Gamespot's Fable Review..... 8.6

[Xbox Owner]

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/rpg/fable/index.html

[xbox is so COOL]

:rolleyes:

[CRAYMAN]

Hey, that's a good review! An 8.6 rating, but it was the best written of the three I've read.

[X-Factor]

IGN - 9.3
GameSpot - 8.6
GMR Magazine - 8.0
TeamXBOX - 9.1
AOL Games - 8.6

I don't know about you guys, but so far, these are pretty underwhelming scores.

[Soundscape]

Actually, archery may not seem altogether practical in Fable. It can be plenty effective, but since you'll be fighting most foes single-handedly, and most of them will quickly close the distance between you, toe-to-toe combat proficiency will seem like the obvious first choice. A few flying enemies will require you to put your unlimited arrows to good use, though.
But this is easy enough to get used to, and worth getting used to sooner rather than later since magic helps make Fable's frequent battles pretty easy, for better or worse.
Yet all these foes can be defeated handily in groups using the same types of tactics.
The combat isn't really a challenge once you inevitably figure out a few key tricks. Items that quickly or instantly restore your health will be available in copious supply, letting you recover your energies in a pinch, even in the midst of battle. You'll also probably end up hoarding numerous "resurrection phials," which automatically restore all your health should you be struck down.
Of course, you won't be fighting hordes of foes while you're still training at the Heroes' Guild. After the training is complete, you're invited (rather awkwardly, via an onscreen prompt) to continue onto your hero's adulthood, the time during which the vast majority of Fable takes place. You can get through the younger years in about an hour, and the rest of the story is fairly brief and will take you 10 hours or less--that's if you ignore a few available side quests, though these don't pad the game's length too much further.
Ironically, though, there isn't necessarily a clear incentive to play through the entire game over from scratch once you've finished it the first time.
Fable's storyline, which is punctuated by an elegant sequence of paintings showing your hero's latest exploits, is mostly linear and starts slowly once you get past the childhood prologue. Past the halfway point, it actually becomes fairly involving, since its few key characters become relatively fleshed out. However, the hero himself remains silent during all the proceedings, and all the moral decisions you've made have little effect on what happens or how it happens. The game does have multiple endings depending on your morality and ultimate decisions you make, but each version of the epilogue is very brief, and it's fairly easy to see the numerous different alternatives without having to play through the game from the beginning. This is partly because your character's morality can be reversed just by visiting one of two different locations in the game, respectively devoted to a good and an evil god.
All you need do is pay a hefty donation and your evil or good deeds will be negated--and, toward the end of the game, you should have plenty of money to spend. The inclusion of these temples seems somehow unfortunate, as they can undermine the deliberate process by means of which your character's nature normally emerges. Furthermore, the fact that you may continue exploring the game's world of Albion even after you've finished the storyline means that you'll be able to see most of what Fable has to offer without having to restart
Part of the appeal of role-playing games that purport to let you live by the consequences of your actions is that they offer significant replay value. However, that's not necessarily true of Fable
Ultimately, there really isn't much to character interaction in Fable.
The penalty for a failed boast isn't severe, but if you fail the quest altogether...you have no choice but to restart that quest and keep trying until you succeed. It's strangely disorienting to be required to restart a simple side quest from the beginning when Fable is presumably a game about living with the consequences of your actions
Again, though, the game isn't hard
That's great, but for what it's worth, the game doesn't entirely succeed at making you feel like you are the hero. The epic premise doesn't quite translate into an epic experience. This is mostly because the form and structure of the gameworld feel contrived. Fable consists of a sequence of relatively small, winding, interconnected maps, separated by noticeably lengthy loading times. The hero himself has no personality (and never speaks, except for a few short, gruff phrases when you make him emote), and the game's cookie-cutter non-player characters, while often amusing, don't come across as lifelike
here are the things that stand out to me in that review. and going by this, i'm definitely going to pass on fable. i think alot of people are going to be dissapointed in the game.

[X-Factor]

I'm disappointed they took out all the cool features. Also, from what I've read, the game is a lot shorter than first thought, and too easy.

[Soundscape]

and not as realistic or immersive as they had it cracked up to be....too bad.

[Wolfgame]

I've honestly never been that pumped for this game, people have built it up as the HALO of RPGS and now that it hasn't delivered there will be alot of disapointment, oh well, there's always Jade Empire.

[Anthony4sho]

*cancels preorder*

[RockTheCasba]

im still gonna buy it and play it.

[CharlieHustle]

and then trade it in.... to save on halo...

[BananaMan]

AOl games? hahahah i give them a 1.0 just because aol sucks

gmr magazine? who the hell is that. -1.0 for being a generic bull**** site

gamespot? hah i'll give them a lil dignty 2.0

the real good rating sites have all gave it the rating they deserve.

and i ask, who the HELL would believe anything from AOL? or gmr magazine, they gave that nascar game a higher score.

gamespot is ok, but i think fable will kick ass.

[Cryogenic Pyro]

AOl games? hahahah i give them a 1.0 just because aol sucks

gmr magazine? who the hell is that. -1.0 for being a generic bull**** site

gamespot? hah i'll give them a lil dignty 2.0

the real good rating sites have all gave it the rating they deserve.

and i ask, who the HELL would believe anything from AOL? or gmr magazine, they gave that nascar game a higher score.

gamespot is ok, but i think fable will kick ass.
Actually, as much as I hate Gamespot, I think they did a good job on this review.

[Soundscape]

the real good rating sites have all gave it the rating they deserve. how do you know what rating it 'deserves' if you haven't played it? can you answer that?

the gamespot review is the most in depth into fable's gameplay i've read so far. and i think we all know teamxbox is a little biased, naturally. but ofcourse fable and xbox fanboys are going to refuse to admit this game is not going to be all it was cracked up to be.

[Yankeez]

gamespot boooo!

[Peepers]

This game will still be good, and I'll still buy it, but compared to the hype it will be a complete and utter flop. You have to wonder what they were doing all these years when a merely "good/great" game comes out of it.

I think we all had higher expectations, and I think we'll all be a little more skeptical of Molyneux in the future.

I do have one caveat to this however. Fable is getting better reviews than Morrowind did and Morrowind is the greatest single player game I've ever played, so we still have some hope.

[CRAYMAN]

I do have one caveat to this however. Fable is getting better reviews than Morrowind did and Morrowind is the greatest single player game I've ever played, so we still have some hope.

Nice point.

Soundscape, I could easily find MANY more positive things to paste from the same review. I'll still pick this up to see if it's all it's cracked up to be.

[LTM360]

Although I'm highly dissapointed (at this point) by underwhelming reviews, I'm still getting it. No way I'm this hyped up, only for reviews to make me change me mind.

[Soundscape]

You have to wonder what they were doing all these years when a merely "good/great" game comes out of it
my thoughts exactly. how many years has this game been under development?

[Shadow20002]

Well....just wait for the OXM's review....

[Soundscape]

Well....just wait for the OXM's review.... yeah, like they're not biased.

[l Maximus l]

OXM is pretty biased, though, Shadow.

I'm still playing Halo getting ready for Halo 2. I don't have enough time for Fable. I may rent it...and even then, that's the best way to judge a game...play it for yourself.

I find that Reviewers give you a good benchmark, but, truly playing the game for yourself, a person can get a much better idea on it.

[CarGuy]

I do have one caveat to this however. Fable is getting better reviews than Morrowind did and Morrowind is the greatest single player game I've ever played, so we still have some hope.

I think Morrowind will be better. It's just sooooooo deep. I've put countless hours into Morrowind with many, many chracters and just the other day I found new awesome tomb in the grazelands. Fable won't be able to do this unfortunatly.. :cry:

[Duke]

probably a 8.6

What does he win?

[studepaber]

Decent review, seemed fair, doesn't change my opinion of the game, I am still psyched as can be to get it. And btw who gives a **** about what AOL games says???? :rolleyes: Next thing you'll say Maxim is a reliable source for game reviews (Sudeki 5/5, Fable 4/5 hmmmmmmm).

[Shadow20002]

I know OXM is biased but you know just to make sure Fable got what we want. :D

[MixMasta]

I've honestly never been that pumped for this game, people have built it up as the HALO of RPGS and now that it hasn't delivered there will be alot of disapointment, oh well, there's always Jade Empire.


Jade Empire will be sweet, but I also can't wait for KOTOR 2.

And on Fable, I'll still buy it, and then trade it after I beat it for Star Wars: Battle Front.

[LTM360]

I personally hope KotOR II slaughters every RPG ever made. I just got into the first, and im about to finish it, and I must say, its great.

[BananaMan]

how do you know what rating it 'deserves' if you haven't played it? can you answer that?

the gamespot review is the most in depth into fable's gameplay i've read so far. and i think we all know teamxbox is a little biased, naturally. but ofcourse fable and xbox fanboys are going to refuse to admit this game is not going to be all it was cracked up to be.
you didn't know? i have telepathy. /end

[Kortiz]

I'm sort of baffled at some of you jokers. You look at an 8.6 like it's the end of the world.

8.6 is classified as "GREAT!"

What the hell is wrong with "GREAT!" ?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!

Please tell me.

[odpr]

I know this is exactly what will happen, you can read what I posted last time before fable went out, this was obvious, more then that, take a look at good and evil, the worst game I have ever seen in my life, even the developer say so, who the hell gave peter moli . Such a high expectations, what game made him that great?

The game is boring, that what gamespot trying to say, and to tell you the truth they would have givenn it even less , but they knew there is such a hype around it so out of mercy they gave him that grade, if u ask me.

[Xbox Owner]

I'm sort of baffled at some of you jokers. You look at an 8.6 like it's the end of the world.

8.6 is classified as "GREAT!"

What the hell is wrong with "GREAT!" ?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!

Please tell me.

whats wrong with great? we were promised perfect.

[SoundX]

I saw this coming awhile back. You just can't gaurentee the level of interaction and real time living that Fable supposadly promised. It didn't sound believable, and as soon as I saw the in game play, I knew it wouldn't live up to what the highly anticipated fans expected, but then again, not many games do. I wouldn't be surprised if a few people were dissapointed with Halo 2, reguardless of how brilliant it is.

When the developers started cuting some of the material that was promised, I started to wonder if this was really going to be perfection in a green case. It isn't, but nevertheless it will be a great game. There for, my pre-order stays.

[Soundscape]

What the hell is wrong with "GREAT!" ?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!

Please tell me.

1. the combat is too easy, and doesn't require much skill.
..since magic helps make Fable's frequent battles pretty easy, for better or worse.
Yet all these foes can be defeated handily in groups using the same types of tactics
The combat isn't really a challenge once you inevitably figure out a few key tricks. Items that quickly or instantly restore your health will be available in copious supply, letting you recover your energies in a pinch, even in the midst of battle. You'll also probably end up hoarding numerous "resurrection phials," which automatically restore all your health should you be struck down.
Again, though, the game isn't hard


2. the games is much shorter than we expected, and there's really no good reason to play the game more than once....because after you beat it the first time you've seen almost all of what the game has to offer.
You can get through the younger years in about an hour, and the rest of the story is fairly brief and will take you 10 hours or less--that's if you ignore a few available side quests, though these don't pad the game's length too much further.
Ironically, though, there isn't necessarily a clear incentive to play through the entire game over from scratch once you've finished it the first time


3. the story line is linear, and your moral decisions and actions have little effect on how the story plays out.
Fable's storyline, which is punctuated by an elegant sequence of paintings showing your hero's latest exploits, is mostly linear and starts slowly once you get past the childhood prologue. Past the halfway point, it actually becomes fairly involving, since its few key characters become relatively fleshed out. However, the hero himself remains silent during all the proceedings, and all the moral decisions you've made have little effect on what happens or how it happens.
your character's morality can be reversed just by visiting one of two different locations in the game, respectively devoted to a good and an evil god.
Part of the appeal of role-playing games that purport to let you live by the consequences of your actions is that they offer significant replay value. However, that's not necessarily true of Fable


4. the game just isn't nearly as life-like as we have been led on to believe.
That's great, but for what it's worth, the game doesn't entirely succeed at making you feel like you are the hero. The epic premise doesn't quite translate into an epic experience. This is mostly because the form and structure of the gameworld feel contrived. Fable consists of a sequence of relatively small, winding, interconnected maps, separated by noticeably lengthy loading times. The hero himself has no personality (and never speaks, except for a few short, gruff phrases when you make him emote), and the game's cookie-cutter non-player characters, while often amusing, don't come across as lifelike

[Kortiz]

I knew the game would be no longer than 12 hours long -- I remember Maximus or somebody posting about this game a LONG LONG time ago with a report saying the game would be no longer than 12 hours long -- and that this came from Molyneux(sp) himself. Saying hte game would have replay value.

I agree on the fact that there are some definite problems, but you jokers will just have to deal. The fact taht I can fix my alignment with the world by paying off some cracka in a hut is really disturbing in the fact that me being good/evil doesn't end up having much affect on me. The fact that NPCs don't affect me throughout the game sucks too. If BBB would have given that hero feel to the game, and I'm sort of baffled at why they didnt, this game would be a 10. They did do one thing right -- the combat system, while you may say it is easy (i thought kotor was easy as all hell but I'm not complaining) it is smooth and done the way a RPG combat system should be done. Anyway, hopefully they will fix this **** in Fable 2 on xbox 2 in 2010.

I have to admit the fact that I was hoping for a 9.7 instead of an 8.6 from Gamespot. IGN and the like were no brainers in how they rate Xbox games, but Gamespot has always been very critical with Xbox games. I didn't see anything biased in their review on this game and it was very well written(i watched the video review as well -- sweetness). Am I disappointed in the 8.6 rating -- sure, but who here has played Morrowind and thought that game was IN-FU**ING-CREDIBLE!!!!!! What ratings did that game receive? 8.5 you say? Hmmmmmmmm

With all of this said, I have to stay positive. 8.6 is a B average -- and that doesn't cut it with 6 years of development, but they succeeded in giving us a great game that will have you all enthralled once it arrives in stores on the 14th. You know this -- I know this -- so stop ya whining and scrounge up 50 cracka ass dollars.

[Soundscape]

but you jokers will just have to deal what is that supposed to mean?


but they succeeded in giving us a great game that will have you all enthralled once it arrives in stores on the 14th it definitely won't have me enthralled with it's linear storyline..


DEAL WITH IT lol. i have dealt with it. i've decided the bbb won't be getting any of my money for this subpar(imo) game. i mean, it took them this long to end up with a very short and linear rpg with almost no replay value.

[Kortiz]

What do you mean..."what is this supposed to mean?"

It means -- the world isn't perfect and while that is definitely true -- you can still enjoy yourself in the process. DEAL WITH IT




lol. i have dealt with it. i've decided the bbb won't be getting any of my money for this subpar(imo) game. i mean, it took them this long to end up with a very short and linear rpg with almost no replay value.

Congratulations! You have just given yourself a reason to quit bit**ing about the game. You don't like it, so sit your cracka ass down and wait for the next game you have on your bi**h-o-matic list.

[Soundscape]

Congratulations! You have just given yourself a reason to quit bit**ing about the game. You don't like it, so sit your cracka ass down and wait for the next game you have on your bi**h-o-matic list. wow. take it easy, man. i'm not whining, i'm just giving my opinions on the game based off what i've read. and you're the one that asked for someone to tell you what was wrong in the first place.
What the hell is wrong with "GREAT!" ?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!??!
Please tell me.
should we just ignore all the shortcomings of the game and pretend we were never led to believe otherwise?
this is all i will say. i have stated my opinions based on the reviews i've read, and unless someone makes a post directed directly towards me i will not add anymore to this thread.

[Jamo]

While Gamespot is ot exactly as biased as some people believe tehy are extremely picky about everything. I hae Morowind and pumped a couple hundred hours into it. They probably complained about it I assume. Fable comes out what happens. They bash it for being to short. The point is they're always finding something to COMPLAIN about. Because like the eager consumer who bulids up all the hype they expect WAY TOO MUCH! Even if you were promised everything you shoudn't have expected everything.

[CarGuy]

This is BBB's first game. Maybe the sequel will be better..

[FB-Gollum]

8.6 is an A, not a B, but I guess we all know who has gotten neither before :p

Anyhoo, I watched the video review, very cool, and I have to ask what justifies the low rating. I mean, the seem to be essentially "the sims" on crack. The Sims is one of the best selling games of all time, and they've worked tat type of interaction into an RPG (about bloody time). It's a sandbox as the reviewer said.

I think the reviewer missed the point of Fable a little. It seems to me that you truly are ROLE PLAYING. I don't know how many of you played pen and paper games, but it was always a case of item and power up collection. Get strong (regardless of whether it suits your character or not) and most things become easy.Unless of course, you had a really good GM, who would restrict what they let you do, based on who you are and what you have done, then things can get challenging. Just because the ability exists in Fable to power up to the wazoo, doesn't mean you should.

For example, the reviewer says "You may have the idea to be exclusively this or exclusively that, but you'll probably find it's a lot easier to spread it around and be balanced because things get expensive". Wrong buddy. That may be true in the most factual sense, but it doesn't represent ROLE-PLAYING. ROLE PLAYING people! We've been given what appears to be a sims-esque world to build a story in and create a character. It's hard to fairly restrict people via game mechanics, so they don't, you have to restrict yourself. Wanna be a powerful Wizard? PUT DOWN THE SWORD! It may take longer, but it'll be more satisfying when your character finally becomes what you wanted him to be.

Self control will be the key to a 10.0 game experience, mark my words.

[CRAYMAN]

I'll pick it up! If it's a GREAT game, but a little short, I can live with that.
I spend $50 on a 10 to 12 hour game(Fable), if I only play through ONCE.

I've purchased DVD's before for over $20 that have less than 2 hours of viewing time.
I'd have to watch that movie 5- 6 times to equal the same amount of play/viewing time as Fable.
And you know you are going to play through MORE than once.

[Jamo]

8.6 is an A, not a B, but I guess we all know who has gotten neither before :p

Anyhoo, I watched the video review, very cool, and I have to ask what justifies the low rating. I mean, the seem to be essentially "the sims" on crack. The Sims is one of the best selling games of all time, and they've worked tat type of interaction into an RPG (about bloody time). It's a sandbox as the reviewer said.

I think the reviewer missed the point of Fable a little. It seems to me that you truly are ROLE PLAYING. I don't know how many of you played pen and paper games, but it was always a case of item and power up collection. Get strong (regardless of whether it suits your character or not) and most things become easy.Unless of course, you had a really good GM, who would restrict what they let you do, based on who you are and what you have done, then things can get challenging. Just because the ability exists in Fable to power up to the wazoo, doesn't mean you should.

For example, the reviewer says "You may have the idea to be exclusively this or exclusively that, but you'll probably find it's a lot easier to spread it around and be balanced because things get expensive". Wrong buddy. That may be true in the most factual sense, but it doesn't represent ROLE-PLAYING. ROLE PLAYING people! We've been given what appears to be a sims-esque world to build a story in and create a character. It's hard to fairly restrict people via game mechanics, so they don't, you have to restrict yourself. Wanna be a powerful Wizard? PUT DOWN THE SWORD! It may take longer, but it'll be more satisfying when your character finally becomes what you wanted him to be.

Self control will be the key to a 10.0 game experience, mark my words.

I'm going with what he said!

[Sheeyt]

:rofl: Gamespot is teh biA$!!

Man if I based whether or not to buy a game from Gamespots reviews the only games I would own is Halo and GTA. Gamespot can blow me!

[SoundX]

Wow, this is basicaly Suduki all over again, only this has failed even more expectations.

[FB-Gollum]

Shush SoundX, yer gonna play it and love it got it? Sudeki is utter crap, but anyone could have seen that coming a mile away. Fable will own. Go play 'The Sims' for a bit and get warmed up. Then play some Gaiden to get you fingers going. Then come play Fable. (Man, I'm gonna look stupid if this game really does suck).

[OC Noob]

what is that supposed to mean?

it definitely won't have me enthralled with it's linear storyline..

lol. i have dealt with it. i've decided the bbb won't be getting any of my money for this subpar(imo) game. i mean, it took them this long to end up with a very short and linear rpg with almost no replay value.

Come on, you wouldn't have bought the game either way. Each review (with the exception of maybe GMR) has said even with the short comings its still a great game. Yet you decide its sub par and has no replay value.

Weren't you the one who asked someone how they know about a game before its out?

You can pick all the bad stuff from reviews and ignore the good stuff, but Gamespot, Ign and TXB (or what ever they are) said it was great and you act like it got 3/10 and was completely shreded by the reviewers.

The reviews also said you can get about 30 hours out of it unless you run straight through it with out enjoying all the game has to offer.

You won't play it because of the linear story line? How many RPGs have a truely branching story line? Not many. There are different endings depending on how you play, but you aren't going to find many branching stories in any genre. Heck, KotOR had different triggers (not branches) and just one true branch and it was freakin great.

No replay value? So I guess all the variables from the 5 (or was it 6) sim systems running the game give no variance if you were to play through it being good and then again as evil? I mean, you can go become either for money to see the different endings, but whats the point if you haven't experienced the game as a bad/good guy. Paying to see the other endings is weak and the people that do it obviously aren't looking for replay value.


Its not what it was cracked up to be, but its still a great game and there are completely unique features and awsome possibilites in this game. You can bash it to bash it, but atleast be honest and don't pretend like you would have bought it or you are giving it a fair shake. You are bashing a game you've never played with no basis... unless I read those reviews wrong and they all said it sucked like some people seem to think all these sites wanted to do, but didn't out of pity or some other dumb@ss conspiracy theory.


Sucks that it isn't all it was cracked up to be, but it definitly isn't some 5/10 crap game.

[Xbox Owner]

Guys, don't hate on Gamespot. They have great reviews, and well, Xbox has 8 games rated 9.0+ plus there for this year, and PS2 + GC combined only have 7... they gave Rid**** a 9.3 and RSC2 a 9.3, also, they gave Ninja Gaiden a 9.4.

[Lucifer_Hawk]

8.6 is an A, not a B, but I guess we all know who has gotten neither before :p

Anyhoo, I watched the video review, very cool, and I have to ask what justifies the low rating. I mean, the seem to be essentially "the sims" on crack. The Sims is one of the best selling games of all time, and they've worked tat type of interaction into an RPG (about bloody time). It's a sandbox as the reviewer said.

I think the reviewer missed the point of Fable a little. It seems to me that you truly are ROLE PLAYING. I don't know how many of you played pen and paper games, but it was always a case of item and power up collection. Get strong (regardless of whether it suits your character or not) and most things become easy.Unless of course, you had a really good GM, who would restrict what they let you do, based on who you are and what you have done, then things can get challenging. Just because the ability exists in Fable to power up to the wazoo, doesn't mean you should.

For example, the reviewer says "You may have the idea to be exclusively this or exclusively that, but you'll probably find it's a lot easier to spread it around and be balanced because things get expensive". Wrong buddy. That may be true in the most factual sense, but it doesn't represent ROLE-PLAYING. ROLE PLAYING people! We've been given what appears to be a sims-esque world to build a story in and create a character. It's hard to fairly restrict people via game mechanics, so they don't, you have to restrict yourself. Wanna be a powerful Wizard? PUT DOWN THE SWORD! It may take longer, but it'll be more satisfying when your character finally becomes what you wanted him to be.

Self control will be the key to a 10.0 game experience, mark my words.
I like the way you put it. I wasn never going to give up on this game in the first place. I don't think people should be that deeply dependant on the views of another person on a video game. Before I bought an xbox, a friend of mine told me not to play halo because he said it sucked and was pretty boring. I ended up buying it and loved it. In the end, it all comes down to your opinion of the game. Even if the game doesn't get the score I expected, if I have wanted it for a long time, I'm gonna buy it because what matters for me is my opinion of the game, and no one elses. Just out of curiousity, if these gamesites give halo 2 an 8.0-8.7 when it comes out, would you guys ditch and bash it?

[Soundscape]

Come on, you wouldn't have bought the game either way i had planned on it up untill this past week.



Weren't you the one who asked someone how they know about a game before its out? i asked how he knew what rating it deserved without playing it. you also keep calling the game "great" and you haven't played it yet, either.



The reviews also said you can get about 30 hours out of it unless you run straight through it no, you won't get 30 hours out of this game....maybe 15 tops from what i've read, and i think that's even stretching it a little.
Quote: "You can get through the younger years in about an hour, and the rest of the story is fairly brief and will take you 10 hours or less--that's if you ignore a few available side quests, though these don't pad the game's length too much further"



No replay value? So I guess all the variables from the 5 (or was it 6) sim systems running the game give no variance if you were to play through it being good and then again as evil? did you even read gamespot's review?
Quote: the hero himself remains silent during all the proceedings, and all the moral decisions you've made have little effect on what happens or how it happens.
Quote: Part of the appeal of role-playing games that purport to let you live by the consequences of your actions is that they offer significant replay value. However, that's not necessarily true of Fable



Sucks that it isn't all it was cracked up to be, but it definitly isn't some 5/10 crap game i don't think it will be a 'great' game either, but it will still be pretty decent.
the game is too easy from what gamespot says and there's not much replay value since it has a linear story line that isn't really affected by your characters decisions in the game. i think the bbb had everyone expecting the complete opposite.
i'm not saying people won't enjoy the game or they shouldn't buy it. i'm just saying it's a pretty big flop compared to what the bbb has been telling us all these years.

[SoundX]

Shush SoundX, yer gonna play it and love it got it? Sudeki is utter crap, but anyone could have seen that coming a mile away. Fable will own. Go play 'The Sims' for a bit and get warmed up. Then play some Gaiden to get you fingers going. Then come play Fable. (Man, I'm gonna look stupid if this game really does suck).

Yes, Sir. But erm, I think I'll give The Sims a miss, thanks.

[FB-Gollum]

Ok, you don't have to play the sims, but does anyone else see how much of the sims is in this game? From building houses and getting married and the various social gestures? They just had to wrap it up in a nice sword swinging RPG to get us all up for it!

[faceoff508]

This game sucks, it ****ing sucks, it has to be one of the worst Xbox games in the ****ing world, DAMN you peter, four ****ing years and you make a sucky game. I haven't played it yet but based on five ****ing reviews with an average of 88% i think i made my decision, and this games sucks ass. :rolleyes:

[OC Noob]

i had planned on it up untill this past week.


i asked how he knew what rating it deserved without playing it. you also keep calling the game "great" and you haven't played it yet, either.

Me: I call it great because that is what Gamespot said and obviously the reviewser must think its great for it to get 9+ ratings from the other two sites. Nothing outside of what reviews have said.


no, you won't get 30 hours out of this game....maybe 15 tops from what i've read, and i think that's even stretching it a little.
Quote: "You can get through the younger years in about an hour, and the rest of the story is fairly brief and will take you 10 hours or less--that's if you ignore a few available side quests, though these don't pad the game's length too much further"

Me: IGN said you can get 30, Gamespot said 30 and Team Xbox (or what ever said around 20 I think. I'll get qoutes in a few.


did you even read gamespot's review?
Quote: the hero himself remains silent during all the proceedings, and all the moral decisions you've made have little effect on what happens or how it happens.
Quote: Part of the appeal of role-playing games that purport to let you live by the consequences of your actions is that they offer significant replay value. However, that's not necessarily true of Fable

Me: Thats rather misleading. Just because the story is the same (with an alt endding) doesn't mean you are going to get a carbon copy experience if you play through it again as good/bad depending on how you played it the first time. Its not like a platformer that you go down a set path with the same exact experience.


i don't think it will be a 'great' game either, but it will still be pretty decent.
the game is too easy from what gamespot says and there's not much replay value since it has a linear story line that isn't really affected by your characters decisions in the game. i think the bbb had everyone expecting the complete opposite.
i'm not saying people won't enjoy the game or they shouldn't buy it. i'm just saying it's a pretty big flop compared to what the bbb has been telling us all these years.

If a 9.3 game isn't good enough for you, you must not get many games.

Okay, I was wrong, Ign said 15-100 hours:

"Fable is made of several layers of detail. Casual gamers who want a quick experience and some fun can run around the surface of the world, complete the main quest and sidequests, and get out after 15-20 hours of play. However, those who want a little more detail can read into the history of the world, learn a bit more about why certain events have importance. Then you can go a little deeper if you like, interact with NPCs, get married, have censored sex, buy and rent property, sell merchandise, kill everyone in a town (though they will respawn over time), play with kids, terrorize kids, kick chickens, or just get piss drunk and vomit all over yourself. And there is another layer after that. If you really want to spend a good 50-100 hours in Fable, you can. Go searching for all of the Easter Eggs -- Unlock ever silver chest, stumble upon time-sensitive events, figure out how to get hold of the Sandgoose, whatever that may be, or conquer the world with a frying pan."


Team Xbox review at a fast pace took just under 20 hours:

"There have been a lot of gameplay hour estimates thrown out there since Fable’s announcement; anywhere from 20 to 60 hours. Hardcore gamers will indeed find Fable on the short side, even when completing all of the optional quests. As late GDC of this year, we were told that the core story quests would take 20-30 hours. Perhaps it would take a novice gamer that long if they walked around aimlessly for a few hours, but expect more like 10-12 hours max to finish off the required quests. It took me under 20 hours to complete all but the few never-ending quests and a few secrets. Admittedly, I did play at an up-tempo pace, but I still took plenty of time to explore the land, find most of the hidden Silver Keys, and solve the Demon Door riddles."

And nobody is going to zip through an open game like a reviewer doing a review unless they aren't enjoying it and just want to get to the end.

Gamespot 20-30 hours:

"You can get through the younger years in about an hour, and the rest of the story is fairly brief and will take you 10 hours or less--that's if you ignore a few available side quests, though these don't pad the game's length too much further. Fortunately, Fable's world is sprinkled with little hidden secrets--collectible special keys, talking demon doors challenging you to open them up in some obscure fashion, concealed treasure chests, and so forth--and these give the game some additional lasting value. Ironically, though, there isn't necessarily a clear incentive to play through the entire game over from scratch once you've finished it the first time. Yet, however you choose to spend your time with the game, you should be able to squeeze a good 20 to 30 hours out of it when all is said and done."

If I remeber right, Gamespot was the review where they said you can "buy" good and evil status to see the alt endings. I would say if you do that there isn't much insentive to play through the game again when it comes to the story, but a lot of games are like that. People played through KotOR a few times and knew pretty much what was going to happen. People play Halo over tons of time and its story doesn't change other then the little ending difference in Legendary. I would think if its fun and the reviews said it was, replay value would be pretty good. Especially, if you enjoy the "sandbox" the review sites are talking about.


I don't think I've said anything outside of what the reviews have said other then the opinion on replay value.

[Snowblind]

I know OXM is biased but you know just to make sure Fable got what we want. :D

No kidding. OXM has been giving Fable good hype for the past 2 years, there is no way they would give it a bad score or else *gasp* they would be saying that they where wrong!!:yikes:




This game sucks, it ****ing sucks, it has to be one of the worst Xbox games in the ****ing world, DAMN you peter, four ****ing years and you make a sucky game. I haven't played it yet but based on five ****ing reviews with an average of 88% i think i made my decision, and this games sucks ass.

Don't even get me started...

[BananaMan]

snowblind, sarcasm buddy. sarcasm.

[Snowblind]

snowblind, sarcasm buddy. sarcasm.



Damn my gullibility.

[SoundX]

Lets be honest now, how many people are actualy planning on cancelling pre-orders?
Despite the scores being a little lower than expectations, they are still very good.

I've learnt that magazines can't tell you what you want and need. I hated KOTOR with a passion, but everyone was giving it 90% and over. Maybe it was my passion of hating Star Wars or maybe it just wasn't a game for me.

People do need to actualy play this game to find out if it has fallen bellow their expectations. The fact of the matter is, that the majority of us will love it, and some will hate it. Maybe even the biggest Fable fan here will find he doesn't like the game, but that is down to his or her's personal taste.

Don't let other people tell you how you feel about this game. Although they do usualy give a very fair score. There are loads of games out there you probably would have loved but the all mighty editors gave it a 7.0 so you left it.

[BananaMan]

If someone goes to the point of cancelling their pre-order just because reviews that's pretty stupid. I just pre-ordered mine like two days ago. I can't wait.

[LTM360]

Some of you guys are complaining about the games duration... well each games duration goes by the player. I mean, people said Final Fantasy X was short, I did all the side quests and played Blitzball often and got a nice 52 hours out of it. IGN said there was a TON of replay value, so there maybe things about the game you enjoy, do it often, and it lasts you longer, like Blitzball was for me. I just, at this point, think 8.6 is a bit rediculous I mean it is 'Great' so, oh well, I'll love it, that's all the matters. (at least I hope so :watchout)

On a side note: every game I've ever preordered I've hated... Zelda: Wind Waker, and GTA: Vice City...
please let this be different.

[SoundX]

Don't jinks it LTM :p

[ShannonX]

What does he win?


what can i say, i've enjoyed gamespot for nearly 8 years now. I get a good feel for how they will rate games now. :p

[Nameless]

Well I'm still stoked about this game, no matter what rating it got. I got my pre-order, and the booked the day off work. I have a a class in the morning but its over at 11:30, so I'll be playin Fable come 1pm next week :).

[Shadow20002]

Nowadays, the length of a game is short. That's why a sequel is coming.