Problems with Fable
Sometimes it's just hard to recapture the spirit of a game in it's sequel. Fable 2 does a great job of improving upon the first game by creating a much larger, open world. The story does a good job of prodding the player along without forcing the player down one path like the original. It is clear the combat was slightly tweaked and the use of the d-pad is now much more limited. Still with all these improvements it's clear not everything in Fable 2 is an improvement.
I have to say my favorite aspect of Fable was leveling up my character and opening up new loot to acquire. I gathered all the bright armor I could and always looked forward to being able to upgrade to the next best sword. Unfortunately in Fable 2 all the good items are available to you almost immediately. If you are willing to earn money you can buy the best weapons and outfits early on in the game. Sadly there really isn't very many good outfits to begin with.
While Fable 2 had a good story, the combat is what I really enjoyed. I would travel from city to city to fight all the hobs and balverines. In Fable 2 it seems that both the hobs and balverines have taken a back seat to bandits. I used to enjoy fighting the trolls to get my combat multiplier up but now the couple of trolls you fight are tedious fights. By making trolls nothing more than shooting a few weak points the battles are just exercises in circle strafing. By far the biggest disappointment in the game as to be the Arena's replacement. This tedious battle, which you can't lose, does nothing more than force you to kill a few more enemies before you can progress the story.
Fortunately there is enough good in Fable 2 to still be one of the best games released this fall. It is amazing to see how your choices really affect the the world around you. A town may flourish or flounder based on your choices. Some times it's very clear this will occur but on occasion you won't even notice unless you play the game multiple times and see how a benign choice ruins a town. Fable 2 delivers on most of the promises of the first Fable except there is no dragon to fight.
I have to say my favorite aspect of Fable was leveling up my character and opening up new loot to acquire. I gathered all the bright armor I could and always looked forward to being able to upgrade to the next best sword. Unfortunately in Fable 2 all the good items are available to you almost immediately. If you are willing to earn money you can buy the best weapons and outfits early on in the game. Sadly there really isn't very many good outfits to begin with.
While Fable 2 had a good story, the combat is what I really enjoyed. I would travel from city to city to fight all the hobs and balverines. In Fable 2 it seems that both the hobs and balverines have taken a back seat to bandits. I used to enjoy fighting the trolls to get my combat multiplier up but now the couple of trolls you fight are tedious fights. By making trolls nothing more than shooting a few weak points the battles are just exercises in circle strafing. By far the biggest disappointment in the game as to be the Arena's replacement. This tedious battle, which you can't lose, does nothing more than force you to kill a few more enemies before you can progress the story.
Fortunately there is enough good in Fable 2 to still be one of the best games released this fall. It is amazing to see how your choices really affect the the world around you. A town may flourish or flounder based on your choices. Some times it's very clear this will occur but on occasion you won't even notice unless you play the game multiple times and see how a benign choice ruins a town. Fable 2 delivers on most of the promises of the first Fable except there is no dragon to fight.
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