Fable II isn't as good as its hype would indicate, but it's enjoyable nonetheless.
Pros: Lots of things to do; Some genuinely amusing writing; Good musical score; Economic and social aspects are mildly addicting; The dog
Cons: Voice acting quality is incredibly inconsistent; Overly simple and easy; Frequent graphical flaws; Slow beginning; Lackluster end; No true co-op
Have you ever found a game/movie/book that all your friends like that you never really 'got?' (No, Twilight doesn't count because there's nothing TO get). Well, Fable II is that game to me. I would frequently ask why my friends enjoyed this game as I could find little that suggested it was worth playing. Nonetheless, I decided I would give my friends the benefit of the doubt and try this game.
And you know what? I had fun.
My pessimistic assumptions were right on target in the beginning: the game opens to you and your sister, as kids, trying to earn enough money to get by. To do so you perform menial tasks for menial characters with some truly awful voice acting. It's a boring and slow start to what ultimately becomes a simplistic and ultimately too easy game.
Somewhere along the line you get a magic box, make a wish, and visit a powerful lord's mansion. You find out that you are part of a line of heroes and Lord Lucien kills your sister. Apologies to those who haven't played Fable I as I just spoiled a good portion of that game's plot. So far, boring mechanics and a repeat plot leave me unimpressed.
But once the game lets go of the reins a bit, things instantly become more fun. The plot quickly separates itself a bit more when you rejoin the future and see Lucien's plan to build a giant Spire (read: death star) to make a wish and takeover the world. You must then find three heroes and recruit them for your purposes. These heroes are some of the best portions of the game as they actually have some really well delivered voice acting and some great lines in an already funny game (almost anything the Hero of Skill says is sarcastic gold).
Or you can avoid them altogether. There are tons of sidequests, some simple, some lengthy, you can partake in the game's economy (get a job, buy businesses and houses, etc.), start a family (everything from courting to marriage to birth, polygamy, and STDs is covered), or simply search for treasure with your dog.
Although I wouldn't recommend simply scouring the world for treasure with your pup, I will say that doing so during another quest is incredibly satisfying. The dog is extremely likeable, and very useful at finding items if you give him the attention he needs. Don't be surprised if you feel a little remorse for your canine companion when he's wounded.
The variety of things to do allows you to quickly become enveloped in the day to day business of Albion, which is good, because the depth certainly doesn't. Everything in Fable II is extremely simple. Sometimes this is good, allowing you to quickly come to grips with the game's experience and level up system. Other times (read: everywhere else) the game ceases to be difficult. Combat can be breezed through if you just get a strong enough weapon and hammering the attack button 90% of the time. How do you get that weapon? Take a job which entails pressing the A button at the right time. Social interaction is the act of making several persuasive gestures in a row (although becoming famous is still oddly addictive). And nothing ever gets more complex than that.
Simplicity also chips away at the graphics, which, while charming to an extent suffer stiff and often intersecting animations, really ugly women (emphasis on men), and the dreaded choppy framerate in heavy action. Meanwhile, the music remains fairly elegant and appropriate throughout. It could arguably be applied to a high-quality fantasy movie and still feel appropriate. Whereas the voice acting could sometimes get on my nerves, the music never once struck me as unpleasant.
But none of this is as important as how fun the game is, and luckily Fable II is fun. Sure it might be overly simple, have a slow beginning, poorly implemented multiplayer, and an abrupt/unsatisfying ending, but the game keeps the player engaged. So unless you actually believe what Molyneux promises, there's no reason to avoid trying this game. Even if you are a skeptic like I was, you may still find something worth your while.