Gambling Fable 2

Fable II is an action role-playing open world video game in the Fable game series developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360.It is the sequel to Fable and Fable: The Lost Chapters, it was originally announced in 2006 and released in October 2008. Released for purchase almost 2 months before the release of Fable II, Fable II Pub Games gives players the chance to earn early money and 15 possible items for their Fable II character through playing three gambling minigames.Players select a throwaway character portrait for the Pub Games (the chara.

Gambling is a function of many Towns in Diablo II where the player buys a seemingly normal item, but has the chance to be magical, rare or even unique / set.

Fable 4 is finally a reality. After months nay years of speculation and rumour, Microsoft announced the fourth entry in the series, and it's technically just simply called Fable. The teaser trailer that's been shown off so far at the July 23 Xbox games showcase gave us the confirmation that the epic fantasy RPG is back at last, and seems to have retained its tongue-in-cheek British humour.

It's now officially on the upcoming Xbox Series X games list, even if we don't have a release date just yet. While we know it's coming to Xbox Series X, it doesn't feel like we'll be seeing it during that Holiday 2020 launch window.

Also confirmed was - with the passing of Lionhead - that new Fable is in the hands of Playground Games, the studio that has brought you the glorious Forza Horizon series. We know that courtesy of a huge Fable 4 leak that emerged a while back, which revealed that a massive chunk of the gameplay, and core themes, may have changed, including that the game is likely set across multiple planets, and could even involve time travel. Madness.

'To put the Fable franchise - and give it a completely fresh start - in the hands of one of the greatest game developers in the world, and also right there in England with Playground Games, is sort of a dream come true,' said Aaron Greenberg, general manager of Xbox Games Marketing at Microsoft.

'We're letting them get a fresh start with the franchise and really you can see it's still got the classic British humor that's really true to the franchise, it's obviously going to be a role-playing game, we've got the best folks in the industry working on it. Today was just the reveal of the game, and we're excited to officially say Fable's coming, and we'll share more when we're ready.'

So, with that in mind, here's everything we know about Fable 4 so far...

Teaser Fable 4 trailer

Swords, magic, fairies, Albion glimmering in the distance - all the Fable ingredients seem to be in order so far. The voiceover is familiar too, it just screams Royal Shakespeare company.

'The world is filled with stories of legendary heroes and treacherous villains. Of fantastical creatures and wondrous places. Where nature and magic live in perfect harmony. Not all stories have happy endings! But yours has yet to be written.'

Fable 4 could be an MMO set in the Fable universe

Interestingly, there's a new rumour floating around that suggests Fable 4 may not be the new RPG entry we were hoping for, but rather an MMO set 'in the world of Fable'. The news came courtesy of French journalist @CronoTK on Twitter, who accurately predicted the entire Xbox Games Showcase lineup ahead of the stream, so seems to have some serious insider knowledge.

Fable 4 E3 2019 leak hinted at major changes on the way

Apparently Albion has been destroyed by an asteroid that got wished into existence by a Mad King who took control of the Tattered Spire, the Will-fuelled tower from Fable 2 that granted the person who controlled it one wish once it was built. So now it's down to you to use time travel to save it… we think.

Theresa and the Guild are hiding away on another planet that you can access via a demon door, but if you want you can ignore the entirety of the main quest and never become a hero at all. Players can also build their own towns in the completely open world, which ties into the main quest (unsurprising for anyone who's played any Fable games), plus the character creator is majorly in depth. For those who were miffed about the guns in Fable 3 and 2, you can rest assured that there are zero guns in Fable 4. Oh yeah, and there's finally multiplayer! The whole thing is being made in Unreal Engine, so it should look pretty as heck. Now we just need to see it in action…

Fans will be pleased to hear that the next Fable will follow the cues set out by previous games in the main series, with Fable 4 set to be another open-world action RPG focused on story and characters.

The Fable 4 release date is probably a long way away

Despite the official announcement, there was no release date - or even window - given for Fable during the July Xbox Games Showcase, so it's probably going to be a while before we can visit Albion.

Will there ever be a Fable 4 PS4 release?

Now here’s something we’re definitely sure of. You’re never going to play Fable 4 on PS4. The IP is owned by Microsoft, and because of that you can put all your money on the fact it’ll be exclusive to Xbox One and PC when it does eventually arrive.

The original Fable creators have mixed feelings about a sequel

Seeing as the original team behind Fable is no more, it’s understandable that the folks behind the original series have some concerns about a sequel being made by an entirely new team.

“I have slightly mixed feelings,” said Fable co-creator Simon Carter, in an interview with Eurogamer. “On the one hand, it’s great for the UK games industry, and very pleasing that Fable isn’t dead; indeed, it will be lovely to play one as a punter, without coming out in hives. On the other, it is a little curious to get rid of the team that is uniquely expert in making Fable, and then try and make Fable. Fable is a weird game, and a tough one to deconstruct for a new team. That said, the team in question is very talented, and I’m sure they’ll do a fantastic job.”

Microsoft has always believed in the Fable IP

Nothing to announce right now but I do think the IP has a lot of places it could go.April 30, 2017

In early 2017, long after Lionhead closed, Xbox boss Phil Spencer actually tweeted that he thought the Fable series still had potential. That was about the time that people started to speculate that there might be a little glimmer of hope for Fable 4. It wasn’t exactly evidence back then, but in light of the new information from the various reports, it certainly adds (a little more official) weight to all the Fable 4 rumours.

What we want to see from Fable 4

Until we see some gameplay, we’ll just be here, waiting to see the chickens and the taverns, and making a Fable 4 wishlist of all the things we’d love to see.

1. Make combat more epic, but also more personal

Although combat has been great fun in previous Fable games, the next entry in the series could do well to make things a little more grand, both on the large and small scale. Firstly, make some enemies have more emphasis; slow things down at times and make the build up to major fights feel more weighty. It’ll keep fights from feeling mundane over time, and ensure that your decisions really matter when it comes to the bigger characters.

Of course, that could extend to the scale of battles too. Rather than making you juggle between a half dozen enemies at a time, why not make the occasional battle look like a deleted scene from Lord of the Rings or Game of Thrones? It would play into the fantasy adventure thing a little more, and keep your play style on its toes.

And while they’re there, the development team could also add in a little more weapon variety. The emphasis has always been on swords and bows, but melee could do with some attention in Fable 4. Give us staffs or spears, or other new weapon types to hit bad guys with, please.

2. Give the dog a bigger role

This should go without saying, but although previous Fable dogs have been very good boys, it would be better for them to have a little more purpose to the actual gameplay. In Fable 2, he would dig up treasures and help you in battle, with more tricks available if you found the right books. He would also change appearance depending on your morality alignment. In Fable 3, however, he became a smaller part of your journey through Albion. You could pet him, play fetch or discipline him, and occasionally he would find you treasures.

Having the dog play a larger role in your journey - along the lines of Fable 2’s faithful canine, or Dogmeat from Fallout 4 - would make it feel like a more integral part of the gameplay, rather than just a cute face to greet you every time you start up the game. Although, saying that, that’s okay too.

3. Make all your decisions matter more

Original Fable creator, Peter Molyneaux, famously always had grand visions of what Fable’s morality system could be, but in reality, the gameplay never quite lived up to expectations or promises. Hopefully with the power of Xbox One X and PC, we could see the morality system - and overall decision making - get a decent overhaul for Fable 4.

It would also help if your clothing choices weren’t just cosmetic either. Yes, your morality changed your appearance, especially in terms of skin, but your clothes had no affect on your character’s attributes or play style. Maybe in Fable 4 they could.

4. Enlist another all-star cast

The list of voice actors on board for Fable 3 was a dazzling array of talent, from Stephen Fry and Ben Kingsley to Sean Pertwee and Michael Fassbender and even Simon Pegg, John Cleese and Zoe Wanamaker, the voice talent in the game was brilliant. Hearing well-known voices in your game was a huge boon for Fable 3, and if Fable 4 could have a similarly star-studded cast, we wouldn’t mind at all.

5. Bring back the mini-games

Ah, RSI. An occupational hazard way back in Fable 2 and Fable 3 thanks to those job-related minigames that put your thumb to the test, and we’re 97% certain that were they to reappear in Fable 4 that muscle memory would reawaken from its slumber. Each activity requires you to stab various buttons in a certain order (duh), but with each promotion the difficulty increases - mainly by making the button prompts zip across the screen much, much faster. There is the chance to earn some serious gold and when you get really good at it you sort of go into a daze where your fingers act independently, waking up from the stupor with a sack of gold by your feet. Or is that just me?

6. Keep the silliness

Although it’s easy to go a little over the top - we’re looking at you Saints’ Row - there’s a wonderful place that lies between that and being very boring indeed. And that’s where Fable has always sat, embracing the silliness, the occasional black humour and always, always individually quirkiness. If PlayGround Games, or whoever is making Fable 4, can channel that ethos and charm, it’ll help the series continue to stand out from the other RPGs out there.

What do you want to see in Fable 4? Let us know in the comments below or hit us up on Twitter @GamesRadar.

Publisher: Lionhead Studios / Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: October 2008
ESRB Rating: M (for Mature)
Consoles: XBox 360
Genre: Action RPG

My Rating:9.5 – High Praise for an addictive adventure!

MHG: Must Have Game – a Must Have Game is a game that is so good you simply have to play it or have it in your game library. These games are singled out for their content, innovation, entertainment level, or play experience. Fable II has been designated a Must Have Game based on the strength of our experience playing it, and the 100+ emails we have received requesting a Game On! review.

Introduction

Fable II is one of the games that appeared in our annual Christmas Video Game Guide (2008) in the paper – and at the time it received a rating of 8.5 – mostly due to some serious game-breaking bugs that impacted play. Those bugs were fixed shortly after the piece went to press, and since that time the creators have added two DLC expansions that increased the entertainment value of the game considerably.

In addition to the DLC, there was also a stand-alone game available on the XBox Live Marketplace – Fable II Pub Games – that had limited interaction with the game, but added to the anticipation of its release by allowing the players to play the gambling games from Fable II months before it was released – and as long as they did not cheat, even allowed the player to transfer their winnings into the game!

Our rating of the game increased by a full point in part due to the above improvements, and in part due to the intensely addictive gaming world presented in Fable II – a world that has not lost any of its pull even after nearly two years of play.

As a sequel Fable II faithfully followed in the footsteps of the original, but thankfully the folks at Lionhead took the time to correct some of the issues that affected the first game, and made some changes that redefined the system of play in positive ways. Unfortunately at release date there were serious issues with the game that impacted nearly a quarter of the players, relating to certain older models of the XBox 360 – and it soon became obvious that Lionhead was aware of these issues and chose to release on the targeted date anyway, planning to correct the problems afterwords by issuing patches online.

That decision caused many reviewers and critics to jump on both the studio and the game, recommending that consumers wait to purchase it until after it was fixed to send a message to the studio – a message that clearly was received. Happily these are no longer issues of concern for the player – the bugs have been fixed, and new content has been released, so if you have yet to experience the fascinating world of Albion, now is a great time to do so!

The Story

The events of Fable II take place in Albion roughly 500 years after the events of the original game, in an era that very much resembles the 1600’s in England – footpads roam the roads, firearms are primitive, and the sword is still the primary weapon for defense. Communities center around larger cities rather than towns, and castles are still the seat of power in most areas. The aristocracy is at the top, and the middle classes are a narrow band within society.

The changes to society in the 500 years since the original adventure include some major differences – the world is a safer place now, and law and order tend to prevail. The Hero’s Guild no longer exists – though vestiges of it can be found in ruins throughout the land – and firearms have a more prominent place in defense. The cities have grown larger, and the population more affluent.

It is partly a result of this that has created the circumstances that now threaten the world – the lack of heroes has allowed a dark force to build in the world, inhabiting some unlikely places, and as the game unfolds your character – themselves a hero – must seek out and recruit the last few remaining heroes in order to build a party that can fight the evil that now threatens Albion. I do not want to say too much or give too many details away, since the threat centers around a major plot-point of the game, and it would be a shame to spoil that for you!

Gambling Fable 2 Cheats

As the game begins, you find yourself working to earn the five coins that you need to buy a curious relic from the traveling merchant, a relic that you are assured by a trusted source may be precisely what the con-man says it is, though he is not aware of this. Once you have acquired this relic, events quickly unfold, thrusting you on to a different path in life than the one you had been on, and changing your life – in many ways for the good – as you grow into adulthood, and begin your grand adventure.

The Changes

Morality plays a major role in the game, with the player’s choices having direct and visible results in the game. For instance a good player will eventually earn a halo-like symbol over their head, and their appearance changes – fair hair, tanned skin, and an over-all healthy glow. Their dog companion also changes – their coat will turn golden as a result of the good alignment of their owner. A bad player will have dark hair and features, and an ugly complexion with red veins running all over their body, and their dog companion’s coat will turn black as a result of their evil ways.

In addition to appearance changes relating to morality, the player’s character appearance also changes as a result of what they eat in the game – food being the alternative to potions for restoring health – as a diet rich in fat will make the character fat, and healthier food choices such as vegetable, fruit, and tofu, will keep the character thin. Improving the character’s stats also impacts their appearance – adding muscles, height, or in the case of magic skill, blue glowing patterns on their skin.

Quests and missions are no longer the method for gaining money in the game, having been replaced with jobs. The player can seek out employment as an Assassin, Bartender, Blacksmith, Bounty Hunter, or Woodcutter, and can also find money in treasure chests and with the aid of their dog, in hidden spots that the dog can detect and dig up as they adventure together. Items found can be sold to merchants in towns, and the player can purchase and rent out property in the game, becoming a landlord. Gambling is also a path to wealth in Fable II, but the games found in pubs can also be a coin sink if the player fails to take the time to learn how they work and what strategies apply best.

Co-operative play is perhaps the most significant change in the game – and once connected to XBox Live, a player can have friends join in their game, dropping in and out at will without this impacting game play. In addition to being able to earn money and obtain items and experience in the game that a player can then bring back to their own game, co-op play allows both players to earn special Achievements that they cannot earn in solo play!

Game Play

Gambling Fable 2 Cheat

Fable II is ideally suited for casual play – with missions and quests that can be completed in bite-sized chunks. The player can choose to play either a male or female hero, and that choice has some interesting influences on the game play experience. Starting the game as a child, the player is exposed to several events that help to form the personality and the outlook of the main character, among them an event in which the player befriends a stray dog who ends up becoming their adventure companion when the main game unfolds.

One aspect of the game that has drawn criticism is its relationship structure: in Fable II the player can have relations with other in-game characters, date, and even get married and start a family. The criticism comes mostly from conservative groups, upset by the fact that these relationships can be same-sex, and there are opportunities for bigamy, adultery, and group sex, and polygamy. The game emphasizes the need for safe sex – condoms are readily available in it, and failing to use one can cause the player’s character to contract an STD!

Conflict in the game is a combination of traditional swords and sorcery, and the assistance of a core group of friends who will eventually help you to defeat the evil forces and become the ruler of the Kingdom!

DLC Packs

Knothole Island: The first DLC pack for Fable II was released in January 2009, and includes a new area to explore – Knothole Island – and mysteries to solve! There is a new map, new quests, new items, and new Achievements worth 100 GP! The expansion pack is required for play in the new areas, and costs 800 Microsoft Points on the Live Marketplace. Players wanting to play in the new lands with a friend who has purchased the expansion but that who do not want to buy it can download a free version that allows them to play, but does not award Achievements and certain items to the player.

The first DLC expansion to Fable II was criticized for being too short, and there may be something to that, but casual play and taking the time to enjoy the experience allows you to stretch out the experience and value.

See the Future: The second DLC pack, released in May of 2009, priced at just 560 Microsoft Points, includes an additional 13 Achievements worth 250 Gamer Points. The expansion has some interesting game altering additions – for instance using a set of potions, the player can now change the breed of their dog to either a Bloodhound, a Dalmation, or a Husky!

The main focus of the DLC is a series of quests that relate to three cursed items that you purchase from the traveling merchant. These quests add a very interesting dynamic to the game, and if you are a fan of the Fable series, this is a must-have!

Gambling Fable 2 Walkthrough

My Take

The version of the game that I played was the original with the two DLC packs added on to it via the Marketplace, but in September of 2009 the folks at Microsoft released a Game of the Year Edition of Fable II that includes both expansion packs in the game CD – and that would be the one I would recommend.

I rated this game a 9.5 which is a strong rating and it deserves it! I also rate this a BUY not Rent, because of the amount of time you will spend playing and the excellent re-play potential present here with or without the expansions. Like Fallout 3, Fable II has a large and open world and a great storyline that engages the player. From an entertainment point-of-view it is one of those rare games in which the price of admission is far less than the value received.

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A Review Copy of this game for the XBox 360 was provided by Microsoft.
Codes for the DLC Packs were provided by Microsoft.

Fable 2 Gambling Level

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Fable 2 Gambling Guide

Copyright © 2010 CM Boots-Faubert.