Fable: The Journey's biggest trick doesn't lie in motion-controlled horse riding, or ambidextrous spell-flinging combat against Hobbes and Hollowmen, or first-person dodging of two-storey Ice Trolls, or even in the blessed ability to play Kinect while sitting down. It's in making the land of Albion seem absolutely massive.
You play Gabriel, a teenage nomad regarded as a slacker by the rest of his caravan, with whom he ekes out a simple living off the land. No ancient bloodlines here. "Ay up, Gabriel, pick up the pace," says his riding mate. "You need to stop reading about those silly Fables." As in most works of fantasy, everyone is northern.
Controlling your horse proves to be quite dull...
After cupping a hand around your mouth and calling reliable steed Seren over, then giving her glossy coat a quick brush, it's off you go. Gripping a pair of imaginary reigns, an upwards flick starts a trot and another a short speed boost. Thrusting an arm forward turns, while holding both above your head slows down. Truth be told it's actually quite dull, and not even evading the odd fallen tree or collecting experience orbs enlivens it.
ARE WE THERE YET?
What it does do is demonstrate the scale and beauty of the world. Farmers lazily pick wheat in villages powered by slow-churning watermills, familiar landmarks like Bowerstone smoke on the horizon, and jagged mountains line your periphery. Slow movement combined with a first-person view is a trick to artificially lengthen longevity whilst making the world seem disproportionately massive (let's not forget, The Journey is wholly linear), but it's a trick that works.
Unreal Engine 3, used by Lionhead for the first time, demonstrates its class in moonlit woods, haunted forts and perilous clifftop trails. Everything feels rooted and weighty. Seren really plants her hooves in dirt instead of floating a few inches above it, and performance-captured actors make animated characters of previous entries look like manipulated dolls. These are the best visuals in the franchise's history.
Comments
15 comments so far...
StonecoldMC on 9 Oct '12 said:
Put Fable back in the cupboard and lets come up with some new IP Lionhead.
Peter is gone, so its time to prove you can step out from his shadow and deliver a cracking Game.
Next Gen the onus is on you!
WHERESMYMONKEY on 9 Oct '12 said:
So what if the games on rails. I hate this being a detractor. Its b*****ks. Just because something is on rails doesn't stop it being a good game in the slightest. HOTD:OVERKILL and Dead sapce extraction are both on rails and IMO are two of the best games of this gen. LIkewise KIller 7 was on rails and is a bloody classic.
Megatrons_Fury on 9 Oct '12 said:
Lionhead are going nowhere fast. Fable 2 aside the whole franchise is stale, boring and lifeless. Once again Kingdoms of Amular walks over every game in the series. On rails games work now and again but in all honesty games need to make you feel the experience is yours not that your just watching a journey.
I have no sympathy for developers that sell out for the golden egg payday from super publishers, RARE were the same, Bizarre Creations killed themselves.
Ultimately you get what you deserve, when the final curtain is drawn on this once good company no tears will be shed here.
Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.
StonecoldMC on 9 Oct '12 said:
Pretty harsh there Fury.
Lionhead were obligated to produce a Kinect Fable Game by there employers, you know, the guys who pay your wages and mortgage?
Like I said, put this behind them and see what they come up with next Gen without Peter M.
FishyGinger on 9 Oct '12 said:
It isn't the decision from everyone at the company is it though, the people who actually make the game get very little say when they get bought.
And no, you don't always get what you deserve. That's bullsh*t.
I enjoyed Fable 2 quite a lot, it wasn't exactly a step forward from Fable 1 but enjoyably charming none the less.
I don't think kinect only gaming is really going anywhere, I'm sure kinect and controller integration could be very good though, if not for me. And I though Dead space extraction was very good indeed, so on-rails isn't really a good argument.
Barry316 on 9 Oct '12 said:
The harshest thing was comparing a series that's had 2 good games to Kingdoms of Amular. Which was dull at best and full of fetch quests but had a decent combat system.
Fable The Lost Chapters was the series high point but what a high point it was.
goggy on 9 Oct '12 said:
There has never been a good Fable game, i don't know why they bother.
MJ-Thriller94 on 9 Oct '12 said:
If Lionhead decide to make Fable 4, they really need to up their game. Fable 3 was crap, utter crap. The game was just terrible imo. I preferred Fable 2 in every single aspect. They should never have introduced that 'touch' system, as it is pretty useless. Whilst the story was ok decent, although the King part of it was far far FAR too short and over-rated before the games release, and the combat was an improvement, it failed in every other area. Fable 2 (and probably 1 and Lost Chapters, never played either) was superior.
I loved Fable 2. It felt fun to play, much bigger in terms of landscape as you felt like you had so much to explore, rather than Fable 3's set areas, and the story was really good too. I recently got the game of the year edition for the DLC but i am yet to play it.
Fable 3 felt rushed, and Lionhead didn't do the Fable Franchise any favours with it's release. Like i said, if they decide to make Fable 4, they will have to up their game considerably
MrPirtniw on 9 Oct '12 said:
Because you're wrong and they're actually pretty good? The first 2 were anyway- a breath of fresh air amongst some truly bland RPG's.
I agree with Stonecold though, they need to branch out and do something else for a bit- get the old creative juices flowing again before they return to the Fable universe. I played the demo for this new one and although it was kind of fun I can see it getting a bit monotonous and exhausting very quickly.
Cogglesz on 9 Oct '12 said:
I've nothing agaisn't on the rails, infact those on the rails arcade shooters are some of my favourite games, but
http://www.computerandvideogames.com/30 ... s-mistake/
Imaduck on 9 Oct '12 said:
Most fans of the series could've predicted this review on the reveal day
billybouffant on 9 Oct '12 said:
you ever get the feeling that maybe good old Peter Molyneux has lived his life believing that if he lies enough, that all his lies will come true? Either that or he's been living off some serious hallucinogenics since he was born.
illage2 on 10 Oct '12 said:
Sorry but Fable shouldn't
A) Be on Rails. The reason this was a bad thing for this game is that Peter (Before he left Lionhead) stated that this Fable game wasn't gonna be an "On Rails" game. So we could have actually had a decent Fable game again.
B) Use Kinect. Need I say more?
The Developers of Fable have lost their way since Fable 3. I consider this a Dead franchise.
Padua on 10 Oct '12 said:
I hope Kinect 2 will support a controller/buttons too.
"You are the Controller" has been the dumbest gaming mantra ever - apart from the dance/keep fit games where it rules.
divinebeetle on 17 Oct '12 said:
Agreed
When I read it was exclusive Kinect
can't see what it offers to this type of game imo