Wow, Fable 2 is getting some pretty impressive reviews (both Edge and Eurogamer loved it). I was already expecting to get it, but the reviews have convinced me to pre-order. I love good (western) RPGs, particularly when they come loaded with character and Fable 2 seems to deliver that in spades. It sounds like for the first time in a while, a game fronted by legendary Peter Molyneux may actually live up to the hype. That’s not to say ‘his’ games haven’t been good in the recent past (and of course he doesn’t really crank the code anymore, he has a team to do that now), just more often than not they’re a bit overhyped and overrated - particularly Black & White, which I thought was a collection of really clever technology desperately crying out for a more entertaining game to inhabit.
Part of the problem is that when your back catalogue includes classics such as Populous, Syndicate, Magic Carpet, Dungeon Keeper (personal favourite) and Theme Hospital, and don’t mind talking frankly with the media, you can quite easily get into trouble with over-inflated expectations. Judging by the reviews it sounds like Fable 2 may be the first game originating from the Molyneux stable in 10 years to fully deliver (or nearabouts) on the jive-talking promises. Kudos to the team on a great job.
I’m a little disappointed that the reviews so far seem to have ignored the co-operative element, but maybe that’s down to the fact that the online co-op is due to be patched in at release (although why couldn’t they find a local mate to play with?). My wife and I will be playing through it completely co-operatively and it would have been nice to hear more about that.
Knowing my luck though it won’t arrive until after next weekend, and then I’ll miss a week because I’m travelling. 
October 21st, 2008 at 8:13 am
I didn’t realise Dungeon Keeper was his. I wonder if he worked on 2 as well, which I felt was a step backwards.
I honestly was expecting Fable 2 to not be very good, from what I heard of 1, it was yet another “be good or bad” game, where they were just opposite extremes.
October 21st, 2008 at 11:13 am
Thanks Steve, look forward to chatting over some co-op whenever my copy arrives at some point… or if I see your orb floating around!
My wife will probably play through as a goody two shoes. A little tip, if you would like to see some more variety straight away as an adult, play through childhood as a brat
October 21st, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Fable 2 looks like all kinds of awesome. But I am not getting it untll steve posts some aticle on this blog, as he does for games he like, I know lot about rock band now, hee hee. But first hand account of a trusted source is really invaluable. As I was somewhat disappointed from first one.
October 26th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Fable 2 is being declared the end-all-and-be-all of adventure RPGs.
It is not! It’s actually kinda tiresome after a while!
This is a great game for people who don’t play adventure games.
Have lower expectations and you might enjoy it- otherwise, you’ll be let down. It is not even in the top 10 XBOX titles. Look to the brilliant of The Orange Box, Oblivion, or Bioshock for titles superior to it.
October 26th, 2008 at 2:11 pm
I’ll see when it arrives (damn Amazon’s slow delivery). But, personally I hated Oblivion so our tastes are probably not the same. My first hour in Oblivion was fun, then it just degenerated into a sprawling, unfocussed mass with about a billion side-quests, most of which were about as interesting as watching paint dry. Hugely uninspiring, I stopped playing it after about 6-7 hours out of sheer boredom. Oblivion seems to be the kind of RPG for people who like vast areas to explore and sheer scale of content. Personally I’d prefer smaller amounts of content if the majority of it is interesting, well-executed, entertaining and motivating - KOTOR is a good example here. Oblivion seems to think quantity will sell people over quality, and maybe that’s true for people who could actually find 200 hours to put into a game, but I have trouble finding 30 personally, so I want those 30 to be good. Oblivion actually made me roll my eyes every time yet another lamely acted NPC gave me yet another dull side quest to fill my bulging journal with, in the end I just took a look at my massive list of quests, decided I just didn’t give a toss about any of them, and decided to go do something else with my time instead.
October 26th, 2008 at 3:38 pm
@steve, very true, oblivion is meant for such people only, myself being one I liked it, but Kotor is for different people, i liked that also. Check KOTOR:TOR MMORPG also which is coming. I think finally there will be one good MMORPG.