Fable Anniversary

Fable Anniversary, recently released by Microsoft for Xbox 360, celebrates the (almost) 10th anniversary of the original Fable, released in September 2004 for the original Xbox console. Anniversary is a faithful HD remaster of the original game, including all the Lost chapters content, along with some updates, such as the addition of achievements, SmartGlass functionality, and a new save system.

The first thing you’ll notice, and just because they make a big deal out of pointing it out every time you load the game, is the SmartGlass functionality. For those who don’t know, SmartGlass is an application for Xbox 360 and Xbox One that allows Android, iOS and Windows compatible devices, such as tablets and smartphones, to connect to a console to provide a number of functions. Usually SmartGlass just turns my iPhone into an awkward Netflix remote to use, but with Fable Anniversary You can use it to compare screen images to original Xbox graphics, take screenshots, and examine the map. It can also be the key to revealing some hidden items in the game and an easy 25 point achievement.

Once you get past the initial SmartGlass splash / announcement screen and actually launch the game, the next thing you’ll notice is the graphics overhaul. Fable Anniversary it’s downright beautiful, and it’s not hard to see where the 15 months Lionhead Studios spent developing this game went. The world of Albion and its familiar surroundings come to life with updated lighting, high definition skins and textures, and improved graphical fidelity. So good, in fact, I ran into some frame rate issues more than once. Whether that was due to my machine, the record I was playing, or just a bunch of extra pizzazz poured into a game from 10 years ago remains a question.

If you have played Fable, Anniversary it will definitely be familiar. Aside from the graphics and audio overhaul, the game itself remains essentially unchanged. Fable Anniversary It is definitely not a reinvention of the original game, but rather an update. Fans are likely to be pleased that the mechanics, story, and secondary content remain unchanged, but those who haven’t played the original will find an ‘open world RPG’ that doesn’t feel very open, a performance by passable but old-fashioned voice, ya Fable game that has fewer features than Fable II gold Fable III.

That is not to say that there is not much here. As an Oakvale hero and card guild member, you will have many missions to do. There are still houses to buy and move or rent later as a source of income. There are titles to be won; no one wants to be known as Chicken Chaser for the entire game after all. Oh, and you will have to decide if you are good or bad, of course. Will you be a hero to the people of Albion or will you save them from themselves by ruling through fear and intimidation?

The game is not perfect. Aside from the occasional graphical slowdown, it would have been nice if the team at Lionhead Studios had allocated perhaps one of the fifteen months they spent on this game to rebuild the arcane menu system or reduce loading times. The graphics are nice and all, but it might not be worth waiting 15-20 seconds every time you change areas. Still, if your only exposure to Fable the series is II gold III, this is absolutely the best way for a 360 owner to get a glimpse of the roots of the franchise. At the affordable price of $ 39.99 new, Fable Anniversary It’s an obvious pickup for die-hard fans of the series. Casual fans and achievement chasers will find plenty to keep them busy here, too. Look for it in your local Slackers today.

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