By Matthew Rorie
Design by Marty Smith

Fable has been turning heads ever since it was announced, lo those many years ago. As an RPG for the Xbox, a console that’s been notoriously dry of games in that genre, attention was perhaps inevitable, but Fable promised a bit more than your average adventure game, and it’s delivered on many of those promises. As you play through Fable, your character will age, grow fatter or slimmer (based on your eating choices), and drastically alter his appearance through a number of tattoos and hairstyles. Beyond cosmetic changes, though, your character will also be forced to make many choices between good and evil on his journey; your attitude towards the peasants and travellers that you encounter will influence the way that they respond to you. If you gain notoriety as a killer of innocents, they’ll grovel before you, in vain hope of gaining mercy; if you earn a reputation as a champion of the downtrodden, they’ll sing your praises and burst into applause as you pass by. As your fame rises, you may even be able to find a wife. (Or a husband!)

At its core, though, Fable is an excellent action-adventure RPG, featuring multiple different playstyles, a large number of spells, and a host of enemies and bosses to cut your swath through. You play as a nameless Hero, one of many graduates of the Heroes’ Guild, sent out into the world to conquer your fate and earn your reputation, such as it may be. Destiny dictates greatness for you, as you might expect, but how you treat the inhabitants of the game world may have far-reaching consequences and materially affect the outcome of your story. Evil, good, or somewhere in-between; the choice is yours.

Gamespot’s unofficial game guide to Fable aims to help you discover your destiny. Included is a full walkthrough for the game and its many quests, sub-quests, and hidden objectives, a run-down of your various attributes and spells, tips on finding Silver Keys and unlocking the many Silver Key chests that you’ll encounter in your journies, and the proverbial much, much more. Enjoy!

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