the bandits, between melee sword attacks or getting off a few quick shots with the bow. It’s now much easier to switch between zapping the senile trader. Lionhead has since streamlined the process a bit, leaving each face button to control a specific attack type. In it’s raw form, combat in Fable consists of your basic ranged, melee and magical attacks, but featured a clunky cycling mechanic back in 2004. Using the left and right triggers to navigate menus while using the bumpers to navigate sub-menus is a bit of a mess, especially when you’re trying to browse shops or equip gear. This is unfortunately par for the course with many HD Collection upscales, but Fable Anniversary is not a standard upscale, so I’m puzzled as to why Lionhead wouldn’t take the time do it the right way.Īside from updating Fable‘s graphics, Lionhead tweaked the in-game menu system to feature larger, clunkier menus that aren’t any easier to navigate than their original counterpart. As you’d expect from this poor decision, cutscenes are muddy and visual hate crimes to anyone with the ability to see. It’s all part of the Fable charm, but some of the voice actors sound like nails on a chalkboard, especially “da twaduz”.įor going the extra mile and completely revamping the graphics, Lionhead surprisingly took the cheap way out with the animated cutscenes and ported them over directly from the Xbox version. Fable Anniversary also features the original soundtrack and voice acting, so be ready to absorb in hours upon hours of English-accented dialogue. I’ve always liked the comical, large-bodied fantasy style of the Fable universe, and I had fun reliving the classic game with its new coat of paint, but if you’re not familiar with the source material you may find the presentation a little off-putting.
Character models on the other hand, can be hit or miss. Albion is a colorful place and the original world has never looked better. You’ll still notice the iconic art style of the original, but it’s now graphically on par with Fable 2. Rather than upscale Fable directly from the Xbox, Lionhead Studios took the time to completely rework the game’s graphical structure. Of course you can always go in the opposite direction by assisting bandits and murdering townsfolk instead, eventually leaving you with a more menacing appearance, complete with horns and a swarm of insects. Assisting townsfolk with their problems and choosing armor, haircuts or tattoos that boost your attractiveness will make you more renown to the residents of Albion. If you’re unfamiliar with Fable, it’s an action RPG in a fantasy setting where you have control over your hero’s recognition and appearance. For better or worse, we’ve gotten the Fable we all knew and loved on the Xbox, but not much else. Lionhead Studios has also included SmartGlass support to obtain more information on the citizens of Albion and easy access to the world map. Fable Anniversary is essentially Fable and its Lost Chapters add-on with a graphical overhaul and some UI tweaks similar to those found in Fable 2 or 3.