A better life, underground

Monday, November 10, 2008

Cut to the chase: Fable II is a bad game. If you like it, you're a bad person. Consider it the ultimate moral judgment in a game that does little else. This is clearly what the original Fable was supposed to be: a go anywhere, do anything RPG where your choices shape your character and the world around you. At first glance they've succeeded. The levels are larger, the combat is better, and your choices of what to do are more varied and interesting. But this doesn't excuse the obvious lack of polish and thoughtfulness in every aspect.

Consider the opening cinematic: with epic Harry Potter-esque music humming, a sparrow flies through the woods and into the gorgeous city of Bowerstone. It perches on a roof, looks around, and craps right on your character's head. You gain the nickname "Sparrow" and a clear message from Peter Molyneux: I will shit on you. Whatever happened to Will Wright's Pee?

A better life, underground »