Fable: The Lost Chapters
Chicken heads, flamenco dancing, dragons and brothels. New Xbox images included.
by David Clayman
July 12, 2005 - Last week Microsoft announced that Fable: The Lost Chapters would be landing on the Xbox this fall. This news almost made me feel a bit sorry for PC gamers who had been anticipating the arrival of the original game since it was first announced many years ago. What was supposed to be the greatest RPG ever created eventually became an Xbox exclusive and the PC was pushed out of the picture.
Then, the Lost Chapters was announced and the non-console crowd rejoiced in their eventual redemption. The title would be a third longer, with new spells, monsters, armor, weapons and expressions. Finally, Fable fans would find out what was lurking behind those locked doors and what far off lands those docked ships sailed to.
Now, the game will be available on the big black box as well, as a platinum hit for the reasonable price of $19.99. We already have some information on the new content from all of the PC content that has been announced and we decided to put together an update on what exactly will be included in these Lost Chapters.
Quests
There sure was some strange speculations concerning secret areas in the Xbox version of Fable. I worked furiously to make sure that the IGN Fable guide included each new theory on unlocking a secret land, which inevitably sent me back into Albion to test someone's hair-brained postulation. But in the Lost Chapters, the Northern Wastes have become a reality. At the center of this icy wasteland lies a city of the dead where gamers will run into new beasts.
Along with the frozen environment there will be 16 new quests and some small additions to the conversations that occur around town. All of these combine to give Xbox gamers some answers concerning locked doors and the light house. The developers have also promised that the game will close out with a massive dragon, a creature that previously only existed in the literature of Albion.
One question we've already received numerous times is whether or not gamers will be able to import saves or characters from the original Fable into The Lost Chapters. Unfortunately, the answer is no and TLC is being released as a standalone game.
New Gear
So we've been promised extra content, but what are some specific examples of items that are going to make us run out and buy the lost chapters? For starters, there will be some new head gear. If there's one thing that can make even the most hardened warrior look silly it's a decorative hat. So far we know of two such accessories. The first is a giant sized, googly eyed chicken head that reveals the character's face through an open beak.
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The second hat is a pointy black helmet that is sure to be a choice accessory of the ultra evil gamer. My personal favorite is a large purple pimp hat which features a huge belt buckle adorning the front of the accessory. All of these additions will likely have a huge influence on how the townspeople react to your presence. Be sure to check our image gallery for more stylish shots of the chicken hat included with the six new Lost Chapters screens we obtained.
Brothels
Lionhead Founder Peter Molyneux announced a few months ago that the revamped game would include new buildings including brothels. As evident by our game boards, one of the favorite pastimes in Fable was wooing your wife enough to get her into the sack. Unfortunately, the horizontal mambo was not allowed outside of wedlock.
The potential for sexual fun, however, hasn't reached a dead-end. In the first Fable there was a dead-end path in Darkwood, but now it leads directly to the front door of a brothel. The developers have alluded to players being able to become a pimp and employ "fallen women" giving the aforementioned pimp-hat a real use. Of course, those jokers at Lionhead studios also allow the main character to dress as a woman and acquire male customers making this unique videogame situation even stranger.
Expressions: Albion Gets Served
So far, we know of three new expressions that can be used to entertain and annoy the inhabitants of Albion. The first one is a Cock-A-Doodle-Do dance that has the sole purpose of making a character look like a fool. Combine this with the chicken hat to solidify your position as the village idiot, and you'll have endless fun acting the fool.
If the funky chicken isn't your style, try the Russian dance known for its high kicks performed with a scrunched torso and arms folded. Or, woo the ladies at the local pub and stomp out a quick number to display your masterful Flamenco skills. The last expression is an air guitar move à la Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure which is the perfect display of elation after roughing up some beasts.
While Microsoft has revealed some information on Fable: The Lost Chapters, there are still a number of unanswered questions concerning the multiple possibilities for fun and obvious areas for improvement. The full list of details has yet to be revealed.
For instance, will Xbox users have the ability to create personalized tattoos? How are the two new epic spells attained? And will that darned Jack of Blades doll will ever serve a real purpose??!!!
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We'll fill you in as the questions are answered. In the meantime, enjoy the brand new Xbox images, and have a go at Fable once again. And try not to play it as an evil bastard this time around, will you?
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