14 DAY TRIAL // Probably one of the most important things we have heard until now coming from the E3 conference is the news regarding the release date of Fable II - the game is coming much sooner than expected, sometime during this October. We can only hope right now that the information is correct and not just something Peter Molyneux said during one of his overenthusiastic moments.
Since the release date is known and the title is coming quite soon, all we need is the latest bit of detail on the game's story, features and gameplay mechanics, which were all showed to the public during the E3. So, the first thing we learned about the new Fable release is that it will be set 500 years after the original, and it will bring us even more exploration, freeform gameplay and enemies to fight against.
Fable II promises to take the results of your choices made during gameplay to a whole new level by promising virtually endless choices to be made and consequences to follow. From choosing between the male or female gender, to getting married and having kids or buying a house, hut or dungeon in the game's world, everything you will do in Fable II will somehow influence the outcome of the story.
Speaking of the fighting part of the game, Microsoft promises lots of improvements, too: first of all, the combat system will be easier for everybody but it will not lack depth - we'll get three disciplines (melee and ranged combat, as well as magic), we'll be able to master and mix to create our own fighting style. Also, the game will come with something from recent MMO's - pets. In Fable II, you'll have a canine companion which will act as a friend, compass and protector at the same time. Of course, in order to feel its unconditional love, you'll have to feed the little fellow and create a unique bond.
As the developers somehow got the pet system from the MMOs, they also decided to take the gameplay to the next level and, starting this October, two players will be allowed to play the game in co-op mode, either on Xbox Live Arcade or via a split-screen mode. Just imagine how cool that will be!