Fable: The Lost Chapters (Xbox, 2005)
Again, I've decided that it's time to establish another feature idea, which again has also been used by other video game bloggers, magazine writers, and whatnot. To be fair, I've been "in" on the "needle in a haystack" madness that is the "bargain bin" for more than a couple years, I just wasn't on the blog scene at that point. In addition, I also try to avoid using more than three practically successive sets of quotes within a sentence. Shit happens. Allow me to give an anecdotal intro before talking about the beautifully flawed game above.
What I'm getting at is that on more than one occasion I've come upon a friend in the software section of (insert mainstream electronics store) sifting through cheap stacks of otherwise forgettable titles. You know the type. The ones where it's more than okay to judge the game by the cover art. Unlike books, this approach is disturbingly accurate in the game field. My roommate JD's method usually involves scanning box art for exaggerated presentations of cleavage or violent acts that would put someone in the electric chair in a state that does not allow the death penalty.
Of course, being the admittedly elitist gamer that I am, (look, I bought Second Sight and Killer 7 on their launch dates)I never turn down an attempt to bring "the light" to the masses. As I began to get to know other gamers at Kalamazoo College better, I realized that quite a few of them displayed similar symptoms as my roommate: they wanted cheap games that offered violence and sex. Like a redneck parent that purchases a pellet gun for their son as a less deadly alternative to the 12-gauge, I too attempted to compromise with JD, promoting titles with substance that also didn't forgo those "traditional values" that my roomie holds so dear.
First I pitched Final Fantasy X, hyping the scantily clad women and the improbably over sized swords. After nodding with approval at the C-cups on the cover, he flipped the case over.
"It says this is an RPG," he unexitedly pointed out
Oh God, I thought to myself. Are there too many words on the box?
"That means it involves a lot of reading and talking, right?"
"Yeah," I sighed. "It does have a plot and storyline.
JD put it back on the shelf.
Next I suggested God of War, another "Greatest Hits" title. I brought up the fact that Kratos happens to dismember a healthy amount of enemies in a highly viscerally violent fashion, the extensive variety of weapons, and the fact that your character can engage in a "threesome" video game. And no, not a "devil's threesome," for those curious about the title.
"That's all about that Zeus and Hercules stuff, right?"
"I think you're referring to Greek mythology, JD?"
"Yeah."
"Well, yeah, you do kinda play as the personal hitman of Ares."
"That's more mythology, right? More stories and stuff?"
"Umm...yes, it could be summed up that way."
JD put it back on the shelf.
I probably shouldn't even get into how the conversation over indie/emo favorite Shadow of the Colossus went over. When it was extensively shown in the movie Reign Over Me, JD was quite impressed. I didn't have the heart to remind him that he'd spurned the title several weeks before.
Instead, he opted for the latest Everquest title for the PS2. Bewbs and swords. Granted, it's not an awful title, Sony can pour enough money into an otherwise average title to make it "okay." But it's far from being a variation on the gaming status quo.
Are there others like JD? Absolutely. And one cannot knock them too much, as they will often fund publishers so that they can take a risk on an edgier title like Okami. But I do think there are those out there that want to "break" into playing less publicized quality titles, or catch up on the solid mainstream titles that they just missed out on. And, they don't want to spend a lot of money to do it.
So, several paragraphs later, that's the purpose of this feature, to point out predominantly last-gen titles that are quality contributions to the realm of gaming AND affordable. Naturally, the first in the series is Fable: The Lost Chapters
Note: Hair, armor, and bow training optional.
a MUST HAVE if: You never played the version of Fable released in 2004, you're looking for a cheap Microsoft title still stocked in stores, you are into aesthetically pleasing action-RPGs with a "do anything" attitude, but most importantly, you aren't aware of what Fable was supposed to be.
Think twice if: You already played the first iteration of Fable and don't feel up to plunking down ten dollars for a semi-decent expansion pack, you happen to be a "die-hard" JRPG fan (stands for Japanese, refers to linear, often cliche series like Final Fantasy that involve the same turn based combat utilized on the NES, moody androgynous protagonists, and gravity defying hairstyles) you aren't an RPG fan at ALL, or you were molested during a D&D match gone bad in your neighbor's basement and now hate swords, magic, and all other cool things.
Fable: The Lost Chapters is a lot like the semi-recently released Orange Box. If you already own some of its contents (ie, the original Fable) this might not be for you. Sadly, unlike Orange Box, there's no way of paying a reduced cost for the expansion alone, and, correct me if I'm wrong (as I don't own the original) but I don't believe you can transfer your character over into the expansion anyway. In short, if you've played Fable before and can bear another playthrough, there's some new content here. Not "another game in its own right" content, but at least enough that it couldn't pass off as a small patch or something.
STORY
Where to begin with Fable, a game that had been in development for over four years, beginning under the title Project Ego? Storyline-wise, it's fairly run of the mill: boy begins with idyllic life in a medieval Eden with a caring family, courteous neighbors, and a possibly fake British accent. Seeing as even a cookie-cutter plot requires conflict and obstacles to overcome, the game decides that it too will follow in the Job-esque footsteps of so many other narratives, and take all of that stuff away. Except for the awful British accent. But yes, with the arrival of bandits one night your house is razed to the ground, your sister is kidnapped (which for some of us wouldn't be an utterly abhorrent thing to have happen) your parents are slaughtered (and NO, the head honcho villain does not reveal later on that he is actually your father) as well as all the other citizens of "Mega Happyville," as I have deemed it. They even take care to "knock off" the insurance collection officials that could have allowed you to live the good life, childhood travesty aside.
From here, officials from a program called the Hero's Guild show up, and whiz you back to Hogwarts...err...seemingly Hogwarts academy to learn the ways of the hero. That's right, instead of getting yours truly the much needed psychological help I deserve, instead of me being able to lie on a couch on talk about my problems, I'm fitted for armor and sent out to complete several trials involving swordsmanship, archery, and magic. It's a clever way for the game to integrate the three main elements of combat, without being overly pedantic or blatantly tagged on, like it is with some titles. From here, you're sent out to save Albion, find your sister, stop Jack of Blades reign of terror, perform side quests, fight the "all popular" rival from your youth. Rinse, repeat, you get the idea.
Gameplay
As mentioned above, gameplay is centered around the three types of combat, and each of these is linked to a key skill; strength, will, and skill, in order. Like in most RPGs, you'll spend a fair amount of time killing enemies, and gaining experience points for such. However, in addition to generic experience points that would dictate an expansion in the hit points bar, additional points would be given depending on how you dispatched the enemy. Slice and dice with a broadsword? Expect to get points to spend towards "strength" related skills. Headshot from 100 yards away with a bow? You just got yourself some will points.
That being said, you dictate how you want to fight, and, in doing such, reinforce your preferred method with access to stronger skills. This is a bit of a double-edged sword, however. While I'm all for breaking down class stereotypes (You are the fighter, you are the mage, etc...) it's important that the player not attempt to become a jack-of-all-trades otherwise he/she will miss out on some of the stronger abilities that each class has to offer. Try everything out, but don't take forever to land on your modus operandi.
Appearance isn't everything, but you can fiddle around with it for a lengthy time
In addition, be aware that heavy magic usage causes the character to experience some form of an unnatural age acceleration. This would be why The Emperor looks like Methuselah after zapping everyone with force lightning. Weigh the consequences my friend, weigh them well. While you can change everything from the clothes you wear, to the facial hair you sport, to the tattoos that you have inked into your skin, scars and aging aren't going anywhere.
A hood can do wonders for the aging hero
That's right, take a nasty blow from a giant, and you've got something on your hands that even a few generic health potions won't cover up. And because most of your body is understandably covered in armor, the artists over at Lionhead decided that your face would take the brunt of the damage. Not entirely accurate, but one gets where they're coming from.
"I'm afraid of changes, cause I built my life..."
In addition to the scars, and the aging, Lionhead Studios attempted to stay away from a non-static game world as much as possible. One's appearance isn't solely determined by what you buy and the degree of force with which an enemy bludgeons you in the face, but also by where you fall on what I have just coined as the "spectrum of good and evil." Yes, KOTOR fans, you can swap in "light side" and "dark side" if you deem necessary. And while modern games have attempted to capture the infinite degrees of "grayness" on the usual black/white spectrum, Fable is quite simple about things, often only leaving you with two options in decisions, and less than subtle indicators of what will put a halo over your head and engulf your body in bluish light, and what will undoubtedly have one sprouting a pair of horns. Literally.
I can't tell if my hero is emitting radiation or is being taken by the Rapture.
Yes, it's true, it's pretty easy to tell that when a mission involves killing town guardsmen that it probably won't fall under the generic "good" classification, while killing bandits does. Sometimes they're tricky to figure out, but not often. In addition, how you look is another indicator of your reputation. If you are mostly good, do "good" quests, and, as the game heavily reinforces, kill bandits, you'll be cheered when you walk into towns, people will have something nice to say to you, traders will lower the prices of their goods, and, supposedly, it's easier to get laid when you're good. Inaccurate? Probably.
Of course, being evil has perks too. Simply being able to kill anyone you want, and take their stuff generally does allow one to accumulate wealth faster. It also means that you usually won't have to creatively talk your way out of dicey scenarios, instead, resolving them in over-the-top bloodshed. Perhaps an anecdote would help. Say that you're hired by some bandits to carry out an attack on a guard outpost. In addition to being paid (and gaining experience) from following the bandit's instructions, you can also "turn" on your employers, and add a few more tallys to the body count. Playing as the typical "baddie" might be easy when it comes to perfecting the genocide of innocent civilians thing, but it's often hard to convince the neighborhood committee to let someone with your track record move in.
From the last couple paragraphs, you've probably gleaned the knowledge that Fable is unlike most titles, in sheer ambition alone. From the morality scale, to the dynamic altering of one's character's features due to morality, combat, and age, and the reputation system for starters. What may surprise one is the fact that Peter Molyneux, lead designer at Lionhead had even bigger ideas. Being able to plant seeds and watch trees grow in "real time." Having children and then having to fight off the oedipal instinct of one's children. Basically, come up with something absolutely rediculious that sounds more crazy than actually interesting, that's how one make's a "Molyneux" statement. For those of you who didn't play the first, and don't know much more about the hype leading up to the first other than what I just illustrated, go, enjoy the game, and look into the matter no further. For those of you who do what I am talking about, I feel your pain.
Graphics: Aka, why this game might have caught your eye in the first place
There is no shame in saying that this game is "eye candy." The art direction is unsurpassed by any other xbox title, in my opinion, and the graphical engineering behind it doesn't look to shabby either. Character models are detailed, with a bit of an exaggerated cartoon flair, and the amount of customization of one's hero that can be seen visually is quite an accomplishment: hoods, tattoos, scars, hairstyles, shirts, pants, armor, weapons, and more. All rendered in FULL 3D form, in a last-gen title. Spell effects are tragically beautiful to look at, as they come at the cost of needing some reconstructive facial surgery, the scenery is so detailed you can make out singular leaves on branches, or stones in the footpath, or ivy growing up a wall. Very few titles have the graphical prowess of Fable.
Final Thoughts
Fable is a deep, action-packed RPG backed by a supposed "do anything" mantra and wonderful production values. And while this sandbox style of play is a bit more linear than claimed, that doesn't make the game any less interesting or valued. Some players could probably finish the main plot in about 12 hours. Possibly less. But, if one bothers to spend some time on a couple side quests, as well as complete the added material of The Lost Chapters, which adds a good 33% of content to the game, that number significantly rises. In addition, Fable shines as a prime example of a fine non-Japanese RPG that does not require the "stand in line, take a number, and wait your turn to hit the enemy for 54 hit points" format, or the overly feminized lead characters. America is doing quite fine on its own, thank you. The only point at which Fable is liable to face criticism is when the title is put head-to-head with what Molyneux envisioned. Not that "dreaming big" should be criticized, but calling up the press in the middle of the night and declaring one's more inane thoughts about game design without proper refinement or scope isn't the wisest thing. In summary, Fable only falls on its own sword, when compared with...what Fable might have been.
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