First Impressions is a mini review of a game that I've started playing and have not finished. Typically, once I discover if the game is good or bad, I will type up my First Impression Review. If the game isn't abandoned due to sucking horribly, I will write a full review after the first completion. (edit: Changed my mind. Did this once and it really was pointless. First Impressions are lasting impressions, so that's all you get BWAHAHAHA!)
Welcome to the very first Firt Impression Review
Current Game Status: Story in progress; Rallying the people of Bowerstone; Alignment Good.
YOUR HERO ACTUALLY TALKS!
On the day after the day after Fable 3 released, I'm writing up my first impressions of the game. If you haven't played it, be warned that spoilers will happen.
The opening sequence of the game introduces you to your new hero (male or female, you choose). The game already shows signs of lag issues {sad face}. This was rather apparent with Fable 2.
You spend a fair amount of time on the opening sequence. This establishes your character’s main plot motives and personality (before you get to choose your alignment). Your wonderful dog returns, and acts about the same as your pooch in Fable 2. He will do the standard growl when baddies are nearby, find dig spots for you, and join in on your expressions. Your expressions toward your dog are far more in depth. Your hero really shows his love or hate for his canine companion.
Interactions with NPCs are more personalized. You actually get to shake hands, hug, kiss, and even tango with anyone you encounter. Oddly, you don’t get to choose which expression you use, and mostly you will end up dancing…a lot. Granted, this is an expression you gain while progressing through the game.
Fight mechanics have been re-tooled. You can slash and hack with your sword or hammer. You also learn a nice Perry move in the very beginning of the game. It offers some very sweet cinematics that break up the feverish button mashing. You also have your Will abilities (spells). These come via gauntlets you wear on your wrist. And, of course, ranged weapons reappear in the form of pistols and rifles. The auto targeting seems to be fine on the ranged attacks.
Weapons make a change this time around. They “evolve with your hero.” You’ll notice that you don’t really rank or level in Fable 3. You do have a special place called “The Road to Rule” that is a representation of your progress through the story. As you make decisions and complete quests, you earn Guild Seals. Those are like keys for chests on The Road to Rule. Opening these chests grants you new abilities. So your level tree was cut down, turned to lumber, and formed into chests. Happy days.
So far, the only way I know to get people to follow you is by holding their hand. Once you activate this, you can actually lose the hold and the NPC will rush back to your side and grab your hand. Really, the Follow expression was much easier. Granted, the Hold Hands thing doesn’t require the NPC to have to like you first.
Side quests are everywhere! I’m told (and this isn’t fact by my writing) that you can gain 1 quest from every NPC you try to befriend. This is typically a delivery of something simple. It had me wondering why the side quests seemed so crappy. But, there are good ones that involve adventuring and fighting.
First Impression: Fable 3 will be a fantastic story and lengthy gameplay. It holds so many elements of both previous games with at least one homage nod to Fable 2. (You’ll remember seeing the old Oakvale bridge in Wraithmarsh in Fable 2. Ya, this is another pretty little nugget like that.)
Yes, the game will lag. A way to ease this is to download the game to your hard drive. Granted, this will not completely stop the lag. Fable 3 FULL Review will be up as soon as I finish my first playthrough.
RUNNING UPDATE 10/29/10
***SPOILER WARNING!***
So, I've offically overthrown the king and have become the new ruler of Albion. Awesome as it sounds, the game is far from over. There's a new threat, and I have 1 year to prepare for the coming badness. A lot of the tyranny my brother caused has been explained, and very well, I might add. From this point on, I will be discussing details of the game's story. If you fear spoilers, turn back now...
My army has overthrown my brother. He is put on trial, and his words cut deep. He says (to summarize) "If you use the kingdom's money to help every single citizen of Albion, you won't have the money to build the army needed. This coming threat will kill everyone. Only by keeping high taxes and cutting spending to a bare minimum will you be able to ultimately save the people of Albion."
You're given a choice. And, if you're as deep into this game as I am, you're heart feels like it being ripped from your chest. You can become the hero you swore you'd be. Keep all promises and return the people to happiness. In doing so, you will sacrafice the kingdom's fortune. (This is the path I've chosen. Every choice presented to me so far has been pure goodness, and in 1 hour (real time) this morning, I've put my kingdom into debt about $1.5 million.)
OR
You can do as your brother did: become a tyrant and ignore the immediate needs of your people...for the greater good. They'll hate you, but they'll live to tell story of the tyrant brother kings.
A glimmer of hope, so dim and so distant, shines at the end of this ominous path. Your new butler (whom I want to bend over and make my bitch, due mostly to his greedy nature) takes you to the treasury room. He gives you 3 choices: Lower Taxes, Keep taxes the Same, or Raise Taxes. He drops a nice little hint about salvation. You can donate your own money to the treasury. This is where I will succeed, I hope.
One thing stands in my way: TIME. The badness will arrive 1 year after taking the crown, and between the two times I've sat in the throne room and made decisions, I've already lost days. And there's a running count. I do not know if these days are subtracted by the actual passing of days and nights while roaming Albion, or if those days are removed in predetermined chunks.
Right now, I can tell you this. Fable 3 is braving a frontier that Fable 1 & 2 never touched on. You are now king, and your mission is FAR from over. Bravo, Lionshead Studios!
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