Fable III
Preview
Can Fable continue its upward trend?
by Josh Jensen
previewed on X360
More innovation? Check! (cntd.)
As before, the choices you make can dramatically affect the story but Lionhead has taken this aspect of the game a step further. In order to garner the support of your fellow countrymen for your rebellion, you must campaign as modern politicians do. You make promises pertaining to how you would rule if made king, but you will also be expected to hold true to them. But that does not mean that you are forced to do so. Molyneux points out that throughout history the majority of rulers don’t carry out every promise they make and it is likely that players will follow this trend. Situations will arise which will challenge you to keep your prior promises and your loyalty will be affected either positively or negatively based on how you answer them.
To care or not to care
You will be presented with actual king-like tasks during your reign, such as solving crimes and disputes within your land. You can choose who and who not to hear out regarding certain issues and have a choice of making a quick decision or partaking in an actual investigation of the situation. Such decisions also affect the game so choose wisely! Remember: no king micro-manages every aspect of his kingdom. If you spend too much time outside of your castle, you risk ineffectively running the castle itself so you must maintain a proper balance. Once you make your decision you will be able to cast such judgments as sentencing a perpetrator to time in your cold and dank dungeons or even rewarding the honest and just with gold.
Another exciting element in Fable III is the change in how ‘expressions’ are handled. This is one particular part of the first two games which I hoped would one day be expanded upon and lo and behold, gone are the simplified social interactions. There will now be two types of interactions: ‘expression touch’ and ‘dynamic touch’. Your hero will be able to turn a relationship into a true side quest where you can make the relationship more physical. This also applies to friendships. You can accept or decline a handshake, for instance. And when you have rescued someone from a traumatic encounter you can choose to comfort them afterwards.
Worth the wait?
Molyneux has tapped into the story in a way which I have not yet seen, allowing for much more gameplay after the main objective in the game. Becoming King is the climax, but in Fable III, the story does not end at that point. He asks, “Why end at potentially the most exciting bit?" It’s a very good question, and one that will be answered based on how you decide to run your Kingdom.
When someone begs for mercy, will you show them such? When someone commits murder, will you hear their side of the story, or will you cast them into the dungeon? When you’re walking around Albion and see a resident in danger, will you stop to rescue him or will you turn a blind eye? Later this year, for the third and most interactive time, you will be able to tell your own fable. Rarely does a third installment in any video game series end up being a better gaming experience than its predecessors, but if this game follows through on its promises, we should bear witness to an exception to the rule.
