Billed by its creator to be a life-chainging experience.....not quite, but still a lot of hours of fun to be had.
Genre: Action RPG
Developer: Lionhead
Publisher: Microsoft Studios
Platform: Xbox 360
Learning Curve: Easy-Moderate
Last ability: 15+hours
Concept
To cut a long story very short you take on the role of a young orphan boy called Sparrow who seems destined to become a great hero, naturally! For this very reason in a confrontation Sparrow is thrown from the top tower of Castle Fairfax by King Lucien (the games antagonist) shortly after killing Sparrow's sister in cold blood. Sparrow survives the fall and is taken refuge by a female monk who raises him and guides Sparrow on his quest of self discovery - as well as nursing his wounds sustained by the fall. A number of years pass and the young boy becomes a finely educated young man hell-bent on avenging the death of his sister as well as fulfilling his destiny as a great and powerful hero...and so the story begins.
Graphics
Lionhead have created a fine looking game and you can see they have delivered a comprehensive graphics design set. One fine example of their attention to detail is that the sun rises and sets giving all the lighting effects you would expect over a beautifully crafted landscape. The character models are of a comic design and the range of grizzlies in the Fable II World are masterfully presented.
Gameplay
It may be a tad too easy for some as the combat technique is easy to pick up and rarely challenging, even against tougher opponents. The breadcrumb trail also leads you everywhere you need to be which is a nice touch but does make it easy to progress through the game without really having to think. The controls are simple and there is a good range of quests and exploring to do. Some quests can become repetitive and the jobs can be mundane but I doubt that still won't stop you earning some hard earned gold and building your property empire.
Sound
The town folk are hilarious and well acted throughout. All the games dialogue has been carefully considered to add value to your inner city experience and I am glad to say there isn't too much repetitive dialogue from villagers, which I expected at first. The musical score that accompanies Fable II is powerful, as you stroll through the beautiful landscape your ears will take in soft, cheery tunes but as the game gets darker the score offers sombre orchestra pieces which set the scene perfectly.
Lasting Appeal
Lots to do, people to see and places to go. The main quest will take around 15 hours from start to finish and there are enough quests to complete, properties to purchase, weapons to upgrade, wives to knock-up, Gargoyles to eliminate, slaves to free and combat/magic skills to unlock to keep you occupied for many, many more hours after playing through the game. The only disappointment is the co-op mode, which could be more flexible and more online options would be welcome in an era where MMORPG are leading the way for the Action/RPG genre.
Overall
By far one of the best Xbox 360 titles so far, simple as that. It looks good, it has a nice soundtrack and there is so much to keep you interested you won't know what to do or where to go next. Fable II is still not quite the life-changing-all-conquering game that the games creator has now promised to gamers twice, but it's certainly a very, very good attempt. I have a good feeling about a potential third instalment.