There is a man named Peter Molyneux who is something of a cheeky little scamp.  He, while trapped In an industry which is smothered with mediocrity and borrowed ideas, dares to play the role of the dreamer.  Mr. Molyneux receives a great deal of flack and, since I’ve been a huge fan of his since his days at Bullfrog, I am not having any of it.  The man attempts to reach for the sky and some people out there wish to shoot him down while armed with their unrealistically high expectations.  Of course, they can’t be held entirely responsible for their high expectations since Peter does on occasion come across as being chairman of the “Peter Molyneux is amazing” club, I personally put that down to child-like excitement and I think we need a lot more of it.

The original Fable, which was released back in 2004, is a very good game.  Sure, it didn’t manage to live up to the incredible hype which surrounded it, oh, what was it again?  Oh yeah, Peter promised us trees which would make us coffee while playing the banjo, something like that, I can’t quite remember but I am pretty sure it was along those lines.  Anyway, even though it didn’t quite work out that way, we were still left with a very enjoyable game.  Fable 2, on the other hand, is a quite fantastic achievement which somehow managed to deliver on its promises.

The game begins at a slow pace, which I am certain is intentional on the part of the creators, and then it gently pulls you in and you suddenly find yourself hooked.  There’s so much to be getting on with and if you’re like me you’ll quickly find yourself juggling multiple partners and babies, not literally of course, and I am referring to the ones in the game.  Remember kids, when it comes to juggling babies, just say no.  At one point I had four wives, each with a baby, and believe me when I say that they’re more trouble than they’re worth.  Unless you want to continually find yourself bouncing from one end of Albion to the next I suggest that you heed these words – keep it in your pants.

As you explore Albion, especially in the more heavily populated towns, you really do feel as though you’re part of it.  The game is packed with subtle elements which all add up, in a kind of orchestral manner, to create a living breathing environment for us to explore at our leisure.  My feelings on Fable 2 are very similar to my feelings on Oblivion and not simply because both are roleplaying games with a fantasy setting.  The thing I loved most about Oblivion, as evident by the sheer amount of time I dedicated to wandering around, was that I didn’t feel compelled to finish the main story.  That statement may seem a little strange, and you may even think that I have my priorities backward, but if the world doesn’t feel alive I tend to lose interest pretty quickly.  Fable 2 shares this important quality but the interesting thing is that just as I thought my interest in the main story had peaked, and started to level off, the narrative suddenly reached new heights and grabbed hold of my attention once more.

At around half-way through the main story something changes and it almost feels as though the resulting hidden depths were timed to explode at the perfect moment and in this respect the game has a very cinematic feel to it.  It’s only when you start to regret a decision you made earlier that you realize this game has been playing with you all along, but in a good way of course.

I must apologise, I am this far into the review and I have yet to mention the most hyped aspect in the game, your emotional companion.  You will find that your dog will help you a great deal in the game.  You’ll be wandering along a road and all of a sudden your dog will bark to get your attention then run off toward various types of treasure which is convenient as even the most eagle-eyed players are bound to miss many items while on their travels.  Trust me, when the little bugger isn’t standing in your way, your dog is far more helpful than Scooby Doo could ever be, and don’t even get me started on that little abomination known as Scrappy Doo.  At first I thought the dog only served as a practical treasure-hunting tool, that the hype-machine had duped us yet again, but this notion was discarded when I found myself in an unknown area and I noticed my dog was nowhere to be found.  I suddenly felt very alone and, after some panicky moments searching for him, I heard a yelp and the dog came limping into view staring up at me like a miniature furry emo.  I was glad to have him back.

Fable 2 excels in the graphics and music departments and this will come as no surprise to anyone who is fortunate enough to have played the original which at the time set the bar quite high in both.  The game is also blessed with a high standard of animation which breathes a great deal of life into every living creature in Albion.  Children run around, laughing and joking, playing various games, and to my surprise I didn’t find them annoying in the slightest, which is more than I can say for most of their real-life counterparts.  There is one animated being in Fable 2 which manages to eclipse those fun-loving kids and that is your trusted canine companion.  The dog is beautifully animated and those who have owned one can’t fail to be impressed at the level of effort which has gone into its creation.

It would be a shame if anyone bashed their way through to the end of the main story without taking the opportunity to explore the world on offer and breathe in the atmosphere.  This game never takes itself too seriously and manages to strike a balance between a gripping storyline and an enjoyable romp with an endless supply of charm.  Fable 2 is a strong contender for game of the year and it should wear that crown unless something truly spectacular steps in the ring and steals the show.

9.5/10

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