Albion has crumbled in “Fable III’ Can you save it? Have Lionhead Studios even made it worth saving? By Angela Espinoza, Arts Reviewer everyone who originally bought the Xbox was enticed by Halo: Combat Evolved (2001). Personally though, my ten-year-old self was still consumed by the child-like innocence of Nintendo. In the years since, role- playing became my gameplay of choice, so when Fable (2004) asked me whether I was a hero or a tyrant, I couldn’t resist answering. Ever since, I’ve been an avid fan of Lionhead Studios’ Fable series, despite many disappointments. October 26" was of course the release of Fable III. Several aspects of both Fable and Fable II remain; but which ones were worth keeping? For starters, male or female, your hero has a voice now — let that sink in. The list system from the previous two games has been eliminated. Instead, your faithful butler from Fable IJ, Jasper (John Cleese), takes you to your own headquarters whenever you pause the game. It shouldn’t take you too long to get a hang of the new-set-up, but at times it can be confusing. For example, you have to press several different buttons to operate the dressing room; at no point can you view everything at the same time. Where it really gets really frustrating is when you make a purchase or receive a gift and constantly have to return to HQ to make use of them. On the plus side though, the table map is back, and it’s quite impressive. Its map is similar to the miniature world system used in games like Tales of Symphonia (2004). Except here, it’s been made in a way that you can zoom in and purchase, sell, or repair properties without even entering the town. Quests can be accepted, abandoned, or completed in this way as well. In terms of combat, Fable III has created a love-hate relationship. Your weapons can now receive upgrades, and depending on certain kills, your weapon will change in appearance. For example, kill enough hollow men, and your sword will take on a skeletal appearance. What’s disappointing though is that the game practically encourages you to use I: safe to say that nearly your magic skills — which have also been improved. This time around, you’re able to use two different types of magic simultaneously, and each combination offers an epic result; it’s just unfortunate that this becomes your crutch. The Fable series has always been known for its attempt to immerse the player in the world of Albion. Quests constantly pop up and disappear; this time though, a quest left unattended could actually alter its respective city or even the world later on. Finally, Peter Molyneux has made Fable into something we can actually connect with. Your ability to emote has been changed as well though; now we use ‘guild seals’ to purchase certain emotions, rights, and abilities through Theresa (Zoé Wannamaker). The emotions and actions you have now are also greatly improved; if you choose to start a family through conception or adoption, you can finally interact with your children. So how does Fable III hold up compared to the others? The first Fable is without a doubt the best of the series, so that should say enough. Fable III really expands on its visuals and Albion as a whole, so travel time means something now. But where Fable and even Fable II had respectable combat and range, Fable III is unable to live up to its predecessors. However, the characters remain amusing and the comedy is as great as always. Stephen Fry returns as Reaver, who now runs Bowerstone Industrial, and the likes of Simon Pegg, Bernard Hill and Sir Ben Kingsley have joined the cast. Unfortunately, despite the stellar cast and large story, Lionhead has once again mistaken appearance for substance. 4/5 By Garth McLennan veryone has traditions for B= holidays, and I’m no exception. Coming out of Halloween, I like to look back at the things I do every year that make the day more lasting and enjoyable. Sure, I do the regular things like carve pumpkins (well, my Mom does that, but I’m great at watching though), hand out candy and watch Hocus Pocus (the best Halloween movie ever in my book). However, there is one tradition I have at Halloween that stands out from the rest. Every year, I make sure to read Jeph Loeb’s classic comic book, Batman: The Long Halloween. Over the years, there have been a lot of Batman stories, and a lot of classic Batman stories, so it can be difficult to pick out the truly great ones from the pack. The Long Halloween however, is easy to identify as one of the very best. A 13-issue epic that spans a full year of time within the Batman universe, The Long Halloween (originally published in issue form back in 1996) is one of the best pure murder-mystery comics ever written. | Taking place a year after Batman first became Batman, it trace’s the Dark Knight’s hunt with then-captain Jim Gordon and district attorney Harvey Dent for the mysterious and elusive “Holiday” killer; a serial killer who strikes at those close to Italian Mafia boss Carmine “The Roman” Valcone. Having a long Halloween Burd. For those who aren’t familiar with Loeb’s work, the identity of the killer is a surprise and over the course of the story a number of possible candidates are presented to the reader. As with every Loeb arc, the story features just about every Batman villain, so there are plenty of familiar faces for new readers. The book is illustrated by Tim Sale, whose style is perfectly suited for The Long Halloween. Sale’s art isn’t something I’d be thrilled to have on a regular comic book on a long term basis, but in a contained story like this one, it’s hard to find a better choice. He really nails the look and feel of Gotham City and it’s inhabitants, and on top of that, he draws an excellent Batman, which has proven to be a problem for various artists over the years. Now, while this is, by far, the best story of Jeph Loeb’s career, it is unfortunately also one of the only great works he’s produced. After The Long Halloween became a smash hit, Loeb basically just rehashed it over and over again, with the exact same plot twists and character arcs. By itself though, The Long Halloween is gold. Even if you aren’t a comic book reader, but just love a great story, you'll still thoroughly enjoy The Long Halloween. There’s a reason why Batman is one of the most iconic and compelling characters in fiction, and after reading this one, you’ll fully understand it.