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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Casino Developer: Lionhead Games Publisher: Microsoft |
Though the much anticipated “Fable II” doesn’t arrive in stores until later this year, players are able to get a head start on Microsoft’s RPG a little early. “Fable II: Pub Games” provides three casino style mini games to
earn money and items for the player’s future hero in the upcoming game. There are fifteen items that can be unlocked by playing in a series of tournaments. Some items give tattoos, others give players a few new
gestures for their hero to use and a few offer powerful weapons.
Players will play as a placeholder character in “Fable II: Pub Games.” The character that the player chooses really doesn’t matter, it basically just a name and a card, whether it be Rewster or Poe or Lynch, it won’t make
much of a difference in the game play. This character that players choose is just a bank account for the upcoming hero players will create when the game is released. One players have bought “Fable II,” they will be
able to merge their hero with the bank account character in Fable II: Pub Games,” acquiring their wealth or debt and any items unlocked. This is a great idea because it gives any players who cannot wait for the release
of “Fable II” something to do to start preparing their character. Sadly, the execution of the game doesn’t live up to the concept of the game.
Any players that preorder “Fable II” will get a free copy of “Fable II: Pub Games.” For those that don’t preorder, it is going to cost players 800 Microsoft Points, or $10. Unfortunately the game isn’t worth the $10 price tag
attached to it. For those who aren’t committed enough to “Fable II” to preorder the game, then “Fable II: Pub Games” isn’t worth committing to either. This Xbox Live Arcade game is only for the people that are so into
“Fable II” that they can’t wait to get a head start.
When players start up “Fable II: Pub Games” there are three games to play: Fortune’s Tower, Keystone and Spinnerbox. Each game has its own strengths and weaknesses, but all of them offer something new for
players to try out.
Fortune’s Tower is a twist on solitaire, which has players laying down successively longer rows of cards. If a card touches one of the same values from the previous row, players will suffer a misfortune and lose the
game. The skill, if that is what it can be called, is trying to figure out when to call it quits and when to go for another row of cards. Fortune’s Tower is a great game that is fun and addictive, but it can be quite frustrating.
Keystone is a mix of roulette with dice. A set of arches are places around the table, each with a number from three through eighteen. Players will place an overall bet on which arches will be rolled during the game and
then place bets for each roll. Players will have to determine if they think the dealer will roll trips or pairs. They will have to determine if a keystone, one of the supporting pillars of the arch, will be removed in that turn. It is
a great alternative to roulette, though it does play out way too slowly for most players.
The last game players are able to check out in “Fable II: Pub Games” is Spinnerbox. This games is basically slots, only a lot less fun than regular slots. All that players need to do is bet and hit the A button to start the
spin. Players will do this over and over again, often resulting in losing. Players will be really bored with this game. The biggest issue of the game is that there is no skill involved in the game at all. On its own, this is
one of the worst mini games, and unfortunately players will need to play a lot of it to unlock five items for use in “Fable II.”
The biggest flaw in the “Fable II: Pub Games” design has to do with the tournaments. In order to unlock the fifteen unique items for use in “Fable II,” players must enter tournaments for the different mini games. Each
tournament becomes harder as players move on, but each reward also becomes much more valuable as they progress. Tournaments put players against AI opponents who tend to have a lot more luck at the table.
While players can easily win in Keystone and Fortune’s Tower by betting wisely, Spinnerbox is all about luck. Players get 100 spins, by pressing the A button many times, to pray and hope that they earn a lot of cash and
beat their opponents, and there are five Spinnerbox tournaments.
There are probably a lot of people in the gaming community that cannot wait for the release of “Fable II.” The chance to earn money and items for the game before it is released is something that no fans of the franchise
can pass up. Many of these players will be very disappointed with “Fable II: Pub Games.” There is no more than a trio of games in this package, and that is all. Sadly, only two of the three games are any fun. For those
who preordered “Fable 2,” the free download of “Fable II: Pub Games” is well worth the money. Fortunes’ Tower and Keystone are nice distractions. For those who didn’t preorder “Fable II,” this isn’t a game worth
checking, especially for the casual gamer. This is a good idea that is overpriced and is executed poorly.
earn money and items for the player’s future hero in the upcoming game. There are fifteen items that can be unlocked by playing in a series of tournaments. Some items give tattoos, others give players a few new
gestures for their hero to use and a few offer powerful weapons.
Players will play as a placeholder character in “Fable II: Pub Games.” The character that the player chooses really doesn’t matter, it basically just a name and a card, whether it be Rewster or Poe or Lynch, it won’t make
much of a difference in the game play. This character that players choose is just a bank account for the upcoming hero players will create when the game is released. One players have bought “Fable II,” they will be
able to merge their hero with the bank account character in Fable II: Pub Games,” acquiring their wealth or debt and any items unlocked. This is a great idea because it gives any players who cannot wait for the release
of “Fable II” something to do to start preparing their character. Sadly, the execution of the game doesn’t live up to the concept of the game.
Any players that preorder “Fable II” will get a free copy of “Fable II: Pub Games.” For those that don’t preorder, it is going to cost players 800 Microsoft Points, or $10. Unfortunately the game isn’t worth the $10 price tag
attached to it. For those who aren’t committed enough to “Fable II” to preorder the game, then “Fable II: Pub Games” isn’t worth committing to either. This Xbox Live Arcade game is only for the people that are so into
“Fable II” that they can’t wait to get a head start.
When players start up “Fable II: Pub Games” there are three games to play: Fortune’s Tower, Keystone and Spinnerbox. Each game has its own strengths and weaknesses, but all of them offer something new for
players to try out.
Fortune’s Tower is a twist on solitaire, which has players laying down successively longer rows of cards. If a card touches one of the same values from the previous row, players will suffer a misfortune and lose the
game. The skill, if that is what it can be called, is trying to figure out when to call it quits and when to go for another row of cards. Fortune’s Tower is a great game that is fun and addictive, but it can be quite frustrating.
Keystone is a mix of roulette with dice. A set of arches are places around the table, each with a number from three through eighteen. Players will place an overall bet on which arches will be rolled during the game and
then place bets for each roll. Players will have to determine if they think the dealer will roll trips or pairs. They will have to determine if a keystone, one of the supporting pillars of the arch, will be removed in that turn. It is
a great alternative to roulette, though it does play out way too slowly for most players.
The last game players are able to check out in “Fable II: Pub Games” is Spinnerbox. This games is basically slots, only a lot less fun than regular slots. All that players need to do is bet and hit the A button to start the
spin. Players will do this over and over again, often resulting in losing. Players will be really bored with this game. The biggest issue of the game is that there is no skill involved in the game at all. On its own, this is
one of the worst mini games, and unfortunately players will need to play a lot of it to unlock five items for use in “Fable II.”
The biggest flaw in the “Fable II: Pub Games” design has to do with the tournaments. In order to unlock the fifteen unique items for use in “Fable II,” players must enter tournaments for the different mini games. Each
tournament becomes harder as players move on, but each reward also becomes much more valuable as they progress. Tournaments put players against AI opponents who tend to have a lot more luck at the table.
While players can easily win in Keystone and Fortune’s Tower by betting wisely, Spinnerbox is all about luck. Players get 100 spins, by pressing the A button many times, to pray and hope that they earn a lot of cash and
beat their opponents, and there are five Spinnerbox tournaments.
There are probably a lot of people in the gaming community that cannot wait for the release of “Fable II.” The chance to earn money and items for the game before it is released is something that no fans of the franchise
can pass up. Many of these players will be very disappointed with “Fable II: Pub Games.” There is no more than a trio of games in this package, and that is all. Sadly, only two of the three games are any fun. For those
who preordered “Fable 2,” the free download of “Fable II: Pub Games” is well worth the money. Fortunes’ Tower and Keystone are nice distractions. For those who didn’t preorder “Fable II,” this isn’t a game worth
checking, especially for the casual gamer. This is a good idea that is overpriced and is executed poorly.
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