1 post tagged “fable”

I like to think of myself as fairly grown-up.  I can easily turn down the childish pleasures in which many of my contemporaries (or, less grandly, my "age-group") seem to lose themselves so readily. 

But there are certain things that I find I must own.  I develop what feels like a small void in my chest and abdomen.  For want of this thing, I stew, obsess, research and finally capitulate.  The process can take weeks, months...even years.  Usually, though, it's a matter of days. 

Four days ago, I began to see advertisements for a video game called Fable II.  It is a role-playing game, sequel to a 2004 release.  The main draw of this game series isn't just that you play in a fantastically realized fantasy setting and go on adventures.  What makes it interesting to me is that one's character can affect the game world by how one plays.  Morality is a factor in this game, as is appearance and communication style.  The appearance of a character gradually changes based on combat wounds, eating habits, skill sets and level of good or evil.

In this sequel, not only are public interactions counted towards your overall morality, but what you do in private counts too.  For instance, the game strives for realism in a lot of ways.  You can get married and have children...and you initiate the action which precipitates children.  Now, in Fable I you could have a bunch of mistresses (or boy toys, the game allows homosexuality) as long as they didn't find out about each other.  There wasn't much of an effect on your overall status as good or evil.  But in this game you are rated on purity and corruption.

One minor annoyance from the reviews:  Having unprotected sex is a corrupting influence, wearing a condom is a purity thing.  They'll hit you with VD or a kid too.  Well, as a Catholic I suppose I can console myself by simply not letting my character fornicate until he gets married.  Look at me, I've already decided to buy the game...so much for that "could take weeks to succumb" jive.

What I find so intriguing about this game series is that if I play without a set goal in mind, it can be a tool for introspection.  If I play the game as I would live the events in the game, I can see what I suppose the game designer would think of me.  It's like one giant Internet quiz.  With magic.