E3 2004: Fable Hands-On, Screens, Videos

One of the most anticipated Xbox titles sees another, and hopefully last year at E3.

Update: Video coverage added.

Fable has been a long time coming. Many of us remember the initial screens and footage we saw of this game that spawned from Big Blue Box Studios and many remember seeing its various incarnations at E3 in years past. Yet, this is the year. The year when Fable moves from the show floor to store shelves. We hope.

Fable is an ambitious attempt to merge various genres into one complex, fluid game. Every choice you make, from NPC interaction to combat tactics used, will alter your physical appearance. Deliberately evil choices will transform your facial color, appearance, etc. When you choose to be a hack and slash warrior of destruction, the game will transform your body into a mountain of muscle. Behavior and skills factor heavily in the game.

There's been a great degree of work on balancing the gameplay. In particular, the developers have hoped created a system where skill and strategy factor in difficulty and reward. Patience and skill in combat will be rewarded with higher multipliers that result in leveling up faster, whilst your typical hack 'n slash player, albeit with stronger attack numbers, will see low multipliers after defeating enemies. Another keen detail is that no matter how powerful your character becomes, there will be a certain set of enemies that can be defeated without struggling so you do not lose the sense of power that grows as you continue your trek through Fable.

All the combat occurs in real-time, which allows you to customize group of skills and utilize many, many classes of weapons to dispatch various enemies. The swords are bulkier, but the bow, which has a sniper mode, allows a great degree of accuracy. This in addition to the ability to slow down time, based on character set, gives you the means to dispose of those in your way. Which is a necessity considering the advance A.I. in the game, which will selectively choose to attack dependent on position and if allies are nearby.

If you're not fighting in Fable, you're doing the rounds in town. The game gives you endless possibilities with tons of town interactions, sidequests to be done and social expressions that give the game real life. You can equip social expressions to your taunt directional pad and go wild in a bar, in a town square or any place you want. You can giggle, you can pose and you can even fart. You can start new relationships and furthermore, gender-free relationships. Your imagination is your only limit.

The game, which looks quite polished in early levels, still has some visual kinks to be worked out and can use a little fine tuning. Regardless, it's been years coming and everyone involved seems to be confident they can get it out the door this year. We hope.

Will Federman
Staff Writer, Kikizo.com