Metareview -- Fable 2
We don't know if it was Microsoft's leash on designer Peter Molyneux or if Lionhead Studios finally focused its talent after a decade in existence, but Fable II apparently delivers a solid, enchanting action-RPG experience. X3F has a glowing non-numerical review covering many of the game's big picture concepts without getting into nitty-gritty (possibly spoiler) territory. Our great take away from reading other site's reviews is that Peter Molyneux was apparently spot on when he gave the game a "9 out of 10," saying it's the "best, most complete game" he's done.
- Eurogamer (100/100): "Inclusive and often thought-provoking, this is a daring portrait of a game-world with all the failure cut out, and it's hard not to love a game that loves you so much in return. Fable II will charm you, thrill you, and leave you very, very happy."
- CVG (92/100): "It's still not the revolutionary piece of software Mr. M lauded it to be, but Fable II finally sees Lionhead's original concept realised, and all round it's clearly the developer's best game to date. Well done Peter, you finally did it."
- GameSpy (90/100): "Fable II presents you with difficult, meaningful decisions that shape the development of the world around you. You'll experience life from a young age and see your character grow up to become a powerful force in Albion. Whether or not you become a force for good or for evil is completely up to you. We thoroughly enjoyed Fable II, and heartily recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good role-playing game"
- IGN (88/100): "The past four years were well spent by Lionhead. Fable II has a great combat system, some excellent atmosphere, a smart experience system, and lots to do. It's only when you start exploring the social aspects that things take a downturn. The expressions system is too goofy for the more serious tone of Fable II and almost every interaction feels artificial. The sandbox elements aren't nearly as enjoyable as the adventure aspects."
- Gamespot (85/100): "It's hard not to get sucked into Fable II. The world is so charming and your choices so profound, that it's easy to look past the game's shortcomings. The punishment for death is pointless and the story carries little weight, but the experience is still immensely rewarding. ... Your emotional attachment to your virtual dog will be real, making you reliant upon his companionship as you trek through these lands. In a game about choices, the wisest one you can make is to play the game."











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Huey2k2 @ Oct 21st 2008 11:34AM
Just got home from getting my copy.
About to go pop it into my 360, here's hoping it's as good as the reviews say.
Huey2k2 @ Oct 21st 2008 11:41AM
By the way, if any of the faithful Joystiq readers are interested in some co-op for this at some point I am totally down. The people on my list aren't generally the RPG type so I have a feeling I won't get much co-op time with them.
My gamertag is Huey2k2 (surprise).
waves @ Oct 21st 2008 11:43AM
Where did you get it? Did you have to preorder, or will I be able to walk into a gamestop and grab it this morning?
Huey2k2 @ Oct 21st 2008 11:46AM
I just walked into the EBgames next to my work on my way home from school.
They didn't have any LE copies other than for pre-orders, and only a few (like 5) regular copies for non pre-orders. Basically I got lucky.
Alex @ Oct 21st 2008 2:13PM
While I do slightly envy you, I want to know why you bothered to even look at your computer on your way to your Xbox. I would have just scurried past and frisbeed it into the tray.
OMGOMG @ Oct 21st 2008 11:35AM
Wow. Props to Lionhead. Looks like I'll have to pick this up.
brain @ Oct 21st 2008 11:36AM
cant wait to buy this, i loved the first one so much!!
Obie @ Oct 21st 2008 11:38AM
I am afraid this game is gonna have to wait for me.
I am sure I will be able to pick this up at a discount next year.
Duke @ Oct 21st 2008 12:19PM
I think you can grab any game at a discount if you wait a year.
PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Oct 21st 2008 12:52PM
I'm thinking the same thing with this one. In probably 4 months this will be priced at $39.99 new similar to what Ninja Gaiden 2 is now.
Haggard @ Oct 21st 2008 2:59PM
CoD4 is still selling for the full £40 here a year after release..
Kizzle @ Oct 21st 2008 11:38AM
Sounds good. Unfortunately I'm done buying games for now, I have too many "it will take years off your life to do everything in this game!" games, I don't need another.
Obie @ Oct 21st 2008 11:38AM
Wait? A perfect score from Eurogamer? It's the end of the world!!
atrimus @ Oct 21st 2008 11:50AM
"Wait? A perfect score from Eurogamer for a 360 game? It's business as usual..."
there. fixed that for ya.
Haggard @ Oct 21st 2008 3:05PM
Eurogamer 360 reviews:
Halo 3 = 10/10
Gears of War = 8/10
Bioshock = 10/10
Braid = 10/10
Mass Effect = 8/10
Eggy @ Oct 21st 2008 11:40AM
Typical EG.
Anyway seems like Molyneux finally delivered on all those promises.
NaeemTHM @ Oct 21st 2008 11:40AM
Soooo Molyneux delivers? Awesome!! Can't wait to pick this up....and web of shadows, and Far Cry 2, and Castlevania OoE, and Dead Space..fuck whose smart idea was it to release a bunch of AAA games in the same month?
P.S. And Fallout 3
PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Oct 21st 2008 12:53PM
Little Big Planet says hello ...
Zsavior @ Oct 21st 2008 1:38PM
I asked that same question why not stretch it out through they year. I just picked up my copy of Fable 2 from gamestop they said it was the last one there. Next is Fall out3. Which usually isn't my type of game but I guess the hype as gotten me.
Alex @ Oct 21st 2008 2:16PM
LittleBigPlanet can suck my you-know-what.
VicViper09 @ Oct 21st 2008 4:39PM
Can suck ur bad attitude?
Haggard @ Oct 21st 2008 6:40PM
So people vote down someone reccomending LBP, whilst also voting down people who say it sucks?
waves @ Oct 21st 2008 11:41AM
Reviews are in the mid 80s to low 90s (when you filter out the crap reviewers). I'll probably be picking this up today if gamestop has a copy for me. If they're going to make a stink about me not pre-ordering then I may just wait until next week for Fallout 3.
I was originally going to get LIttleBigPlanet today, but we all know how that worked out.
PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Oct 21st 2008 12:55PM
I got lucky and snagged a copy a few days ago ... You want to get LBP. The game is truly one of a kind.
Haggard @ Oct 21st 2008 3:31PM
What johnny means is he acquired some automatic weaponry and hijacked a truck to get a copy.
Spartacus @ Oct 21st 2008 3:35PM
Why test your luck at GameStop when you can walk into any BestBuy, CircuitCity, Target etc. etc. etc. and pick up a copy from a the stack without a pre-order?
I avoid GameStop like the plague...
VicViper09 @ Oct 21st 2008 4:41PM
He somehow magically manifested a unedited copy of littlebigplanet from his local Walmart or Target. SFB
Just Mr ESC. @ Oct 21st 2008 11:42AM
DO WANT.
Especially the MC armour now that I finally got Katana and Security legit.
John @ Oct 21st 2008 11:48AM
Man, fuck you guys getting it already. Can anyone shed some light on why amazon isnt shipping mine until the 27th?
Xoviet chiK - Gyiyg Strikes Back @ Oct 21st 2008 11:56AM
Ordered lat maybe? Credit Card declined?
They'll wait a week before validating your CC again.
John @ Oct 21st 2008 11:58AM
Turns out it went into shipping yesterday...
Their website must be screwed up, i's still showing that it won't ship until the 27th...
Hopefully it's here by the end of the week, this is one my wife is actually interested in too. Those are the best ones.
finnith @ Oct 21st 2008 6:00PM
Amazon.ca is doing the same thing for me, and I did it with Super Saver Shipping cause I was cheap.
Yay. =(
Jakka @ Oct 21st 2008 11:49AM
Tough choice this week.Who else went with Far Cry 2?
It's nothing personal, Peter and I'll def pick your game up but Far Cry 2 is a lot more open-world than Fable will ever be.
mutd1999 @ Oct 21st 2008 11:53AM
I went with both. :P
WRE @ Oct 21st 2008 11:57AM
I went with Saints Row 2, Dead Space, Fable 2, Far Cry 2 and Order of Ecclessia. My wife went with the divorce lawyer...
PSN: johnnynumber5 @ Oct 21st 2008 12:56PM
I went with Little Big Planet, Dead Space, Socom and far Cry 2 over Fable 2 ...
tmacairjordan87 @ Oct 21st 2008 1:59PM
Well if I had money I would have went with Farcry 2 before Fable 2. I don't even care that eurogamer gave it a 10, I still refuse to believe it's a lot different from fable 1 so it'll have to wait until I get all the other games I want first.
BananaBoat @ Oct 21st 2008 5:57PM
I went with Fable 2. Far Cry 2 seems like a rental to me. They didn't convince me that it's not just Farcry 1 set in Africa. That I'm also buying Little Big Planet and Fallout 3 within the next week was also weighing on my brain. I don't think I could fully enjoy an open ended (non RPG) game if I get it so close to RPG's like Fable and Fallout.
I gamefly'd Farcry 2 though, so it should probably be here tomorrow. Should be a fun break between playing Fable.
censorman @ Oct 21st 2008 11:49AM
Lionhead didn't pay Gamestop enough for a 100 score it appears.
..why do people even use this pathetically biased site for review scores?
waves @ Oct 21st 2008 11:52AM
I think you mean Gamespot.
dark_inchworm @ Oct 21st 2008 11:53AM
They *all* suck.
Demos and/or rentals for the win.
censorman @ Oct 21st 2008 11:57AM
Gamespot Gamestop - yeah, as Dark said, they all suck.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Oct 21st 2008 1:02PM
Time out. Are you trying to say that an opinionated article is in fact biased? NO WAY!!! I DON'T BELIEVE YOU!!!
AwesomeTown @ Oct 21st 2008 11:53AM
Sounds awesome, cannot wait to get it... later... much later. Too much else.
(Fallout 3 next week!)
cocolizo2000 @ Oct 21st 2008 11:55AM
Picking this up after the next X360 Elite price drop. Besides, I have plenty to keep me busy: Dead Space, Fallout 3, LittleBigPlanet, Bioshock...
And then there's November!
Dirty @ Oct 21st 2008 11:57AM
Went to the midnight launch. Had to go buy some property so it made me money while Im at work...
Uggg Im so tired.
Anyone know if tying in your gold exploited pub game character does anything bad (Im going to be good the first round). I dont have a ton of gold but I want my items.
Dirty @ Oct 21st 2008 12:36PM
Also this is all I can think about today. 2 PM arggg.
http://www.joystiq.com/2008/10/07/lucasarts-bioware-unveiling-new-game-oct-21/
xFenixKnightx @ Oct 21st 2008 12:00PM
Fuck man, I HAVE to play this sometime soon. It just looks beautiful. My buddy came by my dept earier and I said did you get Fable 2 yet? he thought it was coming out next week. He called his boss and said he didnt feel well so he could right then and there. LMAO!
BTW, I cant stand Hilary Goldstien. His video review was horrible IMO.
IGN UK 9.5
IGN AU 9.2.
C'mon you douche!
Dirty @ Oct 21st 2008 12:35PM
Say what you want about Goldstien, at least he keeps his inner fanboy at bay. The guys on the playstation channel are bad, and the guys on the wii channel are worse.
MatthewT @ Oct 21st 2008 12:06PM
I have the UPS page up and refreshing every few min. Once it's delivered, I'm leaving work to go play! Now it's just a matter of how much personal time I will have to use. :)