Fable II Review. Step into the Beautiful World of Albion

Fable 2 expands on the fantasy world created in previous releases. It combines a beautiful landscape with entertaining characters, but unfortunately has little to offer regarding developing a solid storyline, or an engaging performance with NPCs.

Graphics: 4.5

Fable 2 has beautiful graphics, and what it lacks in gameplay it makes up with impressive graphics. The scenery is enchanting, and the variety of characters brings the game to life. There isn’t the biggest character variation in Fable 2, but it still manages to deliver its own account of on-screen charm and powerful scenes that capture the imagination. You won’t suffer any unnecessary framerate dips which might take away from the awesome visual experience.

Gameplay: 3.5

Fable 2 takes you on a journey from a young child into adulthood and humorously explores various moral choices that you make and their impacts as you progress on that path. Your character is voiceless throughout the entire adventure, although you will interact with other characters through body expressions, some ranging from humorous and others cold-spirited. There isn’t really an action-packed campaign, but what you will get is to see how your moral choices impact the future. For example, if you decide to help a town’s sheriff against bandits, you will find that the town and its citizens have thrived in the future.

A dog is your faithful companion on this journey, and it can vary anything from a retriever to a husky. This dog will help you find hidden treasures, although this also isn’t too much fun. The quests you embark on to different places (dungeons, caves, tunnels and other varieties) liven up the game a bit.

Controls: 4.0

There isn’t much first-person combat here, and the controls are simple enough. You can play around with various attack options such as melee and magic. Pulling up and toggling through the expression menu is quite simple. With an Xbox controller, everything from accessing menus to making selections is ultimately made easy. You can aim at enemies manually with your stick and shoot them down with a single shot. Overall, I’d say the controls are quite effective for an Xbox controller.

Replay Value: 3.5

Fable 2 starts where Fable and Fable: The Lost Chapters left off, and there still isn’t much regarding character development. There is very little interaction with NPCs other than facial expressions, which significantly reduces the replay value of the game. The landscape is enchanting but the story is shallow, and there isn’t much to play for. Seeing the decisions that you make pan out into the greater theme of good vs. evil and searching hidden treasures make the game enjoyable to some extent, so I’d cautiously replay the game.

Conclusion

What Fable 2 lacks in solid gameplay, it makes up with humor and beautiful scenes that will leave you wanting to explore more of Albion. I’d say the real magic of Fable 2 lies in its ability to take you on a truly magical adventure, filled with unpredictable detours and a journey of self-discovery that seems pointless as you initially start out the game. The only emotional appeal in the game lies in the relationship you build with your dog.