Fable 2 Preview
Microsoft, Lionhead Studios
Action RPG, Release Date: TBA 2007
Posted March 13th 2007

Remember how Fable 1 promised so much exciting new gameplay, but never really delivered? Don't get me wrong; the original Fable was outstanding and should be reason enough for anyone to buy an Xbox (even though KOTOR was better), but it just didn't feel right. Sure Fable 2's graphics are going to look absolutely spectacular in next-gen form, and the revamped world of Albion is now 100x the size of its predecessor, but what about the gameplay? Is it going to be more extensive, or just the same game with better visuals? Well finally, two and a half years later we finally have the breaking gameplay news we've been waiting for in Fable 2, and it was well worth the wait. When you're ready for the goods, give your mouse some love and scroll down.

When you fire up Fable 2 for the first time on your Xbox 360, you'll be greeted by a brand new choice when you go to select your character: whether to choose a male or a woman. Okay, so this isn't revolutionary, but like every other decision in the Fable series your selection will impact millions of things in the future, for better or worse. Fable 1 allowed players to fall in love, and get married; to multiple ladies if they wished too. In Fable 2, not only can you get married but now you can have sex with your newfound lover. That's right, you can have sex in Fable 2. Want to really be surprised? You can even choose if you want to strap on a condom! If you choose to play without the raincoat, your partner can get pregnant; that's right, she can get pregnant. She'll soon give birth to that child, and your "accident" will be able to grow throughout the game. Furthermore, your child or children will emulate your path, so if you decide that evil is in your future, so will your offspring. Pretty cool, eh hoser? There's actually one more thing, if you choose to play your character as a female toon. If you get knocked up as a female character, you'll actually have to take time off to give birth to your child. Female characters have been around in RPG's forever, but I'm pretty sure this is the first time you're actually able to be pregnant in an RPG.



So now that you know town merchants will be selling Trojan Variety Packs in Fable 2, can you guess what other new item they'll be selling? Dog food. That's right, you're getting a dog and you don't have a choice. Alright so you don't have to feed it, but that would be virtual dog cruelty, and if you do feed it the pooch will get fat, which is cool. Why add a dog you ask? Was Peter Molyneux stoned when he thought this one up? You see, Fable 1 lacked a great story, and more specifically drama. Peter's hope is that people will fall in love with their new virtual best friend, because this little fucker will will do anything and everything for you. By that I mean, if you're getting rushed by ten guys and you need to run, your dog will throw himself at them allowing you to get away, regardless of the consequences. Your dog won't be able to kill any formidable enemies, but it will do all it can to slow it down and save YOUR life, just like your dog would in real life.

On top of that, your new virtual four legged friend will act as your mini map and navigator. You won't be getting a mini-map in Fable 2, instead your pooch will always stay a few steps ahead of you to explore and bark at the first sign of danger. This isn't just a dog that will follow you around; Lionhead Studios has poured all their AI knowledge into this virtual drool machine and really revolutionized the way you'll scout and travel in single player RPG's forever. On top of being a scout and just a normal dog (he can play fetch and do tons of tricks), he'll also act as your journal, letting you know where you've been and if you've missed anything important. He'll help you track scents to get back on track during a quest, and quite possibly the coolest feature of all which really makes this pooch feel like the real thing: he'll help you get laid. When you walk through town with your adorable puppy, the girls will flock to you. Fish in the barrel.

If you're not a fan of SPOILERS then stop reading immediately! If you cried when you watched Old Yeller back in the day, you're gonna cry in Fable 2 near the end because creator Peter Molyneux has basically confirmed that your virtual best friend is headed to virtual doggie heaven, and there's nothing you can do about it. I honestly never saw Old Yeller, but my real dog died last year and I cried for a long time. Will I cry when my virtual pooch dies in Fable 2? Probably not, but from what I've read and heard about this game it wouldn't surprise me. "It's going to be a hell of a ride if you care about the dog," says Molyneux. If you don't care for the dog, I'm sure you're still going to love this game.

While we don't have an exact release date for Fable 2, it's still expected to get released sometime this year in 2007. Fable 2 continues to remain strong on our Most Wanted List, and as its release date approaches I'm sure it will move up. As we learn more about this game, you'll be the first to know.



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