2008 Woodie Awards
Sex, Quests and Hack-AndSlash: A Fable-ulous Game
Kristen Bussanich
Issue date: 10/13/04 Section: Arts & Entertainment
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Last night, I got drunk at a local bar, picked up a girl there, got married, had sex, saved a village from invading bandits, summoned a demon from the netherworld, and kicked a chicken exactly 26.25 feet (my own personal record). And that was all before I vanquished an old nemesis in the competitive Arena of Heroes.
Welcome to the ultimate fantasy game. Fable (Microsoft / XBOX / $49.99) is one of the most well-crafted electronic entertainment pieces ever created. From Peter Molyneux, the innovative genius behind PC game Black and White, comes this new creation. In Black and White, the gamer had the ability to literally play God. In Fable, it certainly feels that way, but your official title is "hero." What this game gives you (on a much better executed system than in any previous game) is the power of moral decision. Will you show mercy to your opponent, or kill him in cold blood? Stay loyal to your wife, or cheat on her? Define your life by a quest for revenge, or use your powers to aid those in need? What kind of "hero" you become is entirely up to you.
Gamers start off as a nameless young boy living a pleasant enough existence in the world of Albion. Like any other place, there exists both good and bad. Bandits attack your village and you are separated from you family, not knowing if any of them are left alive. The man who saves you from peril notices a certain spark in you, and brings you to the Heroes' Guild. There, you follow their teachings, learning that there are basically two ways to live your life: the path of good and the path of evil.
From here, the rich and intensely detailed world of Albion gradually unfolds before your eyes. The environments in this game are simply gorgeous. Water ripples and reflects realistically. Lighting effects are well done, with sunlight and moonlight streaming through tree leaves, complete with convincing shadows. People move, look, and act with their own stylized realism. Your hero will age as the game progresses. Stay shirtless in the sun for an attractive tan and bleach-blonde hair. Take care to block enemy blades during battle, unless of course you do not mind living with scars the rest of your life.
Welcome to the ultimate fantasy game. Fable (Microsoft / XBOX / $49.99) is one of the most well-crafted electronic entertainment pieces ever created. From Peter Molyneux, the innovative genius behind PC game Black and White, comes this new creation. In Black and White, the gamer had the ability to literally play God. In Fable, it certainly feels that way, but your official title is "hero." What this game gives you (on a much better executed system than in any previous game) is the power of moral decision. Will you show mercy to your opponent, or kill him in cold blood? Stay loyal to your wife, or cheat on her? Define your life by a quest for revenge, or use your powers to aid those in need? What kind of "hero" you become is entirely up to you.
Gamers start off as a nameless young boy living a pleasant enough existence in the world of Albion. Like any other place, there exists both good and bad. Bandits attack your village and you are separated from you family, not knowing if any of them are left alive. The man who saves you from peril notices a certain spark in you, and brings you to the Heroes' Guild. There, you follow their teachings, learning that there are basically two ways to live your life: the path of good and the path of evil.
From here, the rich and intensely detailed world of Albion gradually unfolds before your eyes. The environments in this game are simply gorgeous. Water ripples and reflects realistically. Lighting effects are well done, with sunlight and moonlight streaming through tree leaves, complete with convincing shadows. People move, look, and act with their own stylized realism. Your hero will age as the game progresses. Stay shirtless in the sun for an attractive tan and bleach-blonde hair. Take care to block enemy blades during battle, unless of course you do not mind living with scars the rest of your life.