Review Fable pretty swell per GameBiz AU

[Saint_Proverbius]

Tags: Fable: The Lost Chapters

<A href="http://www.gamebiz.com.au/">GameBiz AU</a> has a <A href="http://www.gamebiz.com.au/reviews.php?action=display&id=688">review</a> of <A href="http://www.microsoft.com/games/fable">Fable: The Lost Chapters</a>. It's a four page beasty with an overall score of <b>8.5/10</b>. Here's part of the beginning:
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<blockquote>So here it is - another fantastic release from the frequently brilliant Peter Molyneux (Magic Carpet, Theme Park, Black and White). This third person action adventure RPG is extremely easy to pick up, it looks beautiful, the characters are extremely entertaining, the world is vast, the game is acceptably non-linear, and it caters for such side entertainments as taking a wife, or multiple wives. Unfortunately for the hardcore RPG fan the game is relatively easy when compared to classic epics like Morrowind and Wizardry 8.</blockquote>
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I'd say <i>Dungeon Keeper</i> and <i>Populous</i> are where Molyneux was "brilliant". I certainly wouldn't have included <i>Black & White</i>. But really, "acceptably non-linear"?
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Spotted at: <A HREF="http://www.shacknews.com">Shack News</A>

 

[Chefe]

That first paragraph made me forego reading the rest of the article.

First off, like you said "acceptable non-linear"? What the hell's that supposed to mean?

Secondly, Molyenux is certainly a visionary, but I wouldn't call him "brilliant", and definitely not "frequently brilliant". And, like you also said, the reviewer mentioned Magic Carpet and Theme Park but not Populous...

Third, Morrowind is a classic? When did this happen?


I agree with the score, but this guy doesn't seem to know what he's talking about. Especially when I started reading a few lines after the intro and he said "talk" to NPCs instead of "interact" with them. Not to mention at the end he says the only downsides were that it wasn't difficult enough and didn't bring anything new to the table. I like Fable, and am planning on getting it for the PC, but there's more issues with it than that.

Funny how the review came out now, yet the reviewer failed to mention any of the horrendous bugs that the Lionhead board members have experienced.

 

[TheGreatGodPan]

You know what's more of a classic? Dungeon Siege II. I know it just came out, but my memory is so short that I can't recall any game more classic.

 

[Tintin]

As much as I despise agreeing with Codexers ( )

I always thought the term " classic" was relegated to things...over a few years old.

 

[DarkUnderlord]

Hey, Morrowind is 3 years old. That's like, ancient history in the realms of computer gaming.

... And when Oblivion is released, look forward to Morrowind being forgotten about Oblivion becoming the "classic" to replace it.

 

[Second Chance]

I'd say <i>Dungeon Keeper</i> and <i>Populous</i> are where Molyneux was "brilliant". I certainly wouldn't have included <i>Black & White</i>.

Secondly, Molyenux is certainly a visionary, but I wouldn't call him "brilliant", and definitely not "frequently brilliant". And, like you also said, the reviewer mentioned Magic Carpet and Theme Park but not Populous...

You two are no better than the reviewer, since you forgot to mention Molyneux's true masterpiece: Syndicate

 

[Saint_Proverbius]

Syndicate is a great game, but I didn't forget about it. Populous spawned the "god sim" genre and Dungeon Keeper is one of the most addictive games ever made. Syndicate made great strides of it's own by being a combination of strategy and action as well as offering the whole soldier upgrade via implants thing.

I certainly wouldn't have included Black & White in there, nor Fable though.

 

[Second Chance]

Syndicate is a great game, but I didn't forget about it. Populous spawned the "god sim" genre and Dungeon Keeper is one of the most addictive games ever made. Syndicate made great strides of it's own by being a combination of strategy and action as well as offering the whole soldier upgrade via implants thing.

I certainly wouldn't have included Black & White in there, nor Fable though.

Populous is certainly an important point in the history of strategy games, and even Populous 2 and Powermonger are great games. However, it's on Syndicate that Molyneux proves that his success was not a fluke, and he does for real time squad based tactical games what Julian Gollop had done for turn based squad based tactical games before.

Dungeon Keeper is certainly original, but whether it's addictive or not, is susceptible to opinion. In fact, one can even praise Molyneux for designing highly original games: Theme Park, Magic Carpet, Dungeon Keeper etc.

Nowadays, of course Molyneux has failed to deliver, even though he has tried something new again with both Black & White and Fable.

I personally blame the industry, not him. What can the "Old Gods" of game designing do nowadays? Make small companies and try to survive (worked well for Sid Meier, OK-ish for Julian Gollop and badly for DW Bradley, we'll see what happens to others like Fargo etc), or let himself be drawn by bigger companies and obey its whims (worked well for Garriott, is probably working terribly for Molyneux).

I nevertheless have hope that Molyneux will one day be able to bring us something new and original again. Fable The Lost Chapters wasn't a bad game, it's simply an average one.