Fable: The Lost Chapters
Score: 88% ESRB: Mature Publisher: Microsoft Studios Developer: Lionhead Studios Media: DVD/1 Players: 1 Genre: Action/ RPG
Graphics & Sound: Not much has changed between Fable’s original release and the release of The Lost Chapters. The game still looks fantastic and features an amazing level of detail, right down to butterflies fluttering around and leaves falling from trees. All of the villages feel like their own places instead of the same generic village with a few buildings moved around. However, the areas also feel confined and feature few areas to explore, which kills the “do anything” focus the game is attempting to portray. Characters are very expressive and show off some neat reactions to the main character and the particular path he’s on. The main character is customizable, but like the levels, it feels a little too contained. You begin the game with a generic looking character and as the game progresses, he’ll evolve depending on how you choose to play him. If you go for more of a hulking brute character and spend all your skill points in strength, he’ll become a brutish hulk. If you go for more of a sly thief, he will develop as more of a slinky, agile character. You can also buy tattoo and hairstyle cards to further develop your character’s look. There’s a wide variety of choices, but the system is too dependant on players having to find the cards – meaning you can go through the entire game and never see some hairstyles or tattoos. Thankfully, a bulk of these can be purchased, but others require you to embark on certain quests. Sound is all about polish and detail. Voice acting is very well done and helps to create an immersive atmosphere. The voice work is wonderful and characters are quite talkative. As you grow in fame, villagers will call out your title and either clap, laugh, or shriek in fear. There are even times when you can walk in on some character’s conversations and listen in. The musical score fits into the game perfectly and conveys just the right amount of fantasy-feel into the game.
Gameplay: Fable: The Lost Chapters is more or less the “Director’s Cut” of the original game. While it doesn’t fix every complaint gamers had with the original, it still adds to the game’s depth and ties up a few loose ends with some stories, as well as presenting new options for gameplay. The focus of The Lost Chapters remains the same as the previous release; you take the role of an unknown hero and shape his destiny through your actions. Though it isn’t the RPG to end all RPGs, it still provides a fun action RPG for the Xbox, something that the system is sorely lacking in. The overall layout of the game is straightforward. After the destruction of your hometown and murder of your parents, you are taken to the Hero’s Guild where you are shaped into a true hero. After your training, you set out into the world in order to make your mark, either as a hero of the people or its worst nightmare. Who you will become is directed solely on your actions during missions you can take from the guild, making the dynamic between good and evil the game’s center point. Each mission comes with a series of conditions that will decide which side of the fence you’ll fall on. An example of this is an early mission where you’re charged with protecting a farmer’s stock of products to sell at market from bandits. If you choose to protect the silo, you’ll be awarded with “Good” points that will bolster your reputation as a hero. On the other hand, you can choose to help the bandits and earn “Evil” points, diminishing your reputation in the eyes of the people. Your reputation with the people is also a major focal point in the game. In addition to the parameters set by quests, you can also brag to people and boast about your accomplishments, giving yourself new parameters to meet like finishing the mission barehanded or without taking a hit. In other words, it’s the old schoolyard brag fest we all participated in at one time or another. Accomplishing these goals will add bonus points to your reputation, while failing will cause them to look down on you. As far as new content goes, the new missions are visible from the start (provided you’ve already worked your way through Albion in the previous release) and are about as engaging as those found in the original – meaning they typically boil down to escort and delivery missions. A few of the later story missions, especially those involving the Grey Lady, are a little more interesting and some of the new equipment is actually worth going after. Other new elements include the option to become mayor of a town, peddle drugs, and run a whore house.
Difficulty: The hardest part of The Lost Chapters is the decisions you have to make. Do I want the goatee or handlebar mustache? Do I want to marry this girl, that one, or both? Do I buy the house by the water or take over the Mayor’s mansion? The point I’m trying to get at is that the game isn’t very hard. In fact, it’s a breeze for the most part. I noticed a few attempts to up the difficulty in The Lost Chapters, but even these slight increases didn’t do much. Missions can be replayed if you fail them, so there’s very little feeling of accomplishment when you do finish one. The risk vs. reward when “bragging” about missions adds a little challenge, but the added challenge is minimal at best and the added rep points aren’t worth that much in the long run. A.I. is aggressive, yet not that smart, and tends to rely more on swarming you with high numbers rather than keen tactics. Boss battles, even the final boss, are a joke and come down to simple, old-school pattern recognition. I noticed that some would even stop mid-attack and wait for me to retaliate before going for another blow.
Game Mechanics: Combat and controls are very easy to get into. Every button on the controller is used for something and is placed in an easy to use position. The controller begins in a default position that includes your basic combat systems. These include tasks like attacking and blocking. Holding the R-trigger switches the system to Magic Mode, switching all the attack buttons to spells. Traveling around Albion is a pain. Every area you enter comes with a long, sizeable load time, making traveling from one area to another a pain. Instant transportation is offered via your Guild Seal, allowing you to instantly travel to portals found throughout the world (provided you find and activate them). If you already own Fable, the added content in isn’t worth the price of purchasing the game again. Yes, there are a few new quests, some new equipment, and the tying up of a few loose ends, but the added content isn’t really compelling enough to warrant another purchase or addition play through. If you’re one of the few Xbox owners who haven’t experienced Fable, The Lost Chapters is an excellent choice and worth the $20 price tag.
-Starscream, GameVortex Communications AKA Ricky Tucker
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