Aurora, Combat, Co-Op and More...

So been looking through my copy of OXM UK and there's some fantastic new stuff in there. I won't be scanning the pages in, but can talk about some of the new interesting stuff that comes from the magazine and the interviews that they had.

One of the biggest things from the article is the co-operative that is coming to the game. In Fable II they had the ORBS system as well as the ability to play online with a henchman version of your character from your own game. Well, Lionhead has listened to all the information from their fans and they are totally recreating the co-op experience.

The ORBS system is back, although now your friends will appear on your massive map as well as wandering around your world with you. You can interact with them the same, trading and such like but now when you wish to co-op with your buddies they appear in your world not as a non-entity henchman but as their own character, complete with all their upgrades and everything in tow. As well as this you are no longer limited to the same screen. Your buddy can now go off and cause havoc on completely the other side of Albion, or indeed Aurora.

On the note of Aurora the landscape is certainly different. OXM reveals that the land looks dusty and full of canyons and 'Arabic' style vistas, as well as some ancient sites. They did manage to sneak a peek at some of the art and such on it and the tents were looking very Arabic as well. So, as they said 'here's hoping for Arabian Nights'

Something else which is completely new is that for the first time, a relationship within a game can fully be between two heroes. You no longer have to be the King with his NPC Queen, you and your co-op partner can rule together, as full online King and Queen of Albion. Pretty interesting stuff when it comes to those important Judgements. At last WoW players can 'marry' for real.

The War Room as Peter has called it is still looking fantastic and OXM on their visit managed to see a good chunk of it, with people milling around the little world and going about their business.

Combat is also going well it seems. From the GDC Demo we saw it looked fantastic, but the combat is more akin to DMC or Bayonetta apparently now than Fable's staple style. You can even preform juggling attacks with your pistol if you see fit it seems. As well as this finishers (those slow motion kills we saw in the demo) are unlocked as you progress for some fantastically bloody endings.

Sounds like its going to be fantastic...go and check out your local vendor of news for a copy of the magazine, has some more details in there I didn't have time to type out.

Bring on Fable III.