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Xbox 360 News by Tom Bramwell
Having given Fable 2 9/10 in his own unofficial review last month, Lionhead's Peter Molyneux is now dispensing tips and instructions to those of us who had to wait.
According to Variety, US review copies were accompanied with letters from Molyneux asking critics to "please, please, please, please, please find somebody who doesn't play games, watch them play it and see how their world turns out, because I think it's only when you see those differences that the unique experiences comes through".
Fable 2 was designed to "appeal to anybody", he said, and it's certainly been a theme of Molyneux's public pronouncements and the systems upon which the game is built, including the simple combat mechanics and the dog, who acts as a visual cue for a lot of content and events you might otherwise miss at a glance.
Molyneux also explained that the delayed online co-op mode would not be available to review until after the game comes out.
Lionhead is far from the first developer to issue letters and pleas with its review code, as you might imagine. Most recently, in a letter accompanying copies of Alone in the Dark from Atari, developer Eden Studios spoke up for its unorthodox design and politely asked reviewers to pay attention to it.
Fable 2 is due out exclusively for Xbox 360 on 24th October, and you can read our most recent Fable 2 hands-on preview for more information, and check out last week's interview with senior folks on the Fable 2 art team for more insight into the game's development.
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The_Inquisitor
07/10/08 @ 08:28
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According to gamesTM this month, he didn't give it 9/10 but rather, said he would give it 11/10 if asked.
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seasidebaz
07/10/08 @ 08:33
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More like 8/10
I will, however, get the missus to play it. She's kind-of a non gamer. And I don't think she'll like it. |
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While he's at it, he could always change his request to making a die-hard Fable fan play it. Or an unstoppably optimistic person who loves everything.
I've seen proper non-gamers try to play similar games, and they just spend half the time running into walls and the rest of the time not knowing where they're going. It won't get you a better experience. |
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Derblington
07/10/08 @ 08:37
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"Play it as you'd play any other game, very few people are going to be playing it under instruction."
Indeed. The fact that the worlds can turn out differeent is irrelevant if you need someone who's never played games to highlight that - most of us online will be playing it with other gamers and if we all see the same content then it's a bit redundant. |
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I think its a good idea personally.
I quite enjoyed Fable, in fact i played through it twice, and I'm very much looking forward to Fable 2. I think its good because most (not all) "professional" games reviewers seem to be complete toss pots. Getting someone, with no - little experience to play through it might introduce a whole new demographic. After all games are for all to enjoy. |
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captainrentboy
07/10/08 @ 08:40
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If the game uses dual analogue controls for movement, he's got no chance of my girlfriend (or a few of my other mates come to think of it) playing it at all. What is it about using two sticks for character movement that drives non-gamers friggin mental? :)
Didn't Lair send out some kind of special request with its review copy? |
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Possibly not the smartest thing for PM to do, because people always then want to do the opposite - particularly in the video-game world. Not that it bothers me though, I'm still really looking forwards to Fabe II. Though I enjoyed the original Fable, I actually found it more cumbersome even than Oblivion, so if the new Fable really is that 'non-gamer friendly', then they must have put a lot of effort into streamlining the whole experience, but without losing the depth.
As for Alone in the Dark, I wonder what the accompanying letter said... 'Dear Mug, Please would you kindly Beta-test this broken piece of shit for us, as we can't be arsed to test it ourselves.' If they really do patch Alone in the Dark, to bring it in-line with the FINISHED PlayStation 3 version, then I would be more than willing to re-evaluate it, but until then my Crap out of 10 mark still stands. |
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muscleblade
07/10/08 @ 08:56
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Please not another Alone in the dark even though it undeservedly got 7/10 here. I dont really care though since we all know Gears 2 and Left4dead will be amazing.
edit: Maybe Eurogamer actually listen to the letters?!
Edited 1 times,
most recently on 07/10/08 @ 09:58
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captainrentboy
07/10/08 @ 09:06
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According to the MCV mag that comes to my workplace, Fable 1 was the third best selling title on the original Xbox just behind 'you know what' 1&2. Something I wasn't actually aware of.
So I can't see why this one, which looks considerably better, would flop on its release. |
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kangarootoo
07/10/08 @ 09:10
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Seems like a fair desire to have, but whether its a fair question to actually put under the noses of journalists is another thing altogether. There are probably better ways to steer an audience than to ask them outright for favours.
"Peter Lolyneux LOL" Holy christ that is lame. Either this is a deep satire on the nature of internet forums... or an idiot. |
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Hey Molyneux can ya do me a favour?
next time you guys plan a Collector's Edition, attempt to get all the items for it a bit better, hell tell the sellers too, as gamestation cannot stop apologising about not knowing the CE has lost so much and still charging me 49.99 /em grumpy may cancel pre-order, but would feel bad for getting pub games for nothing *grumbles* |
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Having given Fable 2 9/10 in his own unofficial review last month
WTF! No Peter, you don't get to review your own games. And what's with the 9/10? If I was reviewing my own games I'd be sure to give myself a proper 10/10. If he really thinks it's worth "just" a 9/10 he should postpone release and smooth out the areas which keep it from getting a 10/10. |
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On a lighter note:
Think he's just worried about getting the same criticism that Assassin's Creed got. I remember one magazine (gamesTM or EDGE, cannot remember) gave it something like 3/10 for being all looks and even more repetition. Though i have not played AC myself (have it ready to play, once i get through every other bloody game coming out in october/november) i have heard many people say it was overlooked by Reviewers because they had to pile through it, making the game feel like a chore. Those who casually played it felt it was criticised too much, guys at penny-arcade for one. What happens if this is how the reviews for Fable II is rushed through to the end for reviewing sake? the same results? Either way i loved the original, and will be buying Fable II (without the hobbe figure etc :( ) and will play it like i played the first:- exploring as much as possible! Fun before rushing the plot, i want to own at least one entire village before i complete it :D How was AC for everyone in here? |
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Yeah, don't just get a non gamer. Get a non gamer from cornwall.
They will be so overwhelmed by the magical journey up to london in a steel snake that their mind will be blown by the pretty colours and moving shapes of Fable 2! For fuck's sake, don't ask an expert. Ask a cab driver what he thinks. BASE ALL YOUR OPINIONS ON THAT. P.S. I have nothing against the game. I am sure I will buy it and enjoy it despite certain molyneuxisms.
Edited 2 times,
most recently on 07/10/08 @ 10:39
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Yeees, let someone who doesn't know anything about games, review it.. wow, Peter... just WOW !
not what he said tho, is it - he never said get a non-gamer to review it, he said watch a non-gamer play it, and you'll see the difference in worlds that result. but obviously, don't let the facts stand in the way of venting a ton of bile every time molyneux gets interviewed. not quite understanding what everyone is so up in arms about, seems like a fair comment to me... |
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Markusdragon
07/10/08 @ 10:15
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Pleading is never going to work. He should have challenged reviewers to get non-gamers to play it, then they might have listened.
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hiddenranbir
07/10/08 @ 10:45
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Appeal to anybody?
That means everyone will whine about it lacking "depth". |
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Well, let's look at the track record of Lionhead:
Black and White: Craptastic. Kinda fun, but tedious and with really annoying interface Fable 1: Grrrrr. Promised revolution, ended average Movies: Also, great fun-great-fun playing, but whoever designed then interface should be shot. And some other logic problems there. Basically, all these games had something in common- they were ridiculously overhyped. Molyneux, if given chance, would babble for hours of how great the B&W, Movies, Fable would be and how they all are going to revolutionize the genre and basically how the Peter Almighty is the game designer of the millenia. It's a real shame all these games turned out to be just average. But anyone notice a pattern here? |
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The original Fable wasnt really just average, everyone is just saying that with hindsight. It was right up there with KOTOR when it was released, and while it wasnt revolutionary, it was still an excellent single player RPG, with just a few quibbles.
Get off Peter Molyneuxs back really, hes a legend. He does need to this game to be awesome tho, as his legend status is definitely slipping. |
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Well, let's look at the track record of Lionhead:
Black and White: Craptastic. Kinda fun, but tedious and with really annoying interface Fable 1: Grrrrr. Promised revolution, ended average Movies: Also, great fun-great-fun playing, but whoever designed then interface should be shot. And some other logic problems there. Basically, all these games had something in common- they were ridiculously overhyped. Molyneux, if given chance, would babble for hours of how great the B&W, Movies, Fable would be and how they all are going to revolutionize the genre and basically how the Peter Almighty is the game designer of the millenia. It's a real shame all these games turned out to be just average. But anyone notice a pattern here? What the fuck are you babbling on about???? Black & White (and B&W2) were, and still are great games. Someone gives you a complete breath of fresh air, unique, colouful, radically different, and you sodding moan about it! Well piss off back to your generic brown and grey FPS / RPG / whatever... Fable 1, was a pretty good game, and I would challenge you about the revolution part. I think it changed a lot of things, especially after release. It was a very solid game, with a good story line, and of course the whole good / evil thing. The Movies, I've never played so I won't comment on it. |
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Moribundman
07/10/08 @ 11:39
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Woohoo! Mogs the occasionally funny PS3 Troll has set up camp on EG in addition to CVG. And he's brought FRIENDS!
I somehow regret not trolling the Drake's Progress board and ripping into another platform's exclusive in spite of it being a good game... Maybe I'll have a go with LBP instead. |
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michaelius
07/10/08 @ 11:50
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Hmm review sites is designed for gamers to read. So why exactly would we want non gamer perspective in article ?
Also if I might write my petition for Peter "Dear Peter Please stop making those failure at being rpg games and produce us another part of Populus" |
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kangarootoo
07/10/08 @ 12:45
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@Bezzy
Where to begin. Firstly, when it comes to games, what exactly is an expert? A professional critic is someone who is paid to review games. That is all. Quite how that makes their opinion more valid than the gamer that actually paid out of their own pocket to play the game, I don't know. Secondly, nobody suggested the non-gamer should write the bloody review. PM simply suggested that said journos see how other people interpret the game and gather their opinions, rather than base their review purely on only their own experience. Seems like a perfectly valid course for any professional reviewer to take, you know, to get the most information and give the most indepth appraisal. So often it seems that peple suggest you can qualify fun based on experience, and that if a casual gamer doesn't enjoy the game their opinion is worthless because they haven't "put in the hours". The only thing that matters is how your target audience perceives your game. That is all you can ask for. You can't please everyone so you don't try. If the head of development is saying that the target audience is more than just the hardcore minority, that the target audience is your grandma or a cab driver, who are you or I to tell him otherwise? |
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kangarootoo
07/10/08 @ 12:46
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""How was AC for everyone in here?"
Big highs and lows (no pun intended). The running about and climbing was fantastic, the combat wasn't so hot. I didn't finish it in the end as the last part of the game was all about group combat, and I got bored. I would play it through again though, just for fun of exploring. |
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"Black & White (and B&W2) were, and still are great games. Someone gives you a complete breath of fresh air, unique, colouful, radically different, and you sodding moan about it! Well piss off back to your generic brown and grey FPS / RPG / whatever... "
And just uncomfy to play, interface sucked, story was rubbish and overall bad bad bad. Just like cow poo is unique and radically different thing to eat for lunch, doesn't mean that is automatically good :p |
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