Role-Playing Video Games for Moms: Fable 2
Lionhead and Microsoft Create a RPG Exclusive for the Xbox 360
Nov 8, 2008
Microsoft and Lionhead teamed up to create Fable 2, a role-playing Xbox 360 exclusive that brings together an enriching and adventurous RPG with an immersive component of "Choose Your Own Adventure." In gaming terms, they mixed the Legend of Zelda with the Sims.
At the E3 convention in 2008, the developers claimed that this game would be a gateway game for non-gamers. The jury is still out on whether this has indeed happened, but the end result is still a game that can be played at any time, for any length of time, and has tutorials that can be accessed at any time. This may be perfect for the non-gamer to learn a game, but it's also perfect for the gaming mom who doesn't have as much time to play games as she would like.
Quick Overview of Fable 2 Gameplay
Fable 2 gives players complete control of everything imaginable about the male or female Hero they choose. They can choose what their Hero looks like, what they wear, what personalities they have, and every decision the Hero has to make during the course of the game. The Hero makes most of these decisions in the form of expressions instead of dialogue. For example, if a player wants her Hero to respond positively to a proposition (and these propositions can range from asking for help to asking for a good time), she can use the "thumbs up" expression.
The combat system is fairly basic with very simple controls. Characters have a melee weapon (sword, axe) and a ranged weapon (crossbow, pistol), and only one button is assigned for each weapon. There are no lengthy combos to remember. A player can execute a special attack with the weapon by pressing the assigned button for a longer period of time. For instance, once a Hero has obtained the zoom ability for his ranged weapon, the player holds down the Y button to activate the zooming feature. Heroes also have Will (magic) spells, and all spells are cast from the B button.
The Hero rarely fights with a party, like in typical role-playing games, but he does have a faithful canine companion alongside him at all times. This dog does more than add a cute factor to the game. He helps fight in battles, finds dig spots and treasure chests, and assists in performing expressions. As the character's personality forms, the dog's personality melds along with it. It makes for an unique and fun element to the game, except for those who despise dogs.
Many Elements Allow for Short Bursts of Play
Like any good RPG, Fable 2 is abundant with sidequests for obtaining additional experience, gold, and renown. None of these sidequests take very long to complete; most average around twenty minutes. The player can usually cut the time by a considerable amount, if she uses the Quests section from the Pause Menu to whisk the Hero there.
In addition to sidequests, the game has many Simsish elements for the player to delve into between questing. A Hero can take jobs to earn money, start a family, go gambling at the local pub, peruse shops for various sales, purchase real estate, visit a stylist to alter his or her appearance, start a party, the list goes on and on.
Add all these pieces with the fact that the player can stop and save the game at practically any moment, this game allows a gamer mom to fit the game in with her busy life. If she only has thirty minutes during naptime, that's more than enough time to complete a sidequest, dabble in realty, or just explore the land and acquire more experience. Even if she is in the middle of playing the main story, she can save and quit at any time, except during a cut-scene.
Plenty of Refresher Courses for Lags Between Game Times
Gamer moms do not need to worry about forgetting about how to play the game or what they are even doing in the game. The Pause Menu provides a handy quick review guide about almost every aspect of the game. The logbook section of the Pause Menu has a help guide that explains combat controls, how to interact with non-playing-characters, and various other game concepts such as marriage and purchasing houses and shops. The logbook section also lists all of the quests the Hero has completed, so the player will never have to question what she has or has not done.
The Quests section of the Pause Menu lists detailed information about every quest still open, the jobs available, current sales going, and the regions the Hero has visited. The regions section is especially helpful. It details what the Hero has done in each region, including how many houses he owns and treasure chests he has opened.
The RPG also employs a golden trail that leads the Hero towards the point to start a quest and where to travel to complete the quest. It's fairly impossible to get lost with this feature, and it's greatly appealing to the gamer who does not have time to explore the entirety of the land or does not care to. The golden trail can easily be set from the Quests section of the Pause Menu, so there is no need to potentially waste valuable game time by running around an area trying to find where to activate a quest.
But Is Fable 2 Worth the Gamer Mom's Time?
Fable 2 is a beautiful and entertaining role-playing game that any fan of RPGs or adventure games will love. It has an intriguing story, fun gameplay, and replayability factors that are worth any gamer's time, especially the precious and limited free time of the gaming mother.
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