Game: Fable III

Developer: Lionhead Studios

Release date: October 26, 2010

Familiar, yet different.  That’s the best way to describe the next game in the Fable series.  Fable III take place 50 years after the events in the previous game.  In the single player campaign you play as either the son or daughter of the Fable II hero.  Your brother is the King of Albion and he is an evil tyrant who supports slave labor and as a result the people of the land are oppressed.  As the game starts you are finally at the ripe age to do something about this; the throne must be reclaimed.  In order to do this you must become a rebel and gain followers to your cause to take down your evil brother.  Eventually at some point you will defeat your brother and become the next king (or queen) of Albion.  And in Fable RPG style, it is up to you to decide (by your actions) if you want to rule the land as a terrible dictator like your brother or change things for the better by acting benevolent and kind.

The demo I played had two parts.  In the first, I was plopped into a foreign land called Aurora where I was teamed with my mentor Walter Beck.  Your mission is to gain followers to the cause.  This demonstration showed off some combat moves; you can wield a sword, gun, or use some magic spells to fend off enemies.  Discovering and controlling spells is a lot easier this time around thanks to a “spell gauntlet” that gives magic a physical representation.  Other new features: your sword can be customized based on your decisions in the game and you can complete finishing moves to defeat enemies.

In the second part of the demo I was introduced to the new villager interaction experience.  Now you can walk up to villagers and interact with them by shaking their hand, grabbing their hand and take them for a run, and even farting in their faces!  Yeah, that’s a bit much but it’s quite humorous.

So, although the game looks and feels very much like the past Fable games, this one is definitely enhanced and differentiates itself thanks to a tighter story and refined gameplay.  For the first time in a Fable game, characters are now more emotionally connected to the player thanks to voice acting.  Also, the main menu has done away with the mess of the past and gives players a 3D portal to access various game options.  There to greet you is a butler named Jasper voiced by none-other-than John Cleese.  Co-op play is coming, too; the second player can also play as a hero and you have the option to marry each other, have children, share funds, and complete the game together.  Have you been yearning for a more robust version of Fable?  Well your wish will certainly be granted come October the 26th.