Sunday 22 August 2010

Fable Video Mayhem!


In keeping with the games 'rustic aesthetic' we have a plethora of awesome videos below from the past few days. Sure its a lot of videos, and all in one is a big push...but damn it man, this is Fable III!

Below there is not only information on the gameplay, some fighting in the Sam & Max quest where you have to go find Mrs Spade, but there's also a fantastic section of the game showing off Simon Pegg as Ben Finn! Also check out the awesome interview with the man himself, Peter Molyneux.













The road to rule has never looked so fantastic. Can't wait for the game to come out, and going to be heading back to the world of Albion today to get my freak on and complete it 100% hopefully this time before release!



Check out that cheeky smile at the top of the article, that's a telling smile!

Saturday 21 August 2010

Inside Peter's Head

So we all love Peter here right? Well, this is how awesome this guy is. He uses diagrams to explain his ideas! Check it out below, a cool little jotting down he did for the guys over at 1up.com when they spoke to him at GamesCom.


What their article also goes into is a lot of the 'humour' aspect of Fable III, with a particularly exciting look at Lionhead's 'Breaking the 4th wall' joke from Lightwall where they put the hero in what basically turns out to be a 'table top role-playing' game hah!

Draw Diagrams, Kill Hobbes

Full Steam-Punk Ahead!


With the change in the time period, Albion has also had to contend with the growth and the might of industry. In a recent interview with John McCormack on the new art style of Fable III we get a whole new bunch of screenshots, as well as some brilliant art that makes your eyes, and mouth water with anticipation for what's to come.

Fable has always had both a distinctive and brilliant art style. From the wide ranging vistas of Bowerlake to the close and dark forests of Mourningwood, Albion has always been a feast for the eyes, and this is no exception. The added quirk if you will this time, is the advent of technology in Albion, and taking a big steaming mug of British Humour along with you, you can start to imagine just the kinds of things their artists have been dreaming up.













As you will notice, Reaver Industries has featured prominently in the game so far. Reaver seems to have made a pretty penny from his exploits in the Spire, and would be interesting if on your journey you bump into him once again.

Check out the link below for the full interview from Eurogamer.

The Art of Fantasy

Friday 20 August 2010

A big Thumbs Up!

A lot of this blog would not be possible if it were not for a fantastic youtube user named Fablefan101 and his tireless ability to put up videos that I could never be able to find.


Check him out on the link below, or just click on any of the videos I have on here to be taken to a bigger look at them on his youtube channel.

Fablefan101

As well as this I would like to thank the record amount of people that had a short look at the poll to the side of the blog here. It seems that most of us think that Lionhead WILL hit their target of 5,000,000 users/gamers playing their game, and that can only be a good thing.

Will have another poll up shortly, and thanks again to FableFan101 for making my life as a blogger that little bit easier.

New Village: Lightwater

Dragging up the last of the videos for the moment we get a quick look at a small village in the world called Lightwater. From the video we can gather that Arturo is possibly the leader of the village since that is who they ask you to speak too. However, as well as the new village the video also shows off the impressive graphics of the game, and just how amazing its looking.



It seems an almost self-referential village for the developers with them asking the player to 'speak to everyone, or just Arturo' and then saying it 'will take too much time for the hero to speak to everyone!' Before finally showing us that Arturo is a cardboard cut out of a grave keeper with a key!

Will certainly be an interesting time to visit this village.

Familiar Faces

In the second of this mornings videos we get a pretty standard look at the combat to begin with, although there is a rather fantastic looking demonic chicken which is very Monty Python-like for us to laugh our little British butts off at. But, we also get to see two familiar faces from the Fable II storyline.



The insanely irritable Normanomicon seems to have fallen into the wrong hands yet again, or indeed the hands of the dead when our plucky female hero meets the brain dead Sam & Max outside a graveyard (probably in Mourningwood). And once again, we have to sort out their mess for them.

Better go find my 'Book of the Extremely Dead' and sort out this trouble.

Blowing up Docks?

Having fun whacked up on scooby-snacks more like! In the latest spate of videos from the GamesCom event we get a look below at not only the awesome combat, gauntlets, weapons, armour, and the way the death haze works...but also get to see the names of some of the characters confirmed!



In case you guys didn't catch it. The blonde ruffian/Sharpe like character was called Ben Finn! We have the moustache presenting Walter, and also someone called Page who is also fighting in the revolution with you it seems. Very interesting stuff.

Wednesday 18 August 2010

Josh Atkins Interview

A quick one here, but a fantastic little interview from Josh Atkins and some brilliant gameplay footage.


Enjoy the interview and the lovely background music. Can't wait to play this beautiful game.

Gameplay Walkthrough

So we saw some videos before, some short snippets of gameplay from the game, but now we have a full long look at a quest called 'Gnomes are Great!' where you have to go and find a certain familiar gargoyle to help breath some life into a man's prize bunch of gnomes.

See below and enjoy!

Fable III Video Game, GC 10: Floor Walkthrough Part I | Video Clip | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com

Fable III Video Game, GC 10: Floor Walkthrough Part II | Video Clip | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com


And also, to get a bit of 'ooh that's noice' into the post there is also attached above a brilliant still from the Mourningwood combat demo, a certain npc seems to have turned to the side of the dead!

More Screenshots!

GamesCom keeps on giving and giving, and here is a fantastic set of them. Even having someone looking a liiiiitle like the hero from DragonAge 2!























Check them out for some fantastic location shots, AND loads more of the cool heroes!

Tuesday 17 August 2010

GamesCom Video Power!

The GamesCom wheels have begun turning and even before its begun we have started getting some fantastic videos from the event.


Skeletons!
Out About Town!
Combat & Cigars

Below are a mass of 1up videos from skeleton combat, gauntlet awesomeness, town running, and even some familiar faces from the past screenshots! Namely the cigar chomping bandit we saw walking through a down and out forest. And it looks like even they can use magic!

More to come of course!

Saturday 14 August 2010

They should have asked me!


So it seems like Lionhead did listen to the words of their fans and they have bought out some fantastic bits and pieces for us. As well as a controller, the villager maker, and other assorted bits and pieces they have also bought out *drum roll* a Fable novel!

Now I can't help but me miffed they didn't want good old me to do it! But, I can't wait to read it and see what they make of the Fable mythos. It looks like it should be a ripping yarn, if not for the story telling but for the Balverines themselves!

Written by Peter David and with a fantastic code within to unlock some exclusive content from the main game, this should be the perfect addition to the Fable 'oh look what I have' collection.

When its released we will see how it works into the Fable time line, we do seem to get two very interesting heroes!

Need another Controller?

So the Fable III hype train is working hard, and with this fancy new addition to the games 'apparel' roster gamers will have something more to shell out for. Its going to be an expensive hobby being a Die Hard Fable fan come October!


"The Fable III Limited Edition Wireless Controller starts shipping to stores on October 5, giving fans plenty of time to pick it up before the game arrives on October 26. $59.99 grants you the controller lovingly nestled in collectible packaging, and an Xbox Live token for an exclusive in-game downloadable tattoo, to give your character that distinctive "I bought the tie-in controller" look."

Pretty ace, or pretty ugly? You decide.

Thursday 12 August 2010

A Fable Retrospective

I thought, since I was watching back the latest introduction trailer to the game that I would watch the other ones in the series so far. They are all, fantastic and interesting in their own way and this post will be looking back over the intros of the past, and the future with a little bit of a view into the world of Albion along the way.

First up is of course, Fable & Fable: The Lost Chapters.


Now, as the first trailer for the series this had some tasty secrets in it. Not only did it show off the Guild Chamber, but it also showed off areas from later in the game, including the fantastic Knothole Glade which was the setting for some great moments in the game and also the scene of the heroes first encounter with Jack of Blades!

As well as this you get to see some things that were not in the game. The hero, swinging his swords on the pedestal not only has a sword in his hands, but also one on his back! Maybe this hinted at their being at some point duel-weapon attacks. On top of this you also see the hero in full plate armour, BUT with the assassins mask on his face as well! Interesting, and there were many people who tried to do that when they got the game!

Next up, Fable II!!


In this we saw Albion go CG! Out was the in-game footage and the fade ins and in was the fantastic looking CG environment of Albion, in all its sparrow pooped glory. It truly was the 'luck' of the bird poop that sent your hero, male or female this time, spiralling into the world of heroes and murder that followed in the game.

The biggest thing about the intro this time around is that it shows Albion has become a darker, and more melancholy place. Not only do we get the connotations of the snow, preserving the dead wood and ramshackle buildings in their destruction but we get the people plodding about in a stupor of depression, the cough of the townsman showing the signs of the unhealthy running rampant through the city. All in all, it was a good change of pace for the gamer in the new world of Fable.

Finally, *drum roll* Fable III!


Now we have a very, very different looking Albion before us. Not only do we have the fantastic new inventions of the 'industrial age' around us as players but we also have some fantastic new buildings, people, and storylines to follow. Reaver seems to be everywhere, with his industry working as the core of it all. The castle of Fairfax stands, high above the town and dominates the landscape with its spires and fluttering flags while beneath it the people tirelessly labour for their hard earned coin. There are traitors abound, or so the people in charge say, and martial might is by far the power now, not magic and the hero.

As well as this we have the loveable, if still doomed chicken. Long a staple of the Fable games, the chicken not only represents the hopeless hero, who tries to spread his wings and could fail at any moment, but also that which is bold...especially our dear old white chicken here. Everyone was hoping he would...well, I will leave it for you to watch the trailer before you make up your mind.

Some fantastic intros over the years, and hopefully more to come. Watch this space.

Precious Screens!

In the last post I showed you one of the images from the awesome set of new screens of in game footage. Now, my friends and countrymen I will put the rest on show for you all to see in glorious 'HUGE' vision.












In the screenshots above we not only have a look at the spell weaving, but also a much better look at some different facial quirks and looks. The female characters look a lot more interesting than they did in Fable 2 and the hair looks great. In terms of the male character he looks more believable while still keeping the cartoonish look about him.

I'm most impressed with the fantastic Witch Hunter style hat the male character has on! And don't forget the lovely little Hobbes in one of the screens! The little baby eaters are back!

Combat Turned Up To 11!

As well as the lovely screenshots (which I will post soon) there has also been a relentless pouring of interviews as well from the Lionhead Dev Team.


Below are a pair of articles from CVG and 1Up which go into detail about the differences in the combat from previous incarnations of Fable and how that is just going to be 'awesome' for us gamers.

1UP Article
CVG Article

Both fantastic little interviews and with a wealth of knowledge for us Fable-ites to enjoy. The release date comes ever closer, so watch this space.

The Winds of Magic!

So we all love magic in Fable games. How about if you can combine spells together for utterly devastating effects? Sounds pretty ace doesn't it, well look no further than the powerful force that is spell weaving.

In a recent spate of awesome screenshots and videos we have been shown a glimpse of just how the spell weaving looks and obviously some fantastic little morsels in terms of the locations and enemies on offer.

First off, there is a fantastic video showing off a new character, Major Swift as you fight in Mourningwood against the relentless hordes of the undead, very cool.



We see not only Major Swift, but Walter as well your trusted companion. Also the other NPC from the coverage by OXM some while ago is there as well. His name however is unknown.

We get a glimpse of the powerful wings in action, the pounding relentlessness of the attacks, the hollowmen return! as well as some gruesome new ally in the form of the risen big bad guy at the end!

All looking fantastic!

Fable III: Villager Maker Tutorial

Been out for a while now, but this is the Lionhead uploaded tutorial for making your Villager with the pre-order codes.



Pretty good stuff. The villagers seem unique and interesting with funny fluff behind them, as well as the new in-game footage being awesome to see.

If you have not already done it, go pre-order from participating retailers and then get your code to make your villager!

The Sweet Bardic Twang

Thanks to some nifty working the Villager Creator has given us the first glimpse of the music from the game. Here below we have 'Brightwall Theme' which is fantastic to listen too, over and over again I might add!



Will begin to retune my lute for the awesomness that is Fable III coming soon.

Aiming High


Fable III is going to be heading for the big time according to Peter Molyneux in a recent article from Eurogamer.

'Lionhead boss Peter Molyneux has said he has high hopes the next instalment in the Fable series will be the biggest, best and most lucrative yet.

"We want more than five million people playing Fable III on the Xbox 360, full stop," he told MCV. Around three million copies of the original Fable were sold, while the figure for the sequel was 3.5 million.

So how does Molyneux intend to boost sales this time around? Why, by making the game more accessible to a wider audience, of course.

"Part of that plan is less clutter in the game, less aggravating little inventions that Peter Molyneux once thought was a good idea," said Peter Molyneux.

"More clarity, better story, better cast, better balance. Of course, we have to do all this still with fresh ideas and a new feel to the game."

Fable III is out on 29th October.'


Check the link below for more information.
Eurogamer.net

Sunday 8 August 2010

Snowy Climbs & Boxer Dogs

So I had a look through the Lionhead forum for anything I might have missed and stumbled upon a few more screenshots from within the game. They look pretty ace and seem to show a slightly more 'evil' hero with his pallid skin tone and the deep black of his hair.


He seems as if he is hitting with two weapons there, but I think its just the way he is swinging it. Shame, would have been interesting to have a duel weapon attack.


Now we see his 'darker' persona getting shown with the skin tone I mentioned before. As well as that he seems to have a pretty high level rifle or blunderbuss in his hands, looking very crafty that's for sure.


Now we get a good look at his clothes, which are all from colder climbs...and pretty bad ass looking as well. His tuned up sword, AND the cool boxer dog that you get from ordering the limited edition of the game. Looks fantastic and really hope we get to see a worked on dog this time around. If its anything like the Mabari Hound from Dragon Age this time, rock on!

Going to be going back to Fable II this week I think to try and get a 'definitive' profile going since I screwed up my last one!

Saturday 7 August 2010

Engaget Talk: Peter Molyneux

We have another talk with the man with all the knowledge. Here he talks about Fable II, Fable III and of course Kinect.


Engaget Interview

Its an awesome interview with some good moments concerning the features in the game, and of course that infamous lucky charms idea that is probably already giving the developers at Lionhead a headache.

Wednesday 4 August 2010

For the Chicken!



Something we all love of Fable is its comedy, but its charm and emotion as well. With the newest outing for Fable, Lionhead have released a fantastic intro trailer to the game featuring one of our fair weather fowls, the chicken.

Fable III Video Game, Intro Cinematic | Game Trailers & Videos | GameTrailers.com

That plucky chicken, lets hope our heroes are more successful with their adventures! As always I will find more and more for you, but for now...enjoy the video and I hope that it gives you a taste of what's to come.

Tuesday 3 August 2010

Be part of the Legend


So Lionhead have drawn their newest card. Now, anyone who pre-orders the game and gets a code for doing so from participating retailers can get in on one of the best pre-order deals I have seen in a while.

Sure you get the awesome game with all its bits and pieces, but what they have now offered is called, The Villager Maker. The new piece of awesomeness found on the Fable III splash page attached to Xbox.com allows you to not only create your own NPC for the game, with headgear, facial expressions and clothing, but also allows you to create his personality AND also make him a start of a quest in the final game! Your world therefore has its own, special NPC who not only has his own character but also his or her own quest as well!



I'd say thats a pretty fantastic deal, and with everything else as well the pre-orders will be flying in for the newest title.

However there is some bad news. PC gamers are going to have to wait for their trip into Albion as the PC game has been kept back so they can 'optimise the gaming experience' for both platforms. All good though when you think of what your waiting for!

Will keep you posted as always with news. But, comment and check out the links around the site.