Fable II Review (Xbox)

Fable scratches almost every aspect of a brilliant role-playing series with a well-oiled combination of open-ended plot beats, world-building elements, creative opportunities, and simple-yet-satisfying combat. Like its predecessor, the second chapter in the saga dares to do things a little differently, not with a transparent approach, but with an open book policy. Unlike your usual RPG, it doesn’t wish for you to breeze through the process and jump into the deep end. Rather, it compels you to tread a little further into the unknown, to foster a child, to become an entrepreneur, a sadistic ferryman for cultists, or even a walking mannequin for flirtatious singletons to lovingly gawp at.

If a role-playing game can immediately pull you aside and send you on a twelve-hour side quest whilst the world goes up in flames, then you know for a fact that you aren’t merely towing the line to reach the final destination, but laying the groundwork for a game that you want to stick around in for the long haul. Fable II is one of those games — and a friggin’ good one, at that. The story is ideal for extra padding, but if a game like Fable excels in any way, it’s in its ability to keep you plugging on even when you think you’ve seen it all before. The thing with Fable is that, with there being two sides to every story and a moral compass that shapes numerous aspects of the journey, you can never really complete the picture in a single sitting. Hell, even a fourth or fifth replay isn’t enough to illustrate Albion in its entirety.

Fable II, as a sequel, builds on its predecessor in every way possible, with more freedom of expression, thrice the sandbox-like aspects, and with a huge chunk of Albion. With a refined morality system that bends and shifts with your character and the decisions they make throughout their journey—a feature that either adds a halo to your hero or a pair of horns to your villain—as well as even more in-depth customization options, it takes a huge step forward, not to imitate its past glory, but to enhance each and every branch on its great oak.

In addition to having a brilliant storyline that casts its light over a fledgling hero and their perilous quest to avenge their fallen sibling, Fable II adds a great deal of weight to the open-world experience. For example, you can start a family, have children, invest in various properties, hone your skills in odd jobs, decorate your owned houses, join cults, and, if you’re feeling a little mischievous, wage small wars in otherwise peaceful towns. Combined with a generously packed selection of weapons, outfits, stores, and a whopping skill tree that allows you to pour your acquired orbs into Skill, Will, or Strength, Fable II gracefully delivers a huge world that’s teeming with creative opportunities.

Paired with its signature British humor and magical charm, Fable II offers a one-of-a-kind role-playing experience that, while still light on challenges and fluctuating combat sequences, is an absolute delight to sit through for a dozen hours, give or take. With even more boroughs to explore, more customization options to experiment with, and a helping of secret dungeons, collectibles, hidden treasure chests, and cosmetics to bulk out your globe-trotting adventure, the sequel perfectly combines the classic experience with an entirely new collection of features and quality-of-life upgrades. It also gives you the opportunity to raise and influence your own pet dog — and that’s a boon in itself.

There aren’t all that many RPGs that allow you the same level of freedom as Fable. In any case, a regular game would give you enough breathing room to flesh out various character traits, embark on side quests, and engage in fluid combat-driven situations. Fable II tends to go one step further, with marital dynamics, family-oriented relationships, moral values, and a lot of personal milestones that you yourself can mold and shape to your own personal needs. And that’s a great thing, too, to have enough the freedom to explore the walls beyond the world and a self-contained plot.

I’d be lying if I said that I didn’t replay Fable II seven or eight times in my formative years. But of course, I had to; the one play-through wasn’t enough to scratch the itch. I’d be the all-time hero in one session, but the infamous harbinger of chaos in another. Elsewhere, I’d be the public rascal—the glutinous landlord with a god complex—or a regular champion at the Crucible in another dimension. I’d be a cultist who would often sacrifice villagers to a dark void, as would I be the guy who would casually kick chickens and adopt the title of Chicken Chaser. I’d be a husband, a parent, or the ultimate wizard. The point is, with the size of Albion and the number of possibilities that it gave me, it felt as if I always had something else to explore.

The only downside to Fable II is that it is quite an easy RPG. Given that you cannot die in the game, or even lose progress due to a sudden loss of Orbs, newcomers are less likely to find a proper challenge here. Combat, too, is incredibly easy to master, given that it mostly consists of mashing buttons, summoning spells, and hitting the occasional prompt. But other than that, it’s an excellent game that goes beyond the usual tropes to craft a waterfall of fantasy. It’s enchanting, humorous, memorable, and above all, a masterful storyteller in the role-playing space.

Verdict

Fable II builds on all of its original features with an extraordinary sandbox of creative possibilities that is just as visually appealing as it is an absolute delight to quest in. With a refined moral compass, quadruple the amount of activities and customization options, as well as a glossier finish and smoother gameplay, the sequel stands out as a true masterpiece for its time. And it isn’t all that often that we would use the word masterpiece, either. Fable II, however, is one of the select few that deserves the credit, the attention, and, if we’re being overly generous, a standing ovation.