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Fable II

Fable II is an action role-playing video game developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios. Serving as the sequel to Fable and Fable: The Lost Chapters, the game was released in North America on October 21, 2008, and in the United Kingdom on October 24, 2008. As of November 12, 2015, Fable II is available on Xbox One & Xbox Series X|S through Backward Compatibility.

Announced in 2006, the game is set in the fictional land of Albion 500 years after the events of Fable. The setting reflects a colonial era, characterized by primitive firearms, highwaymen, and the development of large castles and cities in place of towns. Unlike its predecessor, Fable II allows players to choose a protagonist of either gender.

Peter Molyneux, the game's lead designer, played a prominent role in its promotion, as he did with the original Fable. The game achieved gold master status on September 22, 2008, and became available on Xbox Live's Games on Demand service for $19.99 (1600 Microsoft Points) as of April 6, 2010.

Synopsis

Fable II continues the narrative of the Fable series, exploring the evolving history of Albion.

Gameplay

Fable II introduces refined combat mechanics, character interactions, and a variety of new gameplay features.

Combat

The combat system, unveiled at E3 2007, is mapped to specific buttons for different actions: melee (X), ranged (Y), and magic (B). Flourish attacks are highlighted with cinematic effects, and the environment influences combat strategies. For example, attacking near a ledge might trigger a contextual move, such as throwing an enemy off.

Weapons in Fable II include Clockwork, Turret, and Flintlock Pistols and Rifles, along with melee options like Cleavers, Axes, Longswords, Hammers, and Maces. Crossbows return, but traditional longbows were removed due to the introduction of firearms.

Magic spells offer both targeted and area-of-effect versions, providing versatility in combat. Higher-level spells require charging before use, enhancing their power.

Dog Companion

In a departure from the series' lone hero trope, Fable II introduces a loyal dog companion. This animal assists in combat, alerts the player to nearby threats, and helps locate hidden treasures. The dog's appearance and behavior evolve based on the player's moral alignment.

Advanced AI governs the dog's actions, allowing it to adapt contextually. For example, it stays close in towns or follows the player outdoors. Players can train their dog using books found throughout Albion, teaching new tricks, improving its combat abilities, and even renaming it with collars.

Cooperative Gameplay

Fable II features both online and offline co-op modes.

Online

The online mode uses "Albion Orbs," which represent other players in the game world. Players can invite others to join their game and collaborate. Actions taken by visiting players have permanent effects unless safety settings are enabled. Online co-op requires an Xbox Live Gold membership.

Offline

Offline co-op allows a second player to join as a "henchman" on the same console. Henchmen can transfer experience, renown, and gold back to their own Fable II game, provided they use a memory card.

Family Dynamics

The family system in Fable II expands on the original, allowing players to form relationships, marry, and have children. Same-sex marriages are supported. Children mature over time, reflecting the hero’s moral alignment. The mechanics for starting a family include options for protected and unprotected interactions, with the latter carrying the risk of having children or contracting in-game STDs.

Death and Consequences

Initially designed to feature permanent death and generational succession, the death mechanic was revised based on player feedback. Instead, upon losing all health, the player is momentarily incapacitated, losing experience and gaining scars. Resurrection Phials or specific weapon augments can prevent these penalties.

Reception

Fable II was critically acclaimed for its storytelling, gameplay, and innovation in integrating player choices with world evolution. The only minor critique among fans is that the boss battles in this game were less compelling compared to its predecessor.

References

  • Peter Molyneux, interviews and public presentations.
  • E3 2007 and GDC 2008 showcases.

Alignment

Unlike the original Fable and Fable: The Lost Chapters, there are now other alignments apart from good and evil. Lionhead decided to add more choices concerning how you customize your player such as purity, corruption, attractive or scary. These alignments can be changed depending on common factors such as laziness and eating fresh foods from a produce stall.

Achievements

For a comprehensive list, see List of Fable II Achievements.

Features

Expressions

As in Fable, players can use various expressions to interact with NPCs, such as dancing, laughing, taunting, and belching. This feature has been expanded in Fable II, with improvements shown at E3 2008. Players can access the expression menu at any time via a circular interface. Targeting an NPC with the left trigger and pressing the Y button displays their attitude toward the hero. Positive interactions may result in rewards or romantic outcomes, such as marriage, provided the player offers a ring. These outcomes are achieved through expressions, including an extended mini-game in some cases.

Certain expressions, such as belching or farting, can be held for a longer duration using a timing mechanic similar to the one employed in jobs. Success enhances the expression's effect, while failure results in humorous or unintended consequences, such as the hero soiling themselves or vomiting. Additionally, a player’s dog reacts to these actions with corresponding expressions, such as burying its nose after the player performs a belch or fart.

Game World Content

Fable II significantly expands Albion, making it approximately ten times larger than its predecessor. While the main storyline can be completed in about 12 hours, full completion may take over 100 hours. Acquiring every item in the game would require approximately 100 million gold.

Cutscenes

Fable II includes both interactive and non-interactive cutscenes.[1] Non-interactive scenes are brief, consuming less than five minutes of game time. In interactive cutscenes, players can engage using expressions or leave the scene entirely, with the option to return and restart the cutscene. If the player misses important information by leaving, NPCs will seek them out later to deliver the message.

Dynamic World

The world of Fable II is fully dynamic, interactive, and free-roaming, with no predetermined quest path. Seasonal changes and the hero's actions directly impact the environment. For instance, aiding a trade camp can lead to the growth of a thriving town, while destroying it results in abandonment.

Players can purchase any accessible property, which may unlock additional quests. Owning properties generates income every five minutes of playtime. Houses can be furnished with various items available for purchase. Titles are awarded based on property ownership, ranging from mayor of a town to king of Albion.[2]

Albion's environment features advanced animations, such as trees with individually animated leaves and physics, with each tree containing roughly 120,000 leaves. The world also boasts approximately 15 million poppies.

A "bread crumb" trail guides players to main quests with a glowing path, which can be disabled for free exploration or side quests. Concept art from Fable II Pub Games hints at new or revamped areas within Albion.

Pre-release Marketing

Tales of Albion

Lionhead Studios launched a section on their website titled "Tales of Albion," which provides backstory for the Fable series. "Fragments of the Old Kingdom" details the rise of the Archon and the founding of the Heroes' Guild, while "Fall of the Heroes" chronicles the Guild's decline. "Travels in Today's Albion" offers insights into Albion's state in Fable II.

Online Competitions

Lionhead hosted online competitions to engage the community, similar to previous efforts for The Movies. One competition involved naming a title to be used in the game, with the winning entry being "Lionheart." Another contest, held on May 30, 2008, invited fans to submit artwork, with selected entries featured in the game. Titles in Fable II must be earned before purchase from town criers.

Video Diaries

Lionhead Studios released a series of video diaries offering insights into the development of Fable II. These episodes explored various aspects of the game's creation, featuring commentary from the development team and behind-the-scenes footage. The episodes are summarised below:[3]

  • **Episode One** (May 24, 2007): Focused on the themes of love and emotion in Fable II.
  • **Episode Two** (July 30, 2007): Highlighted the one-button combat system and included footage of the Lionhead staff winning a football match against Rare, as well as a professional combat specialist assisting the animation team.
  • **Episode Three** (October 8, 2007): Explored the work of the Central Technology Group and celebrated Lionhead Studios' 10-year anniversary.
  • **Episode Four** (January 11, 2008): Centred on the graphics team's process for creating the world of Albion.
  • **Episode Five** (March 18, 2008): Covered topics such as the game's magic system, GDC 2008, and co-operative gameplay.
  • **Episode Six** (June 24, 2008): Titled "Art and the Hero," it delved into the artistic design of the game's protagonist.
  • **Episode Seven** (October 2, 2008): Titled "Music and Audio," it provided insights into the creation of the game's sound design and score.
  • **Episode Eight** (January 8, 2009): Discussed the final stages of Fable II development and the creation of the Knothole Island DLC.
  • **Episode Nine** (May 2009): Titled "See the Future," it focused on the development of the See the Future DLC.

Technology

The game utilises a proprietary graphics engine developed in-house by Lionhead Studios. Several components of the game, however, incorporate middleware solutions. Havok provides the physics engine, and Kynapse is used for AI functionalities. Additionally, Alienbrain 8 is employed for asset management, tracking elements such as 3D models, files, and artwork.

Collector's Edition

Main article: Fable II Limited Collector's Edition
Fable2limitededitionboxart

A Limited Collector's Edition of Fable II was released, offering exclusive content and bonuses. This edition included a bonus DVD featuring videos (such as a Making-of feature) and concept art, a redemption card for exclusive in-game content, and a trial membership for Xbox LIVE (provided via another redemption card).

The exclusive in-game content, referred to as the "Otherworldly Content" package, features:

Initially, the Collector's Edition was planned to include physical items such as a premium box, a collectible Hobbe figure, and five fate cards. However, these items were cancelled and never released.

Game of the Year Edition

Main article: Fable II Game of the Year Edition
Fable-2-game-of-the-year-edition--xbox-360-front-cover

A Game of the Year edition of Fable II was released in 2009. This version includes the Knothole Island and See The Future DLCs pre-installed on the disc, eliminating the need to purchase them separately through Xbox LIVE.

The Game of the Year edition is distinguished by its green-tinted cover art, although some copies feature the standard red tint. Buyers can identify this edition by looking for a sticker on the top-right corner of the cover that reads: *"Extra Content! More Quests, More Locations, More Choices!"*.

  • Note: For pre-owned copies purchased from retailers such as GameStop, the case on display may not match the disc provided at checkout, so confirmation of the edition may be necessary.

Videos

Awards

  • BAFTA GAME AWARDS - Best Action & Adventure
  • Gamespot - E3 2008 Game of the Show
  • GamePro - Best of E3 2008 Silver
  • PlanetXbox360 – Best RPG at E3 2008
  • Edge-online.com – Best Games of E3 2008
  • 1UP.com – Best of E3 2008 RPG runner-up
  • MovieTome – Best of show
  • TeamXbox – Editor's Choice
  • IGN.com – Editor's Choice Award
  • GamesXtreme.com – Editor's Choice Award
  • G4TV.com – Game of the Year in the X-play Awards
  • PETA.com – Most Animal-Friendly Video Game
  • ABC World News Webcast: IGN'S Top 5 Videogames of 2008
  • Associated Press: Favorite Games of 2008, #7
  • Birmingham News: 2008 Video Game of the Year
  • CheatCodeCentral's Cody Awards 2008: Nominated, Best Game of 2008
  • CheatCodeCentral's Cody Awards 2008: Nominated, Best Sound
  • CheatCodeCentral's Cody Awards 2008: Nominated. Best New Character (The Dog)
  • CheatCodeCentral's Cody Awards 2009: Nominated, Best RPG
  • Chicago Sun-Times Best of 2008: Best of the Rest, XBOX 360
  • Edge Awards 2008: Nominated, Best Game
  • Edge Online: The Top 25 Game Industry Heroes for 2008, Louise Copley, #6
  • G4TV X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards: Game of the Year
  • G4TV X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards: Nominated, Best Art Direction
  • G4TV X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards: Nominated, Best New Character (The Dog)
  • G4TV X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards: Nominated, Best RPG
  • G4TV X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards: Nominated, Best Sound Design
  • G4TV X-Play's Best of 2008 Awards: Nominated, Best Writing
  • Gamasutra's Best of 2008: Staff Picks- Simon Carless
  • Game Guy Awards: Nominated, Best RPG
  • GamePro The Best (and Worst) of 08: Nominated, Best RPG
  • GameZone: Best Role-Playing Game of 2008
  • Giant Bombcast: Game of the Year 2008, #10
  • IGN Best of 2008: Best Original Score
  • IGN Best of 2008: Nominated, Best RPG 2008
  • IGN Best of 2008: Nominated, Best Voice Acting 2008
  • JournalStar.com: Best of 2008: Xbox 360
  • JournalStar.com: Top 10 Videogames of 2008 #9
  • Joystiq: Top 10 of 2008 #1
  • Kotaku Best of 2008: Nominated, Game of the Year
  • Kotaku GOTY Awards 2008: Nominated, Best Story
  • MTV Multiplayer - My 10 Favorite Gaming Moments of 2008: A Dream Of An End - Experiencing The Bravura Finale
  • New York Daily News Top 10 Video Games of 2008 #1
  • Paste Magazine Signs of Life 2008: Best Games #3
  • PETA's 6th Annual Proggy Awards: Most Animal-Friendly Video Game
  • Ripten Readers' Choice: Nominated, Game of the Year
  • Spike TV 2008 Video Game Awards: Nominated, Best Graphics
  • Spike TV 2008 Video Game Awards: Nominated, Best Xbox 360 Game
  • Stars and Stripes: Best fantasy game
  • The New York Times: Best Vindication
  • Variety.com - The Cut Scene: 10 Best Videogames of 2008 - Ben Fritz #3
  • Variety.com - The Cut Scene: 10 Best Videogames of 2008 - Chris Dahlen #10
  • VentureBeat: Dean's top ten games of 2008, #10
  • WIRED Game|Life Best of 2008: Top 5 Xbox 360 Games, #1
  • X360A's 2008 Game of the Year Awards: Runner-Up, Soundtrack of the Year
  • Yahoo! Games - Game of the Year 2008: Nominated, Best Role-Playing Game

Reviews

Publication Score
C&VG 9.2/10
Cheat Code Central 4.5/5
Consol Magazine 90/100
Edge 9/10
Eurogamer.net 10/10
Game Revolution B+ (85%)
GamePlayer 9.5/10
GamePro 88/100
GameReactor DK 9/10
GameReactor Sweden 8/10
Gamespot 8.5/10
Gamespy 4.5/5
Gamesradar 9/10
GamingXP 90/100
GCHD 3.5/4
IGN Australia 8.8/10
IGN UK - Fable II Platinum Hits Review 8.8/10
IGN UK - Fable II Review 9.5/10
IGN US 8.8/10
Jeux Video 18/20
Kikizo 9/10
Meristation 9/10
OXM UK 8/10
OXM US 8.0/10
OzBoxLive 9.2/10
Planet Xbox 360 9.5/10
Play.tm 88/100
Snappy Gamer 5/5
Team Xbox 8.9/10
Videogamer 9/10
Xbox RPG 96/100
Xplay 5/5

Images

See Also

Character

Downloadable Content

World

References

  1. ↑ Xbox.com | E3 2007
  2. ↑ IGN: Fable II Preview
  3. ↑ Lionhead Studios Video Diaries
  4. ↑ Master Chief crash lands into Fable 2

External links