Reviews - Expert Game Recommendations From the GamePros

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  Review: Fable II (360)

  The original Fable promised gamers the world but upon its release many players lamented the unexplained absence of many promised features. Even though it ultimately turned out to be an exceptionally enjoyable game, and acclaimed designer Peter Molyneux apologized to his fans, the whole affair left a bitter taste in many mouths.
  
  It's now four years later and it seems as if everyone involved has learned their lesson. As a result, the superior sequel, Fable II, is landing on store shelves with far more realistic expectations. What's most surprising isn't that the game exceeds those tempered expectations in almost every way that matters, but how well the many disparate activities come together to create a beautifully coherent whole.
  
  THE BOTTOM LINE: Lots of games claim you can go anywhere and do anything inside their worlds. The trouble is, once you've eluded the cops for the umpteenth time, the whole exercise starts to feel hollow when your actions leave no lasting impact. What makes Fable II so thoroughly absorbing, despite a few notable shortcomings, is the heady illusion that every choice you make sends ripples through the world, its people, and your own simulated heart.
  
  Yes, you've been burned before when you bought into the fantastical promises that Peter Molyneux made but he's learned his lesson and so have you: the hype has been kept to a minimum and our expectations have been kept in check, which is a good thing for everyone involved. The developers can release a game to realistic expectations and gamers aren't left disappointed because they didn't get 'teh best game evar!!!!1111!!1!' But guess what: Fable II is pretty damn good, so you can safely let your expectations climb high, because chances are this full featured and wonderfully complex game will meet them.

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• omgRPG reviews Knothole Island

  omgRPG has explored the first expansion to Fable 2, and returns from Knothole Island with their review, and a nasty sunburn.