Fable II: Knothole Island Review

By Dan Whitehead Published 14 January, 2009

And so our story begins. Again.

Version tested: Xbox 360

One of the disadvantages of using pretend virtual money to buy downloadable content is that we're still fumbling towards a consensus on the relative value of the things we buy. This uncertainty is muddled even further when you consider something like Fable II. You can complete the Knothole Island quest in just a few hours, and apart from a smattering of collectables and a fetch-quest there's not a lot more to it, but then Fable II was always about how you play, not for how long.

What is immediately clear is that, benefits of the recent patch aside, this DLC bundle contains all the delights and frustrations of the full game. Context-sensitive selections are still a fiddle, with button prompts appearing but not responding, while characters (and dogs) get snagged or lost as you stamp about. Precise navigation is still a fuss when you're not following the sparkling golden trail (why can't we place waypoints for the actual spot we want to reach?) and this is compounded on Knothole Island, since there's not even a mini-map in the pause screen.

The main component of the package is a quest to solve the weird weather problems plaguing the island. This involves talking to the self-appointed chief of the village, finding three keys and exploring three elemental shrines. It's all very linear, and you have to leave the island and come back between each section in order to trigger the next - something the game doesn't make clear. It's a shame that due to the glitchy nature of the core experience, many people seem to automatically assume that this crude interruption means that the quest is broken.

'Fable II: Knothole Island' Screenshot 1

Scenes like this would probably have been more inviting had the content been available before Christmas, as originally planned.

It's an intermediate affair, with little that will trouble those who haven't got a high-level character, although the heavy reliance on flit switches for progress may frustrate those who haven't levelled up their speed and accuracy with ranged weapons. It culminates in another of Peter Molyneux's beloved moral choices, but because of the miniature scale of the quest the stakes aren't particularly high and the decision is a fairly binary one between being an arsehole and being a hero.

Beyond the quest, there are a couple of additional tasks you can undertake. The Box of Secrets shop has thirteen mysterious and special items on offer, although they can't be purchased with gold. Instead you have to swap them for items culled from around Albion. Some, such as carrots, are easy to obtain. Others, like Purple Regal Dye, require a lot of tiresome trekking around and boosting local economies to get them to appear. The rewards are generally worth it, though, with some cool weapons and costumes to unlock. There's a nice nod to Master Chief with Hal's Rifle, while the option to dress as Elvis Presley isn't too bad either.

There are also ten books detailing the history of the island dotted around the place. Since the island featured in the first Fable, fans will enjoy piecing together the back-story. And since finding them all nabs one of the three new Achievements, it's probably worth the effort. Most can be found while doing the quest, and if you've got your canine pal to hand they're easily located.

'Fable II: Knothole Island' Screenshot 2

Gordon here takes you to Knothole Island from Bowerstone Market. You're free to come and go as you please.

On the subject of Achievements, it's a tad disappointing that the 100 Gamerscore points available here are dished out in big, obvious dollops - 50 for doing the quest, 25 apiece for the books and Box of Secrets items. Considering the main game has some of the most entertaining Achievements in Xbox history - rewarding players for getting people drunk, having an orgy and running around in their underpants giving everyone the finger - it's a pity there's not more of that sort of thing.

But then Knothole Island doesn't take long to drain of its amusements. With just a couple of shops it doesn't add much to the social or real estate aspects of the game, and the long-term benefits it brings to Albion seem negligible. I certainly enjoyed the quest, brief as it is, and for all its flaws I was happy to be lured back into Fable's world after a few months out. But I was still left underwhelmed once I'd sucked all the new content dry though. Worth experiencing for the Fable faithful? I'd say yes. But is it worth 800 Points? Probably not.

6 / 10

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About Dan Whitehead

Dan has been writing for Eurogamer since 2006 and specialises in RPGs, shooters and games for children. His bestest game ever is Julian Gollop's Chaos.

Read more articles from Dan by visiting the Dan Whitehead archive page.

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Comments (90) Latest comment 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • PlugMonkey #1 3 years ago

    Had this come out last week, before I bought Fallout 3, it would have been an instant purchase. Now, I'm not so sure.

  • Moonprince #2 3 years ago

    "since there's not even a mini-map in the pause screen"

    That seriously sucks :/

  • lordofdeadside #3 3 years ago

    How does the free version work? Is it just co-op that's missing?

  • Dizzy #4 3 years ago

    Free version allows you to play co-op with somebody who has the "full" version. So it is only co-op :) So if you think 800 points is too much, find a friend on your list and join his game to experience the island for free ;)
    Edited by 2 at 14/01/09 @ 11:32

  • muscleblade #5 3 years ago

    If it lasts more than an hour its easily worth 800 points imo even though i have to work about 15 minutes to earn that kind of cash.LOL.

  • jambolio #6 3 years ago

    I cant decide whether to go back and buy this or to play Fall Out again, I enjoyed the wastes far more than albion.

  • Daikon #7 3 years ago

    Ah, Fable 2... My "whatever..." game of 2008.
    My ambivalence no doubt caused by the fact that YOU CAN'T DIE in the game.
    Not being able to die sounds very nice, but there's not much of a challenge there, now is there?
    Booooring.

    I think I'll be getting the new Fallout 3 DLC instead, thank you very much.

  • Dizzy #8 3 years ago

    "If it lasts more than an hour its easily worth 800 points imo even though i have to work about 15 minutes to earn that kind of cash.LOL. "

    QFT. That is about the amount of water bottles I buy at work a day ;)

    "Not being able to die sounds very nice, but there's not much of a challenge there, now is there? "

    Dude.. you can't die in any games. Save/load. It is all just an illusion... at least Fable 2 has a gameplay mechanic so we do not have to click save/load all the time.

    Ok.. except hardcore Rogue/Nethack... play that instead if you want REAL death.
    Edited by 3 at 14/01/09 @ 11:41

  • mazzl #9 3 years ago

    my only problem with the pricepoint it: since the engine is already done. they should provide loads more content for this price.
    that's alway the case with dlc. the island should be bigger, with more quests.
    i hope the snowy weather can be available in all of albion

  • muscleblade #10 3 years ago

    @Dizzy

    Water is free where i work but i easily spend twice this amount on lunch every day. I eat expensive heathy food like chicken breasts so i do spend more on food than the average guy i suppose.

  • Dizzy #11 3 years ago

    "Water is free where i work but i easily spend twice this amount on lunch every day. I eat expensive heathy food like chicken breasts so i do spend more on food than the average guy i suppose. "

    Strange. Food here is free ;)

    We live in a mirror universe.

    Anyway.. 800 points is about the same as a movie ticket here. That lasts 2 hours. Like anything in Fable 2, your mileage will vary a lot depending on how much you explore and go for the collectibles. I have put 20 hours in Fable 2... happy with that.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 11:48

  • BTBAM #12 3 years ago

    The thing I love about this DLC is the fact it gets back into the game. I still have quests from the particular save game I loaded that I haven't completed, so I'll go back to them once I've done all of Knothole and have some cool items. It's just nice to be back in Albion.

  • Hunam #13 3 years ago

    For £6.80 it's a good purchase. Lots of new stuff in there and a good evenings worth of entertainment.

  • muscleblade #14 3 years ago

    "Not being able to die sounds very nice, but there's not much of a challenge there, now is there? "

    How can a hero save the world if he dies. Doesnt make sense. I prefered how they solved it in POP over Fable 2 and Bioshock though. Fable 2 is a lot less challenging than POP too. I think that was Lionheads intention.

  • Widge #15 3 years ago

    Fallout 3 saves pretty much every time you breathe and that auto reloads on death...

  • muscleblade #16 3 years ago

    "a good evenings worth of entertainment. "

    Just what i want from DLC like this. Of course its worth 800 points.

  • menage #17 3 years ago

    Yeah, the can't die argument is lame. Most modern games have quicksaves, respawn points and such, what's the freaking point of retreading a certain part of a dungeon if you die? There's always Megaman 9 if you like dying a lot of course.

    As for the review, so now Fable 2 get's slagged for all the things it did wrong in the original that got a 10?
    Sure, whatever.

    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 11:53

  • Tonka #18 3 years ago

    People getting paid in MS points:
    muscleblade

  • Widge #19 3 years ago

    Funnily enough the main Fable 2 review was done by someone else, EG isn't some sort of hive mind colony

  • Dizzy #20 3 years ago

    I get it now... 6/10 value for money if you use the UK pound. 9/10 if you are a Euro earner ;)

    Ok ok

    /gets coat

  • Vanmunt #21 3 years ago

    As for the review, so now Fable 2 get's slagged for all the things it did wrong in the original that got a 10?
    Sure, whatever.

    Thought exactly the same, ole PM is certainly milking as much as he can out.. Pub games and now this, both should be in the full price game..
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 12:06

  • HiredMan #22 3 years ago

    I finished the main quest and book collecting this afternoon (Aussie), probably spent about 3 1/2 hours on Knothole Island so far. The new items are great. Well worth the 800 points for me.

    Was worth the purchase just to get my dog back!

  • menage #23 3 years ago

    I know that different people have different tastes, but it's still a site which should have some sort of consistency in the way they approach things. Otherwise they could break up the site in 6 different ones called ROGERS/... VIEW ON SHIT or something. Ah well, no use in starting a rating discussion again I suppose.

    @Vanmunt

    Aren't the pub games (mostly) in the game? And while it would have been nice to have the stuff in the game, I'm glad I didn't have to wait for January to play the game. As for milking, I'm not sure if it's the right price point, but I think this is hardly milking it. So every DLC which adds new stuff is milking?
    Edited by 2 at 14/01/09 @ 12:12

  • YobRenoops #24 3 years ago

    I really want to play Fable 2. Roll on March when I get a Jasper Elite!

  • Vanmunt #25 3 years ago

    @Menage

    So every DLC which adds new stuff is milking?

    Probably it is, especially when developers admit they take content out to charge for later (ala Underworld), something to get used to with all consoles online and the drastic drop in price of games (Far Cry £20!)..

  • Floppy #26 3 years ago

    @menage

    I believe certain expressions and dog tricks are only available if you have bought and played the XBLA Pub Games, and paired it up with your FableII profile. Just something I read somewhere, and don't know which ones... although probably the ones I'm missing in the main game :)

  • Monkey_Puncher #27 3 years ago

    Thing is whatever a developer does, everytime a new piece of premium content is up you're always gonna get a couple of whingers saying it shoul have been in the game already.

    Personally I'm happy to pay for this content, there's obviously been a lot of effort put into this, some of the art in the new content is absoloutly top notch. As others have said it's dragged me back into the Fable world, the new items are excellent and the quest is decent in length and the changing the weather stuff is really well done.

  • andromeda #28 3 years ago

    knothole...hur hur

  • Jimbob89 #29 3 years ago

    I definately don't think this DLC is worth the price. Firstly even though standard DLC price is 800points for most content on the marketplace, you can't actually purchase 800 points! instead you have to go over the limit and spend more money on 1000points. The quest took me around 2hours, but in all that time i was extremely bored. The puzzles got milked down to simply hitting those bloody orbs....that's all i had to do. And then walk around in caves that look EXACTLY the same as the ones in the main quest. The amount of shops in this island is just laughable, and although there are many new items, this is all this DLC feels like. An opportunity to add loads of new items, whilst the quest seems like an after thought. Sorry for the wall of text, but if you're not sure whether to buy this DLC, like i was last night, hopefully this will help you. I wish i'd of saved my money instead.

  • kendoji #30 3 years ago

    Review sounds a bit harsh. Not sure what anyone expects out of DLC other than a few more hours of entertainment. Price seems fair.

    And as for dying, I think Fable nailed it. In other games with quicksaves and checkpoints I'd never give a toss if I died, but on my first playthrough on Fable there was a part where I died several times, leaving my character horribly scarred for the rest of the game. On my second character I'm now VERY careful to not die. In terms of 'caring' about whether my character lives or dies, it's a huge leap forward in game design imo.

  • menage #31 3 years ago

    @Retibra

    I understand that there's a certain type of gamer which is there for the challenge. I'm not one of those. I'm there for the experience, dynamics, worlds and fun. Dying a couple of times until I get it right isn't automatically fun for me (it can however sometimes be the case, depends on the challenge).

    Also, I think Fable 2 chose the correct route in not going to die and try again route. Some quests do let you fail things and you'll have to live with it for the rest of the game. You can always use another character and try again, seeing what the outcome will be like then.

    I'm glad they made the game like this, cause now it's a game I can share with my GF who loves it. It's not that I don't appreciate hardcore games, but not being metal doesn't automatically make you easy listening, just different. It caters to other tastes, which is not bad cause if everything was the same it would be boring as fuck. I can happily play Megaman 9 besides this and have the best of both worlds.

    @Floppy,

    I think you can get every one in game, but I'm not 100% sure.

  • Beano #32 3 years ago

    "knothole...hur hur "

    Lionhead... groinhead... just look at the logo :)

  • miiiguel #33 3 years ago

    Somehting that's not worth 800 pts should not be a 6, imo.

    800 pts is what? the price of a shady burger or something?

    Anyway, must be the credit crunch or something...

  • sharky_ob #34 3 years ago

    The map was bloody useless anyway. Can't see the lack of one being a disadvantage.

  • jimboton #35 3 years ago

    @menage:

    Actually, it's your argument that's the very definition of lame: "hey what's the freaking point of dying, it's hard, I don't like hard, play Megaman 9 if you like hard". Insightful stuff.

    @all those other 'can't die' fans around:

    There IS a difference between a quicksave/respawn approach and a 'can't die' approach, in that when you respawn or quickload the state of the game world is (mostly) that in which it was when you saved/reached a checkpoint whereas if you just 'can't die' you find things in the exact way they where where you died. It is not just a case of removing the inconvenience of a game over screen or a save/load menu, it is not an innovation or an improvement, it's a compromise, and it's got far reaching consequences.

    So please if you like your games the 'Fable' way, devoid of any kind of challenge, where you don't have to think, learn or develop any kind of skill, fine, just don't act as if 'can't die' is the way games have always been only faster and smarter and it's the rest of us who are too thick to see it.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 12:57

  • menage #36 3 years ago

    @Sharky

    Hah, how right you are. I haven't looked at the map at all. The game isn't that big or unclear imo.

    @jimboton

    I agree that was kind of a sad effort:p (at work you sometimes have to speedpost) Read my other post for something more worthwhile. Then again, your translation of that post isn't correct. I never said I didn't like hard, only that's it pointless to replay shit I already did again. So that's lame as well.

    You clearly haven't played Fable 2 (well), cause if there's one game that does change a lot even if you don't die, it's that. If you die in a game, you replay the same stuff again, where's the change in that? It's not a compromise. just a different way to aproach stuff. It's about how you play, not how well. I failed one mission having poor old Charly die on me, he died, no way to get him back, no quicksave to rleload. He's just dead. I call that progression instead of hitting reload and trying again without having to think about what would happen to the gameworld or my character. As far as I'm concerned it fits the RPG genre much more than "hey I don'r want that to happen, fuck that I'm doing that again".


    Edited by 4 at 14/01/09 @ 13:10

  • Zomoniac #37 3 years ago

    My review what I did on my blog like:

    The first DLC for one of last year's most brilliant releases. An extra 100 gamerscore up for grabs. Splendid. So eagerly I bought it last night and started playing. And it must be said I'm a tad disappointed. Whilst it was fun to revisit Fable 2 for the first time in two months, the content is a tad on the small side. I started it, completed all three new quests, got all the new achievements, bought every property and emptied every shop on the new island of its stock in around two hours.

    Basically it goes like this (spoilers ahead): You get a new quest message, go to Bowerstone market and a chap in a submarine takes you to the new island, where everything is covered in snow and ice. The chieftain of the village, a complete credit-seeking cock, says it's too cold. Your task is to go to a dig spot and using either a spade or a dog (which can now be ressurected if you chose sacrifice at the end of the main game) dig up a key for a temple. Then you go to the Ice Shrine, navigate a few rooms of fairly harmless enemies and use a thing at the end to make it sunny. Then you go back to Albion and waste some time until the next quest comes up, go back to Knothole Island, dig up the key for the Sun Shrine, go through that, doing much the same as before, only now with some very annoying flit switch puzzles, and use a thing at the end to make it rain. Back to Albion, then back to the island, dig up the Storm Shrine key, go through the temple and use the thing at the end to make it snowy again, completing the cycle. And that's it, all done. Just two other achievements, find the 10 hidden books on the island, which aren't particularly well hidden, and buy everything from the mystery shop, which involves getting a list of stuff you need to trade for other stuff and visiting all the traders in Albion to stock up on said stuff, before trading it in for other stuff.

    And that is everything new you get from the DLC in one (admittedly quite long) paragraph. If, like me, you have already 1kd Fable 2 and are a completionist, you've probably bought it already. If you haven't, or aren't, and just wanted the new quests, at 800MSP it's very hard to recommend. The best thing it did was remind me just how beautiful and wonderful Fable 2 is. And that's worth £6.80 of anyone's money.

  • Darkstorm #38 3 years ago

    Is ressurecting the dog unavoidable?

  • Zomoniac #39 3 years ago

    If it lasts more than an hour its easily worth 800 points imo even though i have to work about 15 minutes to earn that kind of cash.LOL.

    Yes, same for me and most with decent jobs. But that's not really the issue, the question is more is it value relative to everything else. Will you get as much quality time from this as you would from a good XBLA game at 800MSP? Does it represent a decent cost-for-playtime compared to a £40 release? I know it doesn't really work like this, otherwise Fallout would cost £500, and Football Manager and WoW would cost more than the average house, but you get my point.

  • Zomoniac #40 3 years ago

    Darkstorm,

    You have to take someone (anyone) to the new resurrection shrine thing and sacrifice them to get the dog back. Easy to do but you certainly have to make a concious effort to do it.

  • Darkstorm #41 3 years ago

    Ah thanks =>

  • jimboton #42 3 years ago

    @menage

    but you died, therefore there should be a point to try and do it better next time. for some of us anyway.

    'it pointless to replay shit I already did again'

    then again, if the game IS shit..
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 13:09

  • miiiguel #43 3 years ago

    " Does it represent a decent cost-for-playtime compared to a £40 release? I know it doesn't really work like this"
    You bet it doesn't...Western society doesn't work like that (fortunatly, it'd be as boring as the soviet union).

  • menage #44 3 years ago

    @Jimboton

    I'll agree there a certain types of games which suit the dying mechanic well (like scrolling shooters, arcade games, etc). then again, what's the point in dying in fable 2 (or any RPG, seeing as you play a role of a character more intensely, and dying would make it unrealistic in context) I ask. It's all about who you're character becomes and how the world responds to that. Not if you clear dungeoin x in 2 minutes or something. It's just a different kind of experience.

    Also "Charly" wasn't my character, it was someone I had to save.

    Not all games should be based on win or die mechanic. For the record, I also play Megaman 9. Not to brag or something, but it's not that I don't like those games. Just that I like different kinds of experiences at different times.
    Edited by 2 at 14/01/09 @ 13:24

  • muscleblade #45 3 years ago

    @Zomoniac

    You have a point of course. I always consider if its worth the time rather than the money. 2 hours of good fun and extra achievement points usually is worth it to me if i like the game. I dont buy games i dont like so thats a given. Didnt Shivering Isles cost 2400 points. That was easily worth it to me even though it was just a few hours extra. I would have bought Knothole Island for that price too btw. Here in Norway one pint of beer cost about the same as the Knothole Island DLC. I know what i prefer :).

  • jebus #46 3 years ago

    @Dude.. you can't die in any games. Save/load. It is all just an illusion... at least Fable 2 has a gameplay mechanic so we do not have to click save/load all the time.

    Ok.. except hardcore Rogue/Nethack... play that instead if you want REAL death.

    Exactly what I was going to say - especially since he was on about Fallout where there is no penalty for death either.

    That mech game - Steel Battalions? where is deleted your save game off the HD was great but it did get a tad annoying after a while.

    Personally I really enjoyed Fable - not enough to buy the DLC. However I would buy anything related to Fallout.

  • Dizzy #47 3 years ago

    >Come here Doggie! Missed you (although I traded you in for moneeeeey before)!

    It is probably not the same dog. I wouldn't sleep. Pet cemetery!

  • miiiguel #48 3 years ago

    Spoiling bastards!!!

  • rhubarbandcustard #49 3 years ago

    Muscleblade:
    800 points = £6.80
    You earn in one hour 4 * £6.80=£27.20

    Or £1,088 a week.

    (...it's a dull lunch break)

    If true... wanker.

  • dryden555 #50 3 years ago

    Yes the DLC is over-priced. But Fable 2 is really a "sandbox game" where you "play-interact" with the gameworld. Its more Animal Crossing than anything else. So, if you are looking for combat challenge, this is the wrong game for you. Best thing about Fable 2 is the graphics -- beautifully done at all times.

  • Moonprince #51 3 years ago

    "The map was bloody useless anyway. Can't see the lack of one being a disadvantage. "

    For those of use who switched off the trail, then yes, the map was useful - as sht as it was. Trail basically played the game for you and took all the exploration way...

  • Dizzy #52 3 years ago

    >Or £1,088 a week.

    Very possible.

    Or a day if he is a specialized consultant.

  • miiiguel #53 3 years ago

    "Or £1,088 a week. "
    I don't get that *every* week, but when I work a saturday and a sunday, yeah, sure, it's something arround that figure (pre-tax, but yes!). And I live in the arse of Europe....

  • rhubarbandcustard #54 3 years ago

    ">Or £1,088 a week.

    Very possible.

    Or a day if he is a specialized consultant. "

    Specialized consultant positions really should be out-sourced abroad.

    Shocking waste of money.

  • Dizzy #55 3 years ago

    >Specialized consultant positions really should be out-sourced abroad

    Hmmm.. that is probably the *only* type that I wouldn't outsource to abroad. Normal consultants yes ;)

  • muscleblade #56 3 years ago

    @rhubarbandcustard
    "You earn £1,088 a week"

    Depending on the current currency more or less yes. Do you think its a lot or too little? Its a little higher than the average salary over here but i also have an above average education so it makes sense really.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 14:23

  • muscleblade #57 3 years ago

    @Coin-Op
    "If a game is poor value for money then it doesn't matter if you are rich and wipe your ass with the amount it costs"


    True - thats why i only have two 360s and no PS3.

  • IronCladChicken #58 3 years ago

    Most modern games have quicksaves, respawn points and such, what's the freaking point of retreading a certain part of a dungeon if you die?

    I think there is a major difference between reloading a save and not being able to die/respawn points;

    If you can't die (or like with Bioshock and you just respawn) then you can effectively brute force your way through most games - so, say you're fighting against 10 bad-guys & you manage to dispatch three before getting killed yourself and respawning; when you get back into the action there’s only seven bad-guys left to fight - Even then it doesn’t matter if you only kill three guys in this attempt, because once you respawn there will only be 4 guys left...

    Whereas when you re-load a save you still have to re-attempt the entire challenge - fight all ten bad guys - before continuing. To get past that point you need to try out different tactics, methods, styles, etc... To win the fight and progress with the game.

    That said - I really enjoyed playing Fable2 & have held onto 800 points just for this download :)

  • muscleblade #59 3 years ago

    @IronCladChicken

    I agree with everything you just posted.

  • Les #60 3 years ago

    "Specialized consultant positions really should be out-sourced abroad.

    Shocking waste of money."

    Good luck finding qualified staff in off-shore locations... As for the waste of money, it definitely is. But as many companies favour the imagined flexibility over the real increase in cost it'll probably continue once the recession that we've all talked ourselves into goes away again...

  • Dizzy #61 3 years ago

    "I earn more in a week than you do in a month, yet I still know the value of money, unlike you who pisses 6 quid a day up the wall on water. "

    Maybe but I get better looking chicks than you*







    *Fucking moron. Onto the ignore pile! I am sure the lads in there will enjoy your amazing monetary contribution.

  • menage #62 3 years ago

    @ironclad

    True, I was just mentioning those 2 because they are both alternatives to not dying in a game at all. Not because they are the same thing.

    As said before there's pro's and cons to all three of them. Depending on the genre and what the point of the game is.
    Edited by 1 at 14/01/09 @ 15:35

  • rhubarbandcustard #63 3 years ago

    I like Fable 2, I won't be buying the DLC, and apparantly I earn a lot less than everyone else on this forum.

    Bugger.

  • Petulant_Radish #64 3 years ago

    Don’t worry Rhubarb, you’re not alone.

    Everyone earns a lot less than me…Oh no I dint! Oh yes I did girlfriend!

  • kendoji #65 3 years ago

    Well I, for one, am honoured that such wealthy people find the time to come and post on Eurogamer about their enormous wealth.

  • kangarootoo #66 3 years ago

    Good grief. Are we really waving pay slips at each other? (obviously not everyone is, there is really only one poster being that sincerely sad).

    I'm not about to reveal my own income, but if you give me a minute to find my ruler (insert joke here about needing to find 3 rulers) I can measure my cock and post the result. As far as the discussion goes, its probably just as insightful.

  • ronuds #67 3 years ago

    I really think MS needs to re-examine their policy on pricing DLC. Does every piece HAVE to be 800 pts.? Why can't some be 400, some 600, etc.? While I'm thinking this is well overprice (1/6th the cost of the full game, yet 1/100th the content?), I'll probably get it anyway for my love of Fable II!!!!

    "So please if you like your games the 'Fable' way, devoid of any kind of challenge, where you don't have to think, learn or develop any kind of skill, fine, just don't act as if 'can't die' is the way games have always been only faster and smarter and it's the rest of us who are too thick to see it."

    You guys crack me up so much. Fable II isn't a challenge because you "can't die" but a game in which you can save anywhere and go back to that save at any point (even if you just happened to not like the outcome of something) is a much better method of doing things? I felt like "dying" in Fable II struck me with more consequence with the scarring than ANY game I've played in the past (unless, of course, I was just too stupid to save for hours and then died). The "you can't die" argument is probably one of the most lame in the history of gaming arguments. I suppose it's a matter of taste, but dying and then returning to a save that's 5 seconds before your death isn't much of a consequence whatsoever. That's more of a trial and error approach than anything else and effectively only allows someone to learn the lay of the land before having to make any choices.

  • Raz76 #68 3 years ago

    Compared to the Far Cry 2 DLC, this is a downright bargain.

  • kangarootoo #69 3 years ago

    @ronuds

    I totally agree. The whole "can't die" thing is just ammunition for people who made their mind up ages ago. Smoke and mirrors, nothing more.

    I was far more pissed about losing a potential xp haul than I would have been about having to reload a save. If you can reload your save, nothing is lost. Surely there is more challenge in having to deal with consequence, whatever that might be.

  • ronuds #70 3 years ago

    @ kangerootoo

    And it's not as if Fable doesn't allow you to save and then go back to that save if you do die, so you can create the illusion for yourself if you'd like, which makes the argument even more lame. It accomodates both methods, but actually gives a consequence to dying and NOT reloading a save, which most other games don't have.

    Also, why is it more of a challenge knowing that you can enter any situation and approach it any way you choose, as long as you save first? Listen to yourselves, people!!!!

  • rashes #71 3 years ago

    MS really needs to update it's conversion rates. Euro people are getting seriously ripped off

    [link url=http://www.xbox pointsconverter.co.uk/
    ]http://www.xbox pointsconverter.co.uk/
    [/link]

  • busboy33 #72 3 years ago

    For the "games haven't had real consequences for death" debate . . .

    I give you Steel Batallion. For those who didn't play it, if your mech was damaged to the point of exploding you had about 4 seconds to flip the shield over your "eject" button and blast outta that bad boy. If you did, your mech was lost, but you could retry the level/battle with another from your garage or buy another if you had amassed enough credits.
    If you DIDN'T manage to eject before the mech went up . . . you died. Your save game was deleted, all progress, mechs, credit, etc., were lost. You had to start the entire game from the beginning as a completely green player, playing every single aspect of the game again.
    More realistic? Sure, but then again this is a game that had an 8-key sequence just to turn your mech on, and went out of its way to make the game music replicate the sound of being played on a 2-dollar tape player stuffed under your seat (i.e.: muffled, tinny crap). More fun? Well, if you got stuck on a particularly difficult level deep in the game, having to replay the entire game multiple times was certainly realistic and good training, but definiitely NOT fun.
    On the other side, part of the charm of SB was how NOT fun the game was. Your mech (almost al of them) controlled like a gigantic monstrosity should control -- like crap. Visibility was minimal since your view was cluttered with about a billion gagues and readouts. Get moving forward, try to target an opponent (compensating for the bounce of your cannons as you walked), have the target move off screen, try and turn only to tip over as inertia dropped you on your metallic ass, activate windshield wipers to remove the bits of trees from your view as you trigger your fire extinguishers to put out the electrical fires, frantically dialing in radio broadcasts only to find the frequency just in time to hear that 5 mechs behind you were launching a killer volley your way . . . much as I loved SB "fun" is a hard word to apply to it.

  • niteninja #73 3 years ago

    Are people not sick of paying for extra content that should have been in the game in the first place?
    Its been the problem with this gen of consoles from day one.
    Great game that fable 2 was this should be free.

  • antasari #74 3 years ago

    Would be happy to pay for this, since I've spent more time on Fable 2 than anything else since Christmas. But my game now freezes every time I hit a loading screen and is unplayable.

    I'd be bored stupid playing through the same quests again, so I'm not wiping and reinstalling to hard drive after 30-40 hours even if that would work. Game over (until the next patch ... I hope ... )

  • itsfuzzy #75 3 years ago

    Loved both Fable 2 and Fallout 3. But with this just the 1st installment of multiple DLC for both, im starting to get a bit worried.
    Cash cow comes to mind. I really dont think im going to buy into it. Especially after the disappointment of Knights of the Nine and similar DLC.

  • muscleblade #76 3 years ago

    @kendoji

    "Well I, for one, am honoured that such wealthy people find the time to come and post on Eurogamer about their enormous wealth"

    Earning £1,088 a week is not nearly enough to gain an enormous wealth. Not even close. Its a decent salary where im from but nothing spectacular. The reason for the posting was to explain why this DLC is easily worth the price imo.

  • kangarootoo #77 3 years ago

    @busboy33

    Steel Battalion was an odd beast. Very much in the "simulation" camp. I personally thought at the very LEAST the way they treated death should have been a player adjustable option.

    It felt a little bit elitist to me, a bit "if players can't hack it, they 'ain't tough enough for our game". And also I'm not sure it went through a proper process of due design diligence, like someone had the idea and in it went (when really 20 minutes spent properly discussing it would have revealed it to be too extreme a step).

    It didn't ruin the game I'm sure, but I would definitely label that particular aspect as a mistake (considering the majority view, as I am sure a minority of players thought it was a great idea).


    "Are people not sick of paying for extra content that should have been in the game in the first place?"

    I know this gets wheeled out a lot, and I'm not jumping on your case in particular here, but I always feel this is a bit of an underdeveloped point of view. If the new DLC is too pricey then fair enough, but that is a seperate issue.

    When it comes to content that is actually in the game, how can we even define what that should and shouldn't be? Surely all we can do is look at the game as it is and make our purchasing decision. Can we extend this logic to sequels as well, and perhaps even every game the dev makes till the end of time.

    Its like people are completely happy with the game, until something new comes along, and then they feel retrospectively disappointed. I often liken this (in my typical condesending fashion) to a child that is perfectly happy with their bag of sweets, until they realise another child has a slightly larger bag of sweets, at which point their own bag seems suddenly less satisfactory.

    I personally thought Fable 2 was ace, and well worth the money I paid for it. I knew what I was getting, so I can't complain afterwards. Its not like I have been tricked.

    Daft example time.
    I buy 1lb of potatos at the supermarket. It says 1lb on the bag. I know how many spuds I am getting 'cos I counted them, and I know how much they weigh in total, and I know roughly how many hours of chip eating fun I will get from them.

    I do NOT get my nose out of joint when I discover the supermarket had another bag of potatoes in the back store room, and I certainly don't claim they should have slipped a few extra spuds into my bag, purely because they could.

  • klem578 #78 3 years ago

    HELLO PEOPLES , I CAN MAKES THE A MILLION EUROS A MONTH , CAN I BUYS THE DOWNLOLABLE CONTENTS NOW?

    I LIKE MONEY !

  • muscleblade #79 3 years ago

    "and you have to leave the island and come back between each section in order to trigger the next - something the game doesn't make clear"

    This is weird, unnecessary and very annoying and my only complaint really.

  • Razorus #80 3 years ago

    *sigh* I can't resist the lure of DLC even when it sucks. This was disappointing quest-wise but the stuff you get and the achievements are ok.
    I was saving up for this, and then I got Fallout 3 and decided to get those DLC's instead. But I just couldn't resist...*cries*

  • doomsday #81 3 years ago

    "And so the story begins. Again."

    This subheadline is worth 800 points alone.

  • doomsday #82 3 years ago

    Brombeer, how did you get your dog back? I lured someone into the little tomb, turned the lever, nothing happened, and since then the lever can't be used any more...?

  • metalangel #83 3 years ago

    KingsXKing re: weather; don't forget the British public go utterly insane when its a bit cold, never mind when it snows!

  • muscleblade #84 3 years ago

    After playing Naruto 2 (EG never reviewed it strangely) and POP going back to Fable 2 was a huge letdown for me personally.

  • dryden555 #85 3 years ago

    What I liked about Fable 2 is that it didnt hide the fact that it had easy combat with no real death penalty. That is far better than Bioshock, where you can respawn endlessly from death just a few feet away from your enemies, and hit them again, die, respawn, hit them again. Fable 2 is never that lame.

  • comedian #86 3 years ago

    After reading the review and completing the extra content I agree that there's not enough content to justify the price.

    Fable II was one of my favourite games of last year so I'm disappointed that this DLC came to so very little.

  • muscleblade #87 3 years ago

    With 150G left for new achievements i hope the next DLC isnt too far off. Btw where is more Mass Effect DLC and what about Bioshock?

  • sanctusmortis #88 3 years ago

    I'd say that's very generous, having finished it. A poor 2/10 for me.

  • jonsaan #89 3 years ago

    Knothole was a great addition to the main game. Hwoever I bought it before I completed everything else so it was a nice aside from time to time. 8/10. MORE DLC PLEASE!

  • Lord-Norr #90 3 years ago

    I was most confused. Starting the review, I was expecting high praise, but instead found much criticism. Imagine my surprise when you gave it 6/10. Baring in mind the review pages told me much higher...

    Fable II: Knothole Island
    Review by Dan Whitehead
    Xbox 360 And so our story begins. Again. 14/01/2009 10/10