22-Sep-2005 It's Fable with added TLC and we don't mean tender loving care as the Xbox classic roars onto PC I'm stood in the middle of the local town, looking for something to do. On a curious whim, I remove all of my clothes. I'm sporting a set of Union Jack Y-fronts. Spying a nearby crate, I smash it open. A sudden holler goes up from behind me: "I saw that! That's naughty!" As I turn around, a small brat is running full-pelt for the nearest guard. An unlucky chicken feels my annoyance as I boot it across the square. Still nearly naked as the guards near, I flip the finger at them and make a mad dash for the other end of town with my entourage in tow. Imaginary Benny Hill music plays in my head. The guards finally catch me, take all my money in fines and dump me outside of town in nothing but my patriotic kecks. A nearby guard calls me "arseface". I fart and laugh to myself.
Welcome, ladies and gentleman to the world of Fable. A world in which the traditional trappings of a fantasy RPG (swords, spells, stats - check) collide head on with the phenomenon of cause and effect, meaning that pretty much every action you take will have some result in game, from your choice of haircut to whose blood you decide to spill. It's a simple concept, but one that's carried off with great aplomb, allowing you to play either the godly hero who gains power and respect through helping out the locals, or the dastardly anti-hero who steals everything that's not nailed down, beats up small children and throws a 'kiss my arse' gesture to anyone not afraid to look.
LOOKING GOOD Lionhead has always been one to try something a bit new and Fable's no different, starting you off as a wee nipper and taking you all the way through your character's life, right through to the pension and 'Just For Men' at the end. Over time, your actions will start to impact upon your character's appearance. Enjoy picking fights and stealing stuff? Then watch as your character's skin turns pale, horns start to protrude from your forehead and flies gather around your napper. Prefer helping out the locals? Then your skin will start to glow, you'll get a halo and faint butterflies will encircle you. This is just the beginning as well, with tattoos and different hair, moustache and beard styles all on offer to help you customise your ultimate badass/goody-two-shoes style.
SEEK IT OUT While the story progresses through the completion of the main missions, there's tons of extra content to be found too: fist-fighting, grave-digging, property development, card games and getting drunk to name a few. Of course, you could just get pissed down your local, come home, throw up and badger your partner for sex. Just like real life really.
Everything looks pretty tasty too running through the upgraded graphics engine and Lionhead's seen right to not only give the graphics a swift boot up the arse, but also extend the improvements to new spells, expressions, missions, regions and more.
These aren't just crappy tacked-on extras either - an in-game brothel (where you can choose to man-whore yourself out for extra moolah) and a massive extra section based after the end of the original are just some of the fantastic extensions to the tale.
One of Fable's most refreshing facets is its attempt to tell an RPG tale in a lighter and more humorous style than normal. Its use of strong British accents, bizarre side quests (magic mushrooms anybody?) and a liberal sprinkling of humour throughout may not be to everyone's tastes, but it does make for an experience that's far from dull.
Having so far sung its praises, we should mention the drawbacks too. If you play games just for the challenge, you'll be disappointed - Fable's not set to tax either your grey matter or your fingertips (although the 'Lost chapters' at the end definitely provides much more of a task). Also, despite having the extra third, it's still a tad on the short side for an RPG. Morrowind's endless expanses this most definitely is not.
Fable may not have reached the lofty heights of Molyneux's original vision, but the result is still a hugely amusing and entertaining way to fritter away the hours. If you're looking for a highly polished RPG in which to exorcise your inner demons (and kick defenceless farmyard animals), Fable tells the right story.
PC Zone Staff
// Overview
Uppers
Masses of stuff to do Excellent character customisation Stupid sense of humour Simplistic but fun morality system
Copyright 2006 - 2009 Future Publishing Limited, Beauford Court, 30 Monmouth Street, Bath, UK BA1 2BW England and Wales company registration number 2008885
Masses of stuff to do
