Pass the Controller: Fable III

Pass The Controller: Fable III

Watching Jmac play video games the past few years it has been interesting to see how much story development has changed. I’m not trying to make assumptions, because I know a lot of girls who game, but it seems like most women I know are in the casual gamer camp. I have always loved video games but I picked Mario over Mortal Combat. Not exactly riveting storytelling. Even Zelda, which early on introduced plot driven gaming, took me awhile to come around to because I couldn’t kill the bad guy by jumping on his head or running underneath. So when Jmac downloaded Fable III I didn’t think I would be taking part. But boredom and procrastination came together one day and convinced me to give it a try. I was pleased to find a game more complex than my side scrollers but  easy enough I couldn’t wait for Jmac to pass the controller.

The action in Fable III takes place in a fantasy kingdom on the verge of revolt. As the princess or prince of this kingdom you must help the people and protect them from a growing darkness. This is all pretty normal, what makes Fable special is that you have to make hard decisions along the way. What you decide affects what others think of you and how your kingdom progresses. If you like your games with a heaping helping of moral quandary then this may be the game for you. It is simple fantasy storytelling but the decision making and freedom to create your future makes you feel more engaged. There is a true evil in this game that serves as a main protagonist but everyone else comes in varying shades of grey. There is no information button that shows you a person’s character. Like in life you have to make choices and assumptions based on what you can see or are told. Over time you get to know the characters and settings well. This isn’t a game you can finish in a day. The plot is revealed slowly so you can appreciate how it comes together. It is like a television show that you can control.

My main hesitancy when playing games is I like to know if I will be good at it. I have never had much patience for the Call of Duty style shoot em ups because I just can’t work the system. The Xbox joystick system of moving with one and turning your head with the other is a level of dexterity my old softball teammates can vouch for me not having. After having this system for six years I am just now adequate. What I liked about Fable is that it takes this into account. The fighting moves take place by pressing the four buttons on the controller and not pulling the triggers. It makes it feel more familiar. While you do turn the view with the right joystick, you are not in first person mode so the camera will follow you even if you forget to turn. You can see all around you until you remember to swing it around. During combat you can also mix and match weapons and magic with good old fashioned running and dodging. Health can be regained by simply not getting hit for a while and there is no magic counter to worry about so you can just zap away. Jmac laughed at me for rolling constantly in battle but I got the achievement for never being knocked down and he didn’t. Every Donkey Kong master knows the secret to success is in the rolling.

The world in this game is certainly vast but the game provides a gold path you can follow from quest to quest. I liked this feature as no matter how many times Jmac tells me to just use the compass on some of these vast world games I always end up lost. I really am not portraying women gamers that well. There is treasure and rewards for going off the beaten path but I never felt too penalised for not straying that far. I managed to find just enough treasure and buy just enough real estate to have what I needed to push the final ending I wanted. If you like to collect every legendary weapon or rare jewel then you can explore, but if you just want to play the game you are not at a severe disadvantage. I will say it is fun to collect a little extra to customise your characters look and clothes. The first outfits and hairstyles were hideous. Would it be practical to fight in the dress I ended up with? Maybe not. Did I enjoy shooting skeletons while my tulle rustled? Absolutely.

I would suggest this title to anyone who considers themselves a casual gamer. It requires you to learn some new skills but is not so difficult it can’t be picked up. The violence is graphic in a cartoonish way that didn’t bother me too bad. Overall this is just a fun game with a good story.

I give this game 4.5 out of 5 “Wait your turn, I’m playing now.”