Fable II

 Xbox 360
User Score
6.7

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2680 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,640 out of 2680
  2. Mixed: 289 out of 2680
  3. Negative: 751 out of 2680
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Player848
    Nov 15, 2021
    5
    Я ждал долгих 15 лет, чтобы отучиться, найти работу, заработать денег и купить это XBOX360. Потому что у родителей не было на него денег. И наконец я сыграл в этого "FABLE II". Уважаемые разработчики вот вы гады, почему нельзя было играть на обычном компьютере? Я ждал целых 15 лет... и не доиграл да же .. не понравилось .. наверное вырос...Я ждал долгих 15 лет, чтобы отучиться, найти работу, заработать денег и купить это XBOX360. Потому что у родителей не было на него денег. И наконец я сыграл в этого "FABLE II". Уважаемые разработчики вот вы гады, почему нельзя было играть на обычном компьютере? Я ждал целых 15 лет... и не доиграл да же .. не понравилось .. наверное вырос...
  2. CamyVero
    May 24, 2021
    7
    Entertaining ARPG, with a good overall design and a fun sense of humour. Today it may not have aged as well as its genre and generation mates, but the story is good and the gameplay is good. It's a simple RPG, with little depth in some aspects, although at first it may seem otherwise. It lacks more varied side quests. Nevertheless, it took me about 30 hours to complete and for the price IEntertaining ARPG, with a good overall design and a fun sense of humour. Today it may not have aged as well as its genre and generation mates, but the story is good and the gameplay is good. It's a simple RPG, with little depth in some aspects, although at first it may seem otherwise. It lacks more varied side quests. Nevertheless, it took me about 30 hours to complete and for the price I got it, it's more than enough.… Expand
  3. Kayox
    Nov 25, 2019
    5
    Well the game definitely has some good points to it, but the plethora of game-breaking glitches can ruin it for anyone.

    Combat is fun in this game. I like the targeting and subtargeting with guns and crossbows. It's fun to shoot weapons out of an enemy's hand and the ability to decapitate someone with a blunderbuss is cool. I like the addition of gender as a choice at character    Well the game definitely has some good points to it, but the plethora of game-breaking glitches can ruin it for anyone.

    Combat is fun in this game. I like the targeting and subtargeting with guns and crossbows. It's fun to shoot weapons out of an enemy's hand and the ability to decapitate someone with a blunderbuss is cool. I like the addition of gender as a choice at character creation. Interactions with random NPCs is improved, but still not too real. Pretty much everyone, male and female say the same thing to you based on how they perceive you.
    The gamebreaking glitches are annoying and apparently will never be fixed. Lionhead studios does not support the game, directing you to Microsoft support. Microsoft support doesn't support the game either basically telling you "Tough luck" if you email them about problems with the game. The game breaking glitch that forced me to start from the beginning again was originally reported on the Fable 2 forums back in 2008 and it is now 2011 with no fix. Since you can not have multiple saves and the game autosaves, these glitches will ruin your experience if you are unfortunate enough to have one.    … Expand
  4. canceRnya
    Oct 29, 2018
    5
    Ради него в паст гене я сделал выбор в пользу Эксбокса, а не Сонечки. Не помню что с ней было не так, наверное вся игра была не так, хотя пролог не плохой.
  5. iddqd4
    Mar 16, 2018
    7
    Вроде бы и не плохо, но этого было мало, так и не домучил до конца.
  6. artificeprime
    Oct 31, 2017
    6
    Fable 2 improves on Fable 1 in some areas but unfortunately in the process it loses a lot of what made its predecessor great. This is definitely a case of one step forward two steps back. Fable 2 offers a bigger world and more content than Fable 1 but nearly all of that content is dumbed-down. Many of the best features of Fable 1 have been completely rebuilt and replaced with somethingFable 2 improves on Fable 1 in some areas but unfortunately in the process it loses a lot of what made its predecessor great. This is definitely a case of one step forward two steps back. Fable 2 offers a bigger world and more content than Fable 1 but nearly all of that content is dumbed-down. Many of the best features of Fable 1 have been completely rebuilt and replaced with something worse. It started off pretty good but quickly became one of the most disappointing games I have ever played.

    Gameplay was something that Fable 1 did exceptionally well. The magic system was intuitive, diverse and extremely fun to use. Each spell in Fable 1 was unique and offered a different pros and cons. It was also fun and rewarding to power up those spells. The magic system in Fable 2 is generic by comparison, most of the spells are now far more similar to each other. Fable 1 also did a great job of making you carefully balance your stats and work to get a character that had enough magic point to spam powerful spells. It was a rewarding system with lots of options for different play styles. Fable 2 removes almost all of that. Now you have no magic bar and can just spam every spell endlessly from the start. That makes magic overpowered and largely diminishes the value of leveling up or finding good gear that can replenish your magic. All you need to do is power up 1 spell to the max and then spam it endlessly. Your character also can't die so there is no sense of consequence. Fable 1 had very limited choices but at least there was a sense that those choices mattered, Fable 2 makes every choice feel meaningless. On the plus side there is quite a bit of interactivity with the world this time more than in the last Fable. You can swim now and there are a variety of ways to interact with mpcs. You can get married, have children and buy property which can lead to some funny situations but its all pretty shallow. The emotions bar is expanded but offers little beyond mild fun. Menus and UI are all simple and work pretty well.

    The Story starts off with an intriguing concept but that's about the only good thing about it. Almost every event and decision has no major consequence. It is boring and generic but worse than that it offers very little sense of progression or sense of accomplishment. Fable 1 didn't have a great story either but at least there was a good sense of progression. I felt like my character was accomplished by the end. With Fable 2 I felt like nothing I did really mattered or impacted my character's development. It was easy to get overpowered very early so by the end I never felt that my character had grown. The story is no worse than your average plat former but for an RPG it is far below average.

    The world is a big improvement over Fable 1. Every area is far bigger and more open, but it still doesn't stand out as exceptional compared to other games.

    The visuals are good and a lot of the visual design is appealing and unique. Towns and settlements all pretty well crafted with fairly detailed buildings and a decent variety in settlements. The lighting is good although there are a few places where it is a bit distracting. The characters themselves look a bit awkward, its kind of a caricature looking style but it works well enough. Particle effects are also pretty good just a little bit overdone when you enter into extreme combat situations.

    Sound design is fine the voice acting is and sound effects are both good but the soundtrack itself is very mediocre. While nothing about the soundtrack stood out to me as bat it sometimes feels a bit out of place. It rarely adds much in the way of emotional impact. Still there are a few good track.

    The tone of Fable 2 is an odd blend of comic relief with situations that should be serious. The problem is that lopsided tone often took me out of the experience. I found it very difficult to get immersed in the world and story. I never really found myself sympathizing or caring about any of the characters.

    Overall Fable 2 isn't a bad game, it is still fun to play and on a superficial level it functions well enough. The controls are good. The visuals and sound design are both pretty good. The problem is that gameplay is not rewarding, everything feels dumbed-down. The story is basic and disappointing. There is no sense of progression and most other aspects of the game are generic. Fable 2 like Fable 1 has some really good ideas but fails to really make any of those ideas work really well. My biggest complaint though is that Fable 2 ruins many of the best qualities of its predecessor and that is something that should never happen. The Fable games are unique and I think they offer something that could be really great unfortunately the execution here is very disappointing.

    I give Fable 2 a 65%

    Gameplay - 7
    Story - 5
    World - 8
    Characters - 6
    Visual Style - 8
    Sound Design - 7
    Uniqueness - 7
    Length/Amount of Content - 6
    Immersion - 6
    X-Factor - 5    … Expand
  7. Barnes1987
    Mar 28, 2017
    6
    A major step down from the first game. Fable 2 is still a solid game but so much more was expected of this and it didn't deliver anywhere near it. Worth a one time play through at least.
  8. anichels
    Jan 1, 2016
    5
    How this is a sequel to the first Fable, I'll never know.
    The Hero's guild is all but gone - there are no heroes left, no rival to grow up with and train - it's an unnecessary Player vs. the world concept, a world you are not part of. Though it was a decent game, the interaction with NPCs was hollowed out, the lore and books were boring and the fact that you use guns was a step in the    How this is a sequel to the first Fable, I'll never know.
    The Hero's guild is all but gone - there are no heroes left, no rival to grow up with and train - it's an unnecessary Player vs. the world concept, a world you are not part of. Though it was a decent game, the interaction with NPCs was hollowed out, the lore and books were boring and the fact that you use guns was a step in the wrong direction.    … Expand
  9. BigDegs29
    Nov 12, 2014
    6
    This game is way too short. Several great ideas, like the ability to purchase properties to bring in a constant income, are negated because (a) the games too short for that to have a positive impact, and (b) at some point you won't know what to do with that excess money anyway!

    People talk about Fable's charm, and while I somewhat see that, sometimes it just boils down to fart jokes    This game is way too short. Several great ideas, like the ability to purchase properties to bring in a constant income, are negated because (a) the games too short for that to have a positive impact, and (b) at some point you won't know what to do with that excess money anyway!

    People talk about Fable's charm, and while I somewhat see that, sometimes it just boils down to fart jokes and constant flipping the bird. That's not charm folks; that's child's play.

    Combat is somewhat more enjoyable than the original, but that's not saying much. For a game that prides itself on choice, you really only have two impacting choices in the game: be good or be evil.

    The story if lackluster, which is typical of all Fable games. The characters are a little more interesting. It's just not enough to keep you hooked. I struggled to finish the game, which is terrible considering how short it is! Some of the mini-games are fun though.

    I'm not sure I'd recommend any Fable game, and after this one I didn't even try the third (although I hear it's more of the same). Look elsewhere for fun RPGs.    … Expand
  10. Steeliosis
    Mar 22, 2014
    7
    The main downfall with Fable 2 is, in my opinion, the fact that it is a victim of it's own success. Fable: The Lost Chapters was stunning, but Fable 2 was far less impressive. However, it was, by any stretch of the mind, a worthwhile game for the franchise.

    The story, I personally found, was slightly deeper and more innovative than the original, with three heroes who must come together    The main downfall with Fable 2 is, in my opinion, the fact that it is a victim of it's own success. Fable: The Lost Chapters was stunning, but Fable 2 was far less impressive. However, it was, by any stretch of the mind, a worthwhile game for the franchise.

    The story, I personally found, was slightly deeper and more innovative than the original, with three heroes who must come together to defeat the current ruler of Albion. The game takes place in what appears to be around the 1700's. The regions are far more expansive than it's predecessor, and there is a lot more to collect and do, but the combat is not so great. Every time you get knocked down, you simply get up again like it was nothing, and lose any experience you dropped. This removes any specific challenge within the game, and makes it almost insulting to fans of the previous game. There are still legendary weapons, lots of property to buy, lots of dig spots, gambling, and a new feature to the series; jobs. You will earn money by activating the job at one of the work points, and then playing a minigame, which can get slightly repetitive after a while, but is good to make a little extra on the top. Property can still be purchased, and on occasion, is mandatory for specific quests and items.

    There isn't much more to say about this game. Just think Fable with less challenge, more collectibles, bigger regions, new characters, new story, new experience system, and you have Fable 2. Not perfect, but not terrible.    … Expand
  11. coopert
    Jan 19, 2014
    7
    Fable II misses out on the top end of the scores for two reasons, the first being that it didn't deliver what it promised in the build up to it's release, a lot of the features qualities where exaggerated I mean the world responds to your actions but in a very poor way and the moral choice system is straight up garbage. The second reason it misses out is because it fails as an RPG, it'sFable II misses out on the top end of the scores for two reasons, the first being that it didn't deliver what it promised in the build up to it's release, a lot of the features qualities where exaggerated I mean the world responds to your actions but in a very poor way and the moral choice system is straight up garbage. The second reason it misses out is because it fails as an RPG, it's like the game can't decide weather its a hack and slash or a role player. I admit the world (well most of it) is built to RPG standards, there are a few linear bits, but the towns are great places to spend time but it's all for no reason. The game looks good with a Disneyesque presentation which gives the game real character and the characters themselves are fun and colourful with lots of well crafted quests, the combat is solid however a little repetitive but overall this game is well worth playing despite it not quite delivering on expectations.… Expand
  12. super1
    May 31, 2013
    5
    fable 2 is disappointing but that dose not mean it is bad. Fable 2 has a mediocre story and average side quests, but there are two main problems which are the game is to easy i was never on the edge or worried that i was going to die because i never died once in the entire game. The second problem was the combat was only based on one button so in combat all i needed to do was keep pressingfable 2 is disappointing but that dose not mean it is bad. Fable 2 has a mediocre story and average side quests, but there are two main problems which are the game is to easy i was never on the edge or worried that i was going to die because i never died once in the entire game. The second problem was the combat was only based on one button so in combat all i needed to do was keep pressing x all the time to win. Thats not to say its all bad managing my property was pretty cool and a nice addition to the game, it was also very addictive.… Expand
  13. sJagstang
    Mar 17, 2013
    6
    Fable II by Lionhead Studio's is a solid action adventure game but it just lacks in a lot of area's, The game is way too easy which takes away any challenge the game could of had, the world is sometimes very graphically appealing and has a magical feel, but other times it's bland and uninteresting, It's a very mixed bag with some silly design choices. The fact that you have to sit thereFable II by Lionhead Studio's is a solid action adventure game but it just lacks in a lot of area's, The game is way too easy which takes away any challenge the game could of had, the world is sometimes very graphically appealing and has a magical feel, but other times it's bland and uninteresting, It's a very mixed bag with some silly design choices. The fact that you have to sit there doing boring work mini-games to get money is the most uninteresting game design I have seen in recent times, Your companion dog is a nice addition with some good AI to him with helping find you treasure and dig spots, But in the end Fable II is a technically solid title, but bad design choices bring it down dramatically. If you own an Xbox 360 and want a fantasy action adventure title, Fable II is a decent ride despite some issues but if you are looking for deep game design then you should look elsewhere as you will not find it here.… Expand
  14. Boogsbay
    Feb 8, 2013
    7
    Fable 2 is a good game. The story is fine but could have been better, the combat is a bit sluggish but okay once you get used to it. The dog feature was nice as it follows your alignment and changes like you and the towns are lively as villagers and guards spawn back if they die. I was disappointed in the ending though as it wasn't a good ending. But overall I had fun playing this game andFable 2 is a good game. The story is fine but could have been better, the combat is a bit sluggish but okay once you get used to it. The dog feature was nice as it follows your alignment and changes like you and the towns are lively as villagers and guards spawn back if they die. I was disappointed in the ending though as it wasn't a good ending. But overall I had fun playing this game and maybe you can too.… Expand
  15. ActionBastard
    Jan 14, 2013
    6
    If you're after a decent economy, a great selection of weapons and a fully fleshed out sandbox RPG, Fable 2 might just be the game for you.
    Graphically superior to Fable 1 and Superior in every field to Fable 3, I always come back to it every year to play through again.
    You can also train up your dog, build statues of yourself, buy potions which give you experience points, buy shops,    If you're after a decent economy, a great selection of weapons and a fully fleshed out sandbox RPG, Fable 2 might just be the game for you.
    Graphically superior to Fable 1 and Superior in every field to Fable 3, I always come back to it every year to play through again.
    You can also train up your dog, build statues of yourself, buy potions which give you experience points, buy shops, rent out properties without having to maintain them.

    Additionally, the player can make money even when the game isn't switched on. Every hour, the money the player makes through a rented property gets added on regardless of whether the game is on or not.
    Also, One of the demon doors in the game provides the best jump scare in a game ever.    … Expand
  16. Kydos
    Dec 20, 2012
    7
    The overall feeling I had with this game is that it took most of what the original did wrong and made it right but also inexplicably left out most of what the first game did right. The magic in this game just didn't feel as fun as it did in Fable, you didn't feel like an unstoppable powerhouse and that's probably because they didn't want you to be one. However that's what I liked about theThe overall feeling I had with this game is that it took most of what the original did wrong and made it right but also inexplicably left out most of what the first game did right. The magic in this game just didn't feel as fun as it did in Fable, you didn't feel like an unstoppable powerhouse and that's probably because they didn't want you to be one. However that's what I liked about the original game, running around in Union Jack boxers beating up guards with a stick, it was funny. I feel that a lot of the humour was lost in this game. Unfortunately it doesn't replace the humour with a more solid storyline, that is, unless you're playing as the good guy. I always feel that Fable would have benefitted if instead of calling you Evil when you were getting up to mischief, they called you a "bit of an a**hole who still gets the job done" because there was a point in the game when I was standing head and shoulders above Theresa wearing a dark trench coat and a pirate hat and I felt like I was being told off by my mother. In Fable this would have been funny but the sequel just didn't quite pull it off. Still a very fun game, pity they never bothered releasing it for PC.… Expand
  17. Setman428
    Aug 3, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Ok, so Fable II sounds like this really awesome game. I never had any of the gamebreaking glitches mentioned here (but there were some funny ones, such as when Bowerstone lost its buildings after completing a job). However, why am I giving this game a 6? The combat is ok, that's a pass. I like the demon doors and the silver keys, in my opinion, those are the pride and the glory of this game. But there are three glaring problems: lore, story, and items. Albion, I have to say, is not a very exciting fantasy world. Firstly, it's not big, like Nirn (Elder Scrolls), Amalur (KOA:R) or even Tyria (Guild Wars). No fun races (hell, even elves would sound nice in the game), realistic backstory (like who created the world? why the hell are we even in this game?) or even fun creatures (heh, the most menancing is a Balverine, a rip off of every single werewolf you've seen, and btw, only 5 types of creatures to kill). Secondly, its story (which includes sidequests) just lacks the feel Skyrim has. In Skyrim, you're lost in the world, like a kid in a candy store. Everything is beautiful, feels magnificent, and even feels real (bears attacking you on the middle of the road, numerous [and I mean NUMEROUS] caverns, forts, waterfalls, mountains, forests, just like a real world). Secondly, the lore is so bad the story suffers (couldn't you have chosen something better than Hero as the "heroes" of the world? And, might I mention, no fun boss fights [trolls don't count] or final battle-WHY CAN'T I JUST FIGHT LUCIEN? WHY DOES A BULLET JUST KILL HIM?). Thirdly, the item system is no fun. Only four types of weapons (from Rusty, Iron, Steel and Master) instead of countless numbers of great loot and items you get in other rpgs. I don't know if I can call Fable II an RPG. Yes, I can level up. Yes, I can "upgrade" my equipment. The first time I played through it, maybe I said yes. Maybe I convinced myself it was indeed worthy of competing with Oblivion. But now, I know even Oblivion is several steps ahead. If I could become completely lost and immersed in Fable II, then it would absolutley crush Bethesda's masterpiece. But its lack of length or even its lack of redundancy cripple the game, allowing the Elder Scrolls to trample over it. I want more out of you Lionhead. You're not a terrible company. I want to have more items and customizations to choose from. I want to explore a massive, massive, world. Fable could have been that and so much more. It may forever be the game that promised immense potential and failed to deliver. If it were anywhere on the level of Oblivion and Skyrim, then I would crown it the king of games.… Expand
  18. aspentitan
    Mar 30, 2012
    5
    OMG what a terrible game. This has to rank as one of the most solid game products out there that is dull dull dull. A fantastic job was done on the world and some of the dungeon or areas were done fantastic but the gameplay is about as basic as it can get and even those mechanics are poor at best. The game is so simple it is a one button masher, ok I can understand we want this game to beOMG what a terrible game. This has to rank as one of the most solid game products out there that is dull dull dull. A fantastic job was done on the world and some of the dungeon or areas were done fantastic but the gameplay is about as basic as it can get and even those mechanics are poor at best. The game is so simple it is a one button masher, ok I can understand we want this game to be for the young or inexperienced gamer but then what is with the romantic parts of the game? Are we trying to teach the young how to have an orgy with anyone of any sex because in this game I tried to get my wife and my wife only to follow me and instead we constantly find a mob of groupies standing around me offering to marry me. On the status screen my wife says she wants sex yet you can buy her the world, all her special likes in her favorate world areas, then she does nothing except clap her hands and watch you do silly tricks and is not interested in trigerring her status effects. So, if the status screen says one thing and the action side doesn't match, the game is broken. Its not just broken there either- the game is too simple for advanced gamers and too far out there for youngsters too....Lets talk about other mechanics, I can buy one shop or home then turn my xbox off lets say for a month and come back and I'm a millionare? I like the advancement systems, they are neat but really that is all, if i leave my xbox off i can come back rich as can be and buy the game up. There is so much wrong with this game i don't know where to start. Maybe if i was 10 years old it would appeal but being an adult i have to say this game is definately not for me.… Expand
  19. spadenx
    Nov 29, 2011
    5
    Its pretty average if you ask me and not as good as the first game. While Fable 2 is a ton more realistic and life like then the previous game, There are a ton and I mean a ton of bugs and glitches as well as a poorly designed world and simple combat. Its pretty disapointing.
  20. IHateFanboys
    Nov 9, 2011
    6
    I enjoyed playing this game particularly with all the little options available, but it never really clicked for me. I never found the draw to come back and finish this one. Didn't stop me from playing the 3rd one on sale but it really didn't shine as much as I'd hoped it would.
  21. ingredients
    Aug 30, 2011
    7
    A decent RPG, but not deserving of GOTY 2008 (Gamespot). The game-play was fun while it lasted, but the sense of achievement or adventure in the game was limited by how easy everything is, and how little there is to do.
  22. aadms
    Jul 3, 2011
    7
    That was it? Throughout playing the game, I kept going back and forth from giving this game an eight or a seven. With the defeat of the main threat over (and still having over half of the side quests to do) I easily settled on a seven. It's not so much that this game has potential, it reached extremely well everything that they wanted to do to make it a unique and entertaining, it's justThat was it? Throughout playing the game, I kept going back and forth from giving this game an eight or a seven. With the defeat of the main threat over (and still having over half of the side quests to do) I easily settled on a seven. It's not so much that this game has potential, it reached extremely well everything that they wanted to do to make it a unique and entertaining, it's just that they forgot to flesh out a story for your hero. A big plus was the "Sims interaction" approach with all the npcs. It certainly doesn't feel like your hero is the loneliest person on the planet any more. The combat starts off annoying due to the button mashing, but after leveling up your not having to hit the same ol' button (too much anyway). The use of a gun and the ability granted to shoot the body, head (always go for the head) or the weapon was a nice unique feature that you can't even find in today's shooters. And even though they went with caricatures of a 2-D style, the game's artwork and graphics were stunning. Probably one of the best looking RPG's I've played to date (and this game is three years old at this point) because of the artists strong attention to detail they give this game. After reading other reviews, I keep seeing the words "for the experience", and, yes, I agree. I recommend this above else for the experience of what Lionhead has created. But the sad parts are, for one, you are stuck on paths and have very little room to explore the world that was created. And the mapping system left me seriously disorientated to where I was at in the relationship to the continent? country? world? of Albion. Which is how I think this game comes off; disorientating yet worth getting lost into. Even if it's for the short duration of its plot line.… Expand
  23. ImUnavailable
    Jun 27, 2011
    7
    Fable has yet to make good on its promise of revolutionizing the RPG. Combat has been simplified, meaning that swords, bows and magic each have their own buttons. There is a significant imbalance between these powers, with magic becoming so strong that you would be stupid to use anything else. The story is one-dimensional and the characters are never developed. The side aspects of the gameFable has yet to make good on its promise of revolutionizing the RPG. Combat has been simplified, meaning that swords, bows and magic each have their own buttons. There is a significant imbalance between these powers, with magic becoming so strong that you would be stupid to use anything else. The story is one-dimensional and the characters are never developed. The side aspects of the game (a variety of jobs, marrying, having a family) are shallow and there is not much point (other than money) to spend any time at them. Getting married is the most uninteresting as every man and woman are pretty much the same. The only information given are their names and moderately useful facts about them. The game is too short and the final boss is underwhelming. Still, I would be lying if I said that I didn't enjoy playing it. There are lots of secrets and plenty of loot to keep players interested. The combat is fast and satisfying. The world is wider and more accessible although Albion never feels as alive or as vibrant as Cyrodil from Oblivion or Hyrule from Legend of Zelda. The Fable series, though entertaining, has many problems at its core and has yet to reach the upper echelons of western RPG's.… Expand
  24. thebrock
    May 9, 2011
    7
    Not a bad game. In my mind the user score is more accurate than the metacritic score. Fable is decent, has a good story line and is fun. Also graphics are exceptional. Problem is this game gets boring towards the end. Worth playing.
  25. TheCoz
    Apr 21, 2011
    6
    Fable 2 is the second in Lionhead Studio's series of games that over reach and promise to be a complete and immersive game experience but just sort of end up being mediocre action/adventure titles, Though nice to look at and filled with some great comedic dialougue and some good SIM-life options Fable 2 falls short of the hype. Should it be judged so harshly on hype? Normally I would sayFable 2 is the second in Lionhead Studio's series of games that over reach and promise to be a complete and immersive game experience but just sort of end up being mediocre action/adventure titles, Though nice to look at and filled with some great comedic dialougue and some good SIM-life options Fable 2 falls short of the hype. Should it be judged so harshly on hype? Normally I would say 'No." but the developers here have used their 'innovation" and "unique and creative game design" buzzwords to create a frothing pulsing hype around what they claim to be a game changer but just ends up being "pretty entertaining".

    Fable 2 is kind of short. From the standpoint of any RPG fan. The main story missions will take you well under 15 hours to complete. There are side quests and jobs to perform and houses to buy so that you could just try and inhabit the world for hours after you've completed the game but since none of this seems necessary to the overall plot I found myself not giving a hoot. The story attempts greatness and I must say, since I was reading the Dark Tower series while playing this, there were certain elements that thoroughly intrigued me, but it does fall apart almost comically in the third act. To the point where you're left wonder what the hell just happened.

    It isn't all bad. The combat system is top notch allowing action gamers like me to take control of of 3 different play styles all at once and giving you a great sense of power and finesse throughout. Even in the most mundane of battles I found myself enjoying it to the last swing, shot or fireball. It's a great looking game as well. None of that photo-realistic mumbo jumbo, this thing is completely stylish (like a Fable) and it all looks great. The arcetechture and clothes all contribute to a great setting.

    All in all I did want to enjoy this more than I did. But with customization options just laying there like a limp noodle as well as the story. The short list of good points don't add up to a "game changer".    … Expand
  26. emeraldstorm
    Apr 19, 2011
    6
    There were a lot of cool things in the game, but the game was just not well balanced and integrated. First, it is extremely easy. I kept thinking that this was a kid's game and then realized that it had adult content. The interface is horrible. Inventory use and management is prohibitively slow and awkward. The economy is completely out of scale- I had millions of gold with very littleThere were a lot of cool things in the game, but the game was just not well balanced and integrated. First, it is extremely easy. I kept thinking that this was a kid's game and then realized that it had adult content. The interface is horrible. Inventory use and management is prohibitively slow and awkward. The economy is completely out of scale- I had millions of gold with very little to spend it on. On a related issue, re: treasures you have to patiently wait for the dog to find the 'dig spot', and then patiently wait until the digging animation was done. And then.. boom.. the treasures were almost always useless. When I have over 2 million gold, a sack of 5,000 gold is unrewarding. To me, it is as though they made the game, but never bothered playing it. Because anyone who played the game would notice these issues. It is unfortunate, because there were some very cool features in the game, and the potential was there for a great game but the lack of *balance* and *integration* really made the game hard to be fun. I'm not sure how some critics (or users) felt justified giving this game a 10. It's definitely not a 10. Some of the features of the game may have deserved a 10, but, as a whole, I think the User Score average captured it with a 6.2.… Expand
  27. Surumbu
    Mar 20, 2011
    7
    First, I will admit that had never played Fable when I played Fable II, so I didn't have any prior experience with the franchise going into this game. That being said, I did have a lot of fun playing this and exploring the world. The story was alright and the character interactions were really quite good/well acted, but the climatic moment was too sudden and short for me to really feelFirst, I will admit that had never played Fable when I played Fable II, so I didn't have any prior experience with the franchise going into this game. That being said, I did have a lot of fun playing this and exploring the world. The story was alright and the character interactions were really quite good/well acted, but the climatic moment was too sudden and short for me to really feel the payoff from all the hours invested. But I did enjoy the metagame of being a hedonistic slum lord hero, and watching the reactions of the NPC's around me - that alone provided hours of hilarity.… Expand
  28. dottowiggle
    Mar 16, 2011
    5
    Technically sound and nice visuals which I like,however your time in the world of Fable 2 is wasted.Why build up spell power and such when there are no big bosses or even challenging encounters.Some great ideas but poorly implemented.The most generic story very dissapointing.Its bad when you're 4 year old can complete a game like this.I wanted to love it more but it just let me down overTechnically sound and nice visuals which I like,however your time in the world of Fable 2 is wasted.Why build up spell power and such when there are no big bosses or even challenging encounters.Some great ideas but poorly implemented.The most generic story very dissapointing.Its bad when you're 4 year old can complete a game like this.I wanted to love it more but it just let me down over and over and over.… Expand
  29. Weggy
    Mar 15, 2011
    7
    The highly anticipated Fable 2. I enjoyed Fable 1 so much. it was awesome. I had such high hope. But I've got to be honest. For me it just didn't deliver. There's so many bugs and the most annoying thing of all is the low FPS while executing jobs and cycling through menus. I keep playing hoping it will have more to give but it just doesn't grab me like the first one. Sad face :(
  30. thelawgiver
    Mar 9, 2011
    6
    Fable II is entertaining and, at least for a time, fun. The main quest line is very short, though, and the myriad side quests and "life" elements that supposedly provide "hours and hours" of gameplay really aren't very much fun. Combat is really easy, and the proliferation of life phials means that even in the off chance that you do fall in battle, you're revived without consequence.Fable II is entertaining and, at least for a time, fun. The main quest line is very short, though, and the myriad side quests and "life" elements that supposedly provide "hours and hours" of gameplay really aren't very much fun. Combat is really easy, and the proliferation of life phials means that even in the off chance that you do fall in battle, you're revived without consequence. Even if you DON'T have said life phial., you're resurrected with a negligible loss of experience and a scar somewhere on your body. Oh no, my video game character is scarred! Now I have to restart the whole game! The interface to switch between spells is also poorly constructed, making it nearly impossible to create a true mage. Ranged weapons are handy here and there, but the game is really geared toward the swordsman build. Overall, the RPG elements are lacking.

    But then, you're supposed to be able to spend hours "living the life" of the hero. Sure, you can get married. Multiple times, even. To a man and a woman, if you want. But who cares? You can get a job doing the same thing - chopping wood, pouring beer, banging a hammer on an anvil - over and over and over and over again. Woo-hoo. You can buy every single piece of property in the entire game world, if you have to patience to save up the money. You can watch your weight or get fat. You can get tattoos and haircuts, as well as change your clothes. But these are things I have to do in real life! I don't want to have to do them in a video game, too! Fable II is a mildly entertaining, quaint game that gets old after about 10 hours. Even for the obsessive compulsive completionist, this game will disappoint.    … Expand
prev
Page:

Awards & Rankings

9
#9 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2008
5
#5 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2008
3
#3 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2008

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
89

Generally favorable reviews - based on 95 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 93 out of 95
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 95
  3. Negative: 0 out of 95
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    95
    Fable II is everything Molyneux promised the first time around. It's funny, deep, emotional, epic, and, yes, wildly charming. We are already eager for a second playthrough, and we're betting a lot of you will have exactly the same reaction. [Dec 2008, p.68]
    Read full review
  2. Edge Magazine
    90
    It’s a game that builds gradually and then becomes irresistible, a beautiful lump of an RPG that continues beyond the close of its main campaign, and will have you thinking about it when you’re not at your 360. [Dec 2008, p.79]
  3. Gameplayer
    95
    The combat handles well, it’s visually stunning, the voice acting and musical score are brilliant, and the epic storyline doesn’t end before it begins (like the first game did). But the most appealing thing about it is that it delivers everything that Molyneux has promised, plus it is oozing with wit and charm - something sorely lacking from many games nowadays. At the end of the day, Fable II is a triumph and a must buy.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »