E3 Hands-On: Fable III - Preview
by VGChartz Staff , posted on 23 June 2010 / 2,442 Views
Among the many games on the show floor at Microsoft's E3 booth, Fable III was a prominent feature. After two successful titles in the series, the time has come for Lionhead to once again take us back to the world of Albion. As usual, Peter Molyneux is talking up this game as being feature rich, and after having a few minutes to actually play the game, I have to say I look forward to what he has cooking.
Fable III is a role playing game, and the story arc will center around the character you assume. One of the great aspects of the Fable series is the fact that the game is tuned to allow you to project your own personality on the role you are playing. You can be as benevolent or malevolent as you choose. Fable III will take that concept to new heights as the story revolves around your journey to become King of Albion, and then continues as you assume your role of authority. You can be a peaceful and generous king, or you can rule with a fascist fist. The game promises to delve deeper into the morality and ethics of choices you make.
The demo on the show floor was a small dungeon and boss fight. Those familiar with Fable II will immediately be able to grasp the battle system of Fable III. The changes are subtle and chances are you will take them for granted. The speed is slightly increased, and targeting and casting feels a little smoother. The single button gameplay is still in tact and context sensitive attacks return.
The game does have some significant improvements though. First, the menu system has been overhauled. It has been designed to be simple and user friendly. The rep on the show floor explained to me that they found players spent a lot of time navigating menus in Fable II and desired to make the user interface much more streamlined. The second, and much more exciting change, is to the multiplayer. As you may remember, in Fable II there was no incentive to co-op with a friend because all the currency and experience gained was made null once you returned to your Albion. That is no longer the case; you can co-op with a buddy and reap the benefits.
The end of the demo was a cliffhanger in a brand new area. Albion will now have a desert wasteland. It also ended with a major moral choice cliffhanger. It seems that we can expect many of Lionhead's desires to be incorporated, but it will be interesting to see just how deep the morality system is once you become King of Albion.
We will find out on October 26, 2010.
