (Don't they have writers for these games?)
To be more specific, the game has a play time of under twenty hours. Weapons and spells lack variety. Inventory items are boring. Quests are nauseatingly formulaic. Bestiary is something you've seen before. Load times become a burden. The 'sim' aspect of the game is simple and amounts to "flirt" - "marry" - "sex" - "drink" - "vomit." -- mildy humorous, but completely without vision or innovation. There were better sim games on the TI-82. (please note: I gave this game such a low rating to cancel out all the 5's it recieved from pre-release reviews).

All in all -- if you are hoping to immerse yourself in an RPG characterized by complexity, scope, scale, and a more open-ended approach, this is the wrong game. It is remeniscent of Zelda on the N64 or Beyond Good and Evil-- it simply lacks the complexity that gamers associate with a good RPG.

Good but way to short

3 Rating: 3, Useful: 2 / 6
Date: September 20, 2004
Author: Amazon User

Fable is a very polished adventure RPG. The game has great graphics and gameplay as you would expect. My big problem with the game is it is simply to short. I have beaten this game three times since I got it four days ago. The game can be beaten in about six hours. Also the game is very very easy. I was dissapointed also at the lack of role playing elements in the game. Lack of charecter customization, and also the lack of content such as weapons and armor(There are no shields in this game!). It seems like again microsoft has dumbed down this game so it could be released sooner, which is also what they did with halo. My advice, don't buy this game rent it. You will easily be able to beat this game a couple times over one rental period. This game is fun but very short.

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