PC Game Review - Fable: The Lost Chapters
Originally released exclusively for the XBox, Microsoft and Lionhead Studios brought Fable: The Lost Chapters to the PC in a bid to reach wider audiences and pull in more profit. This sort of move--taking highly-acclaimed games at first developed exclusively for one platform and putting them on the market for other platforms--is becoming increasingly popular in the gaming industry (The Sims, Resident Evil 4, etc.), and not only does it make perfect business sense but it also improves everyone's chances of getting to experience the best. F:TLC, which has won several awards and nominations, definitely fits in that category.
Gameplay
In three words, addictive and fun. You begin as a young child running errands in order to earn some cash and buy your sister a birthday present, and you end up as an epic hero or villain battling threats to the land of Albion. All of the classic RPG hallmarks are here--swords, sorcery, shops, castles, quests, combat, etc.--and there's a whole lot more beneath the surface. Minigames, puzzles, a reputation system, simplified romantic opportunities, and more await you, too.
I was most impressed by the reality factor of the game's admittedly comical, fictional world. NPCs merchants wander through the wilderness along trade routes; townspeople go about their business, chattering amongst themselves, carrying crates back and forth, sharing a few drinks in the local bar, and stopping to greet the hero with varying reactions (according to his reputation); monsters wander around attacking all the other characters--NPC or Player--and occasionally set up ambush points or other clever traps; and the list goes on. The point is, LS created a convincing, living, breathing world, and it serves to draw the player into the game really well.
*SPOILER: The battles in the coliseum near the middle-third of the game are fantastic, really got my blood rushing.
Graphics
Not incredibly realistic (they lean with a slant of humorous exaggeration), but still beautiful; they were particularly crisp on my low-budget screen, too. The lighting effects, in particular, are incredible, and used effectively. While walking through a dark, spooky forest, you'll actually get a few chills. Spell effects are nice, but that's pretty standard in today's RPGs.
Control
Okay, here's the one area where the PC version of the game suffers a hit. For some stupid reason, the game isn't compatible with PC gamepads, meaning that you're stuck using the keyboard and mouse to make it through. Unfortunately, this is a big problem for action-RPGs like Fable, and combat might be a bit frustrating for the first few hours while you adjust. Still, the game provides an extensive tutorial that teaches the controls, and once you start to get the hang of pressing a key and clicking a mouse button in tandem, you should be fine. I'm not much for customizing PC keyboard controls, but that option is available: assign keys and hotkeys, which helps a bit, but not much.
Sound
Excellent. The music is wonderfully appropriate for the game's tone, and the tunes fit the various settings and events well. The cries of the NPCs when they run into your hero character can get a bit repetitive and annoying (unless, of course, you're an evil character, and they're screams of terror); nonetheless, the voice talent in this game is a treat.