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RPGDot Feature - Fable: The Lost Chapters - A Review
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Dhruin
Stranger In A Strange Land
Stranger In A Strange Land




Joined: 20 May 2002
Posts: 1825
Location: Sydney, Australia
RPGDot Feature - Fable: The Lost Chapters - A Review
   

Peter Molyneux' 'Fable: The Lost Chapters' must be one of the most-reviewed RPGs on release day ever. After a mountain of original hype and a highly successful Xbox release, it hits the PC with expanded content - but is it as good as those glowing reviews say?:<em><blockquote>:The premise behind Big Blue Box' and Lionhead's game is an RPG where players can live the life of a virtual Hero however they please in the world of Albion, with their actions determining how their character develops - and how the other inhabitants of Albion react to them. In reality, Fable: TLC is a fairly conventional action RPG with good and evil paths that slowly affect the character's appearance (from an angelic halo to demonic horns), some nice NPC behaviours and a handful of fairly shallow options such as getting married. It's bright, simple, humorous and altogether too short.</em></blockquote>Hit <a href="http://www.rpgdot.com/index.php?hsaction=10053&ID=1165">this</a> link to find the score and read the entire article.
Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:47 pm
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Whip-0
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Excellent review. A good game, that could've been a lot better...
Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 2:48 pm
 
Asdres
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It seems to be a fair review, but when you compare Fable with say DS 2, I don't understand why such different ratings (DS 2 got a 9/10). The author mention that Fable lacks depth, got a linear story, has simplistic areas and offers little challenge. Arent these critics also true for DS 2 ?
I may add that the graphics are a pro in the DS 2 review and not in Fable. This is strange since the gfx are really old in DS 2 compared to Fable (although I don't pay too much attention to gfx myself...).
Well, maybe it is because DS 2 is a new game, and as such, more exciting that ol'Fable...
Well, maybe it's because I don't like DS2 too much, but I think these two reviews are not so fair...

regards
Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 5:26 pm
 
methusala
Tempered Warlord
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Joined: 06 Jun 2003
Posts: 281
Location: Odinwald
   

Dhruin,did you really give DS2 a nine?Too bad that Fable is so short but in all other areas,Asdres makes valid points.
Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 7:13 pm
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Myrthos
Spoiler of All Fun
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Joined: 07 Jul 2001
Posts: 1926
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The short and simple answer is that the reviews were made by different persons.
I have only played Fable on the XBox and would have rated it an 8 because of that. As the PC version is the same with some extras it probably would be the same for me. And that just means that I have a different view on the game compared to Dhruin. I probably would also have a different view on DS2 compared to Kristophe and somebody else on RPGDot would again have a diferent view (or not )
Reviews are the opinion of an individual not of RPGDot and can't be compared just like that.
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Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 7:18 pm
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Shagnak
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quote:
Originally posted by Myrthos
Reviews are the opinion of an individual not of RPGDot and can't be compared just like that.

I think the reviews should have those small "second opinion" sections that some websites and magazines use these days.
Then readers would have a better handle on how good a game is relative to their own tastes, by balancing the viewpoints.
Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 8:40 pm
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Dhruin
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Joined: 20 May 2002
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Review score consistency is an issue, I agree. As Myrthos points out, different strokes for different folks so at the moment, I will just accept that criticism as fair.

For me, 7 is a "pretty good" game, while 8 is "very good". If we had our old percentage system, I might have said 75% or something but under our new 1 -10 scale (which I lobbied for, so I agree with this scale), I had to choose between "good" and "very good" and Fable just doesn't nail enough things for me to do that.

The Pros has presentation as the first thing (doesn't it?), which means graphics/sound/polish. I didn't play Fable on the Xbox, so it's all new to me.
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Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 9:37 pm
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Actually, (In reply to asdres) it does make sense. See, Fable was billed as being the next "Morrowind-type" game...the game with endless depth, replayability, and non-linearity.

What it really turned out to be was another hack-n-slasher, like Dungeon Siege 2.

The thing is, Dungeon Siege never proclaimed itself, or hyped itself to be anything more then a dungeon crawler...so you can't fault it for that. Unfortunately though, Fable DID.
Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 10:15 pm
 
ShadowMoses
Head Merchant
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Joined: 09 Jun 2005
Posts: 69
Location: UK
   

Great review Dhruin !

I prefer the 1-10 rating but at the end of the day the score isn't so important. For me the following tells me far more than any score ever could:

quote:
Players looking for more depth will be disappointed that none of these activities have any real impact on the core gameplay, the choices have little consequence, the story and locations relentlessly linear and character interaction is little more than a gimmick.


Things similar to whats mentioned above are what i look for in an rpg review - the elements that i consider to be fundamental to defining the genre or at least the best of it.
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Post Thu Sep 22, 2005 11:48 pm
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the mighty stamar
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Joined: 01 Feb 2003
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well one reviewer here gave ds2 a 9, and another gave fable a 7.

What id like to know is what each reviewer thought of the other game because im deciding between the two.

I really think ill like fable more im not sure why. Dungeon seige was not my type of game.
Post Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:12 am
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Dhruin
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Joined: 20 May 2002
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I've only dabbled with DS2, so from my part I can't give you a complete answer. From the bit I have played, I think I might like DS2 better but don't quote me on that just yet.

From what I have seen, DS2 is pretty good at exactly what it is aiming for - a traditional Diablo-style action-RPG but with a party mechanic. I get tired of action-RPGs over and over but when well-executed, I enjoy the core gameplay - face paced combat -> loot -> fast levelling. If you don't like that, I would not buy DS2 because it is what is seems - just quite well done.

Fable probably has more potential to be something interesting but just doesn't really try to get there, for me. If you'd rather a 3rd-person direct-action game (Dungeon Lords, Gothic) than the DS2 zoomed-out click combat, Fable might suit better. The problem for me was the combat gets repetitive and I didn't really enjoy the exploration because of the tiny linear areas and loads, plus the exploration value is to find arcadey things like silver keys, which doesn't do much for me -- I'd rather find an interesting sidequest or NPC than just get as many keys as I can.

Hope that helps. Check out the DS2 demo.
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Post Fri Sep 23, 2005 2:43 am
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Informative review. This is the kind of review I appreciate since I'm meticulous when it comes to buying rpg's. I only want the optimum games { I can count the number of rpg's I have bought on two hands} so a review that is tough but evenhanded is much more helpful than fluffy reviews that praise the games to the moon. Like that old commercial about the cat, my tastes are simple - I only want the very best.
Post Fri Sep 23, 2005 4:41 am
 
the mighty stamar
High Emperor
High Emperor




Joined: 01 Feb 2003
Posts: 602
Location: arcata ca, humboldt county
   

yes well the demo for ds 2 seems cool but its um, like a rts not like diablo... its like a scenario to warcraft 3 with heroes just box ur guys and right click towards the monsters.

theres more talking but that part is like diablo, just click to listen to what the person says

i mean it seems good but its not like a crpg to me although i dont want to argue about genre definition
Post Fri Sep 23, 2005 8:24 am
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Asdres
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I am agree that a review is essentially a matter of taste... and the Fable review seems pretty accurate to me.
But because DS 2 was expected to be a linear action RPG (and it is), and Fable the greatest RPG of all the known universe (and it isn't ), they are not judged on the same criterions... and that is not very consistent.
Well, apart from that little grief, the staff here is doing a remarkable job and RPGdot is a really great site (even if some reviewer give Dungeon Lord a 8 and Fable a 7... )

regards
Post Fri Sep 23, 2005 7:33 pm
 



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