Review: Off the shores of Albion – Traitor's Keep DLC

Title: Traitor’s Keep DLC for Fable III
Genres: Action, Adventure, RPG
Platform: Xbox 360 (Downloadable)
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date: Mar. 1, 2011
ESRB Rating: M for Mature

Lionhead Studios, as if apologizing for the embarrassment that was their "Understone" DLC, released another downloadable quest as an add-on to Fable III (see my review of the full game here). An apology is worth nothing, however, unless there is heart in it. With that in mind, "Traitor’s Keep" DLC is a panting fireman who’s just saved a family from their burning home and runs back in for their beloved cat, Claws.

Unlike "Understone," which provided only one very small location (albeit inventively placed) with an all too linear objective and short, humorless narrative, "Traitor’s Keep" spans three brand new and expansive areas (islands) – Ravenscar Keep, Clockwork Island, and The Godwin Estate – that collectively play host to 4 new missions and several side quests capable of quenching any post-crowned adventurer’s wander-lust. Lionhead claims that the main story, which concerns events and people at a secret prison that keeps Albion’s most notorious criminals, takes no less than 2.5 hours to complete. As wandering about is half the fun of Fable, I think my gameplay clocked in somewhere around 5 or 6 hours for obtaining all 250 Gamerscore worth of new achievements.

"Traitor’s Keep" is all about back-story. By way of an assassination attempt, the monarch comes to learn of Ravenscar Keep (the aforementioned prison) and that it has long been used by at least the two previous rulers: the current hero's brother, Logan, and mother. Given Logan’s predisposition towards military might and his hard-line tactics towards the general populous, one can imagine what types of people he incarcerated there ... namely revolutionaries, like the present monarch (though less successful), who’ve been seething ever since their imprisonment. While touring Ravenscar, players learn of a plot betwixt three pathologically fixated inmates, each of which (gasp) constitutes a quest, and one of whom fills in some blanks about how Albion transitioned to its industrial state.

While "Understone" presented little challenge to players who had already leveled-up their character by way of completing the game, "Traitor’s Keep" introduces new enemies as well as a few variants on some favorite beasties that manage to evoke some mildly impressive battles (some of which are more inventive than tough and vice-versa). In addition to the new clockwork creatures (beetles, exploding dogs, and psychotic automatons), there are rainbow-licious hobbes, extra-hollow hollow men, and (my favorite) drunken balverines. There are humans to fight as well, and being in a prison seems to have honed their group-based fighting skills a bit.

If there’s a weakness to "Traitor’s Keep," it’s the obvious moral choices. Kudos are deserved for including them at all, but the few choices that are presented are so heavily weighted that there is absolutely no ambiguity concerning where the hero’s yea or nay would place him or her in an opinion poll...a shame given Hobson’s prominence throughout the earlier portion of the DLC. More decisions affecting the public-at-large would have been terrific, especially if they came to learn of the prison despite attempts at secrecy. That could have at least added a feeling of political pressure.

Most importantly, "Traitor’s Keep" brings the funny. Sight gags and great writing as well as Fable in-jokes found scrawled across myriad notes and letters abound throughout this DLC. Supplement all of the above with four new outfits (three collected and one given) and one robot dog (non-exploding) to call your very own, and the 560 MS points it takes to purchase this quest seems a pittance for the experience.

[Highly Recommended]

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This review is based on downlodable content purchased by the reviewer.

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Review: Fable III (360)

Genre: Action-Adventure, RPG
Designers: Peter Molyneux (Creative Director), Josh Atkins (Senior Design Director)
Developer: Lionhead Studios
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Console: PC (not released yet), Xbox 360
Release Date: Oct. 26, 2010 (NA/AU), Oct. 29, 2010 (EU)
Age Rating: M for Mature

Lionhead Studios' Fable empire is built on the innovative notion of how selfless and selfish choices affect storylines, main characters, and bystanders. Moral choices in Fable I are obvious and easy — to kill or not, to steal or not — and rewarded as expected. Exemplified early in its Bowerstone Old Town region, Fable II ups the ante by adding surroundings to the list of things that are affected by moral decisions. Economics also plays a developmental role, as the amount of gold spent at shops and going rates for their goods contribute to the displayed degree of community affluence as well as shopkeepers' perceived purity. Fable II also makes select moral choices a bit more ambiguous, but they are still pretty clear in terms of consequences. Enhancing all of the above, Fable III tells a story that takes place 50 years after players put down their controllers and shelved Fable II. Within this gap, the then hero-turned-monarch gives birth to Fable III's hero, who has a brother crowned king and a servant from Monty Python's Flying Circus. Despite the latter, many call Fable III heavy-handed ... and for good reason. The story is one of revolution and thus focuses on conditions that lead thereto: crippling poverty, exploitation, and abuse of power.

In the eyes of Albion's citizens, the king has grown corrupt. He neglects or exploits the majority of the land's people and allows industry to determine morality. There are but two thriving towns, one of which can be likened to an open-air mall, while the others are either in shambles or on their way there. As if to exemplify this, beggars, while naught but a scant novelty in Fable II, are prevalent in just about every town, very vocal, and heartbreaking. In fact, the very first heroic act players are tasked with performing is simply to engage the disheveled Dwellers of Mistpeak. The heavy-handedness comes into play via the oppressive atmosphere, lent to by an impressive array of one-liners from the downtrodden, their general aesthetic and manners of motion, and the sight of houses falling into disrepair. Thus the hero's first role is that of the people's savior, a goal that must be reached by accumulating public and military support. To this end, Fable III puts forth decision after decision (almost immediately and most definitely substantially) that affects the story's hero, the people that surround him or her, and the places all of Albion's citizens inhabit. After players oust the king, it's their turn to play sovereign and prove that they can do better.

It may seem a bit odd that a tale about inspiring then leading a revolution made possible by personal interaction takes place via a video game – a medium which stereotypically attracts one-on-none interaction between those with skin sensitive to natural light and some type of TV or monitor – but it is exactly that medium which can inspire the dichotomy the game is attempting to emulate. For example: Fable III is solely available on Xbox 360 and PC. On large, those playing the game presumably have the disposable income with which to purchase the disc as well as a computer or game console that supports it. Thus, being self-aware, introspection should result in gamers feeling one of two ways when confronted with depictions of poor people delivering over-the-top expressions of their desperate situation: humor over the absurdity if they cannot feel any guilt or connection, or pangs of sympathy via understanding of the vast difference in social situation.

The effects of players' actions on the characters of Fable III and the contrast betwixt them and players' lives aren't the only means of fostering sympathy. Little things, like Demon Doors that require you to work with someone online (friend or stranger), achievements for marrying someone online, and the fact that the online co-op portal facilitates random hero match-ups, fosters the same interaction the game preaches as an instrument of positive change. These sorts of details may not exactly be the same as twirling a random citizen about in a two-step or clucking to evoke the laughter of children, but it is coerced interaction (mandatory, even, if the solo player chooses to try and complete 100% of the game).

Of course there are also subtle detractions from the effectiveness of having to interact with villagers. I'm not generally a people person to begin with, so the amount of yokel persuasion required by Fable I & II worked just fine for me. Fable III however, makes you pay attention. Whether the intent is to greedily acquire more guild seals or earn trust to further a quest, constantly shaking hands, dancing, and playing pat-a-cake gets tiresome and downright burdensome despite the efforts of programmers, writers, and voice actors, who do their best to bring a decent amount of diversity to reactions to such interaction.

However, interactivity isn't the only impressive thing about Fable III. A simplified inventory and more streamlined gameplay greatly improve the overall experience. Early on, the most noticeable improvement is with the quick d-pad selection during fights. No longer are the suggested health items and potions randomized; players, when engaged in a fight, are offered 3 types of potions, two of which were formally Will capabilities (Slow Time and Raise Dead), and one food option. Also, there is no more random food or drink, as players can only carry around one type. Similarly helpful, all experience orbs are now automatically collected during a fight instead of requiring players to hold down a button at the end while losing some of them due to evaporative time.

Regarding actual battle, the range of enemies keeps the action on the interesting side of almost challenging (if only a tad redundant). There's a decent diversity among the malicious, with each class usually comprised of three types: brute, ranged, and "special." Examples of the latter include twin-bladed, will (shock)-using hollowmen; fireball-tossing mercenaries; and necromancing hobbes. Combat is fluid and pretty mindless, which can be excused due to the focus of the game being on personal interaction instead of hack-and-slash/shoot/burn action. Still, weapon diversity and morphing capabilities, along with the range of Will types and COMBINATIONS, make even the most repetitious battle fun. Personally, I like creating tornadoes of fire that sweep up and twirl the enemy around me as I shoot them with my rifle. No mercy. The only real drawback to the action aspect of gameplay is blocking. As a Will- and Skill-heavy user, I don't rely on blocking much, but whenever I held the X button (also used for flourishes), the enemy's attack seemed to get right through anyway. Would mapping the block action to a separate button really have been that hard?

The last thing that deserves mention is the start menu. Personified as "The Sanctuary," this ever-evolving hub connecting a series of four rooms is said to have served as the secret base of operations for the Fable II hero during those 50 years between Fables II and III. The current hero uses it likewise for changing outfits, outfitting weapons, basic accounting (you heard me), and viewing trophies. It also offers a portal to online co-op and an in-game, romanticized Xbox Live Marketplace. Aside from the specialty rooms, The Sanctuary offers an interactive map of Albion that integrates fast travel and quest identification capabilities. The only issue I had with it was the lack of detail. Otherwise, the map was an inventive addition that blended in perfectly with the atmosphere.

Some players might find the theme heavy-handed or dislike the repetition involved with the garnering of support, and RPG fanatics might dislike the fact that there aren't 50,000 potion and food choices. However, Fable III's compelling story line with two-part plot, exhilarating climaxes, and myriad options for replay make this game an astounding and well thought out addition to the series that actually manages to carry over its effects into the real world. More than a few moments made me get choked up, and every gameplay session was so absorbing that none lasted fewer than a couple hours.

[Highly Recommended]

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This review is based on a retail copy purchased by the reviewer.

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Review: Hydro Thunder Hurricane (XBLA)

Genre: Racing
Designer: Matt Small (Creative Director)
Developer: Vector Unit, Inc.
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Console: Xbox Live Arcade
Release Date: Jul. 28, 2010
Rated: E for Everyone

Hydro Thunder Hurricane, available on Xbox Live Arcade (XBLA), is definitely worth the $15, or 1,200 MS points, it costs. Two words: rubber ducky. Never mind that there are several levels, each with enough shortcuts and secret passages to keep even single-player races interesting, this game is entirely about playing with friends and strangers via Xbox Live or otherwise ... and with a rubber duck!

Although I never played the original arcade game upon which this version is based (Hydro Thunder), I downloaded the demo on XBLA, discovered how smooth the single player was, and after discovering the frustrations that came from the allotted collectible boats and tracks therein, switched over to my permitted 10 minutes of Xbox Live time (wherein you get to explore any track with any boat — including my favorite, the infamous rubber ducky).

How much fun you'll have, truly the value behind any game, depends on your predisposition towards high-speed, high-stakes racing and lording your own victory over the collective failures of your competitors (or the general determination to win despite the looming laughter of finish line-wading winners). Like the automobile racing game GRID, one slip-up can mean the difference between a lengthy lead and a laughable last, promoting great tension during any race. There is also a good sense of humor through the courses, be it from either the announcer's (all too repetitive) comments on whatever you’ve just collected or backgrounds featuring mighty Thor creating waves in Asgard and alien ships dominating what appears to be Willy Wonka’s version of Mars. It should also be mentioned that the graphics are good (particularly the reflections in the water and water itself), but nothing that’ll turn a mariner’s head away from an albatross.

The physics engine lends great variety to the gameplay in terms of in- and out-of-water maneuverability (both of which come in very handy) throughout not only individual levels but level types as well. All in all, there are three game modes: Race, Ring Master, and Gauntlet. Championship courses combine all or some of the former into multi-event ... events. In addition to keeping things interesting, these different modes unlock various in-game goodies, such as new boat skins, new boats, and more tracks. OK, it’s actually mostly the points earned per event that add to your bank, but the more you play on tracks with which you’re not bored, the more prizes you earn, right?

Whenever I play online (King Ink), I host all rubber ducky races, and the squeaking from the "boats" is only barely audible over everyone's laughter. Even if you only work a minimal wage job, isn't two hours worth of pay worth infinite enjoyment and adrenaline of online boat racing? You know it is!

[Recommended]

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This review is based on a digital copy of the XBLA game purchased by the reviewer.

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Review: Crimson Skies – High Road to Revenge (Xbox)

Medium: Video Game (Xbox, Xbox Originals)
Genres: Action, Flying
Designers: Jim Deal (Group Lead), Sean Gilmour (Producer/Program Manager)
Developer: FASA Interactive
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Release Date(s): Oct. 21, 2003 (NA), Oct. 31, 2003 (EU), May 20, 2004 (JPN), Dec. 4, 2007 (NA/EU–Xbox Originals)
Rated: T for Teen

When it came out at the tail end of 2003, many touted Crimson Skies: High Road to Revenge for the Xbox as being one of the best online multiplayer games, and it’s easy to see why. Picture a near-perfect flying game, one that sheds the choppy gameplay of its flight- and battle-simulator brethren and leverages a parallel US history as a backdrop for an Indiana Jones-esque sky piracy adventure. Now picture 20 of your nearest and dearest, or a complete group of strangers, filling the sky you’re all flying through with bullets, rockets, and the smoke of the fallen in an online orgy of aerial violence made possible via game variants such as (team and free-for-all) Dogfight and Keep Away, Capture the Flag, and Gun Heist. Add to this a ranking system, from 1-6 dice dots and the much sought after Ace star, entirely dependent on how often you and others play and how well you fare, and you’ll see why this game was so popular amongst the online crowd. This popularity was further added to by the abundant and FREE downloadable content (planes, levels, and online game types).

If you were unfortunate enough to not have either an Xbox Live membership or anyone to play with on the same console or via system link, Crimson Skies: HRR campaign mode is where the fun lives (especially today, when the online games are naught but virtual ghost towns, reminders of the fun which was had in years past). Story mode lets players wear Fortune Hunter Nathan Zachary’s flight jacket and take the controls of ten inventively designed planes, loosely based off of WWII-era birds of prey, which can be used throughout the game (or any subsequent run-through). There are five and a half geographical settings (the half being allotted for Chicago's tranformation into fhe final Windy City stage), each of which contain several unique open-areas with a range of standard and optional missions. Four difficulty settings, the last of which can be unlocked after beating Hard, lend to replayability, and Ultra-Hard can give even veterans a run for their money (or force them to use the available cheat codes).

The graphics, both in cut scenes and during gameplay, are fantastic for that generation of console and still hold up today if playing on a Standard Definition TV. The sole exception to the quality is that of the somewhat jerky body movements and out-of-ratio-rendered body parts (hands in particular) in cut scenes. Furthermore, the game was not made for High Definition, but the only quality lacking is seen in the cut scenes, which are humorous and well-written but luckily not the meat of this game. Xbox 360 compatibility is a wonderful thing, but the transition was not flawless. Though far from hindering, slight visual glitches that detract from the perfection of the game’s original incarnation occur occasionally during play. If you’ve got an original Xbox, there are no problems at all.

Crimson Skies: HRR can be found for $2.99 at GameStop or EB Games that have yet to liquidate their used Xbox originals cache, or you can download it via the Xbox Live Marketplace for 1200 MS Points ($15.00). I’ve not known anyone who’s done the latter, so I’m not sure if that fixes any of the aforementioned slight visual glitches. Easy to play and challenging to master, this humorous and fun game earns a permanent spot in any action-lover's collection.

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This review is based on an Xbox retail release purchased by the reviewer.



great.

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