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Fable II is one of this year’s most anticipated
Xbox360 releases and, according to Peter Molyneux himself, is now,
content-wise, complete. Lionhead
 Studios
are no longer developing creating new elements for the title, and
instead the last few months of the title’s development-cycle is left
for refinement, and bug testing.
Equipped with this knowledge, the hands-on demo
Microsoft had prepared three areas for the press to dabble with; the
game’s opening section, a combat demo and a flavour of Fable II’s
town life.
The opening act sees you playing through your
character’s childhood. While being very brief, the game casts you as
one of the most unfortunate souls ever to have existed. In the town
of Bowerstone, a brief chat with your older sister and some minimal
exploration will find you talking with a man selling items. One of
the items is a Magic Box which will grant a wish to the person who
opens it, of which a woman advises you to find the gold required for
purchase. This woman later becomes your guide, and you now have a
quest to embark upon.
The title’s combat is as has been expected. Three types
of combat are available, each using a different Face Button. The X
Button is used for melee,
 whilst Y is ranged and B is magic. The
first press of a button will equip the corresponding weapon, and
each subsequent press attacks. Stronger attacks can be performed
with rhythmic presses of a single button and the variety available
is likely to stand-up next to titles such as
Ninja Gaiden II and
Devil May Cry 4, to which this kind of combat is their
specialty. However, it appears as though while styles may be changed
mid-fight, a combo between cannot be connected with ease, due to an
extended change-over period.
The final section demonstrated the players ability to
create a unique character in the game world. The Artificial
Intelligence on display is fantastic, a truly a step-above that seen
in the first Fable. Towns are more densely populated and each
of the townsfolk will react differently to you; hitting someone will
result in them either running, or engaging you in combat. Should
they either turn tail, or be beaten down, and the next time you
visit you’ll be able to feel the venom. Disturbing too many people
will result in the town guard looking for you, and either refusing
to pay a fine or going to jail will result in your player being
deemed an outlaw in that town, forever.
Fable II features hundreds of unique ideas and
what’s featured here is literally the tip-of-the-iceberg. Due for
release in October, the fan’s anticipation of Fable II can
only grow. |
