PC
XBox 360
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Product Features

Genre
Action and Shooter
Publisher
Microsoft
Release Date
May 20, 2011
Available Platforms
PC, XBox 360

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Fable 3

Fable 3 (PC and Xbox360), the third game in the Fable series (developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios), is staged 50 years on from Fable 2. The game player takes on the role of Prince or Princess Albion, the son or daughter of the main character in Fable 2. The aim of the game is twofold.

1. To try to assemble allies by making deals with powerful leaders and to stage a rebellion to defeat the tyrant King (Logan who is the player's older brother).
2. After being crowned King, the player has to decide whether to remain honest and good and to keep promises previously made to the allies, or to turn bad and deceive them in order to amass money to defend the kingdom of Albion against an evil creature "the Crawler".

All decisions made at this point produce even more dilemmas to be resolved by the new King and it is the players adeptness at evaluating potential outcomes that is paramount to his/her success at the end of the game.

Fable 3 is a thoroughly enjoyable game though it is quite similar to Fable 2 and some of the graphics are possibly slightly behind the times. However, the role-playing and quest elements combined with the strategy element produce a pretty successful result. Fable 3 is a game that should be included in the library of every RPG addict.

  • Erin Britton August 10, 2012 360
    ****

    I don't care what society says - Fable III is a great game!

    The format and storyline are probably quite familiar: Fable III takes place fifty years after the events of Fable II and is set in Albion, a land that is on the cusp of industrialisation. The player's character from Fable II has died and left the Kingdom of Albion to his/her son Logan, who is proving to be a tyrannical ruler. The player can pick whether to assume the character of Logan's younger brother or sister and, after choosing, the first action in the game is being forced by Logan to decide whether to kill a group of protesting citizens or your character's love interest. This decision sets the tone for the game as the player then escapes from Logan's castle along with Sir Walter Beck, their butler Jasper and their loyal dog.

    Once on the run, the player is tasked by the Seeress of the Spire to gather allies for an eventual civil war against Logan. To do so it is necessary to travel across Albion and to perform side quests that earn the trust of the Dwellers, the Bowerstone Resistance, the people of Aurora, and certain key Royal Army officers. In the course of these quests, the player will learn that there is also something far more evil than Logan that threatens the people of Albion.

    While it could be said that Fable III begins a bit slowly, the action does soon kick in and there's plenty of fighting to be done and quests to be slowed. The character customisation works really well, as do the numerous opportunities to interact with other characters, and the fighting skills flow smoothly. The world of Albion is beautifully rendered and there are plenty of characters to interact with while rambling about. I love this ability to roam freely across Albion. For a relatively big game, there are also happily few glitches and none that prevent the completion of the central quest.

    Those who have played Fable I and II might find that, initially at least, there isn't much innovation in Fable III. A lot of the character building and skills development is familiar but it all works very well and, if you liked the other games, you should like this one too. The true innovation in Fable III comes after the fight with Logan, when the player assumes the throne of Albion and is able to decide how they will rule. Games generally end after the player's victory and so it is rare indeed to be able to go on and see how your character develops after they have gained power. The new steampunk aesthetic is also pretty cool.

    There's quite a lot of downloadable content available for Fable III, including: the Understone Quest Pack and the Traitor's Keep Quest Pack which expand the game by providing more available quests, the Free Weapon Pack which contains a useful hammer and rifle, various additional clothing and hair options, and lots of new stuff for the player's dog. OK, some of this downloadable stuff isn't all that exciting [free Yule Hat anyone?] but the extra missions are really good and some of the dog stuff is funny.

    While the world of Fable might not be as epic as that features in the Elder Scrolls or even in Fallout, Fable III still has a great deal to offer. There are a good number of quests, loads of interesting characters and, above all, it is a lot of fun to play - I just with the game was longer!