Fable II: Game Episodes available

The first chapter of Fable II: Game Episodes, Microsoft’s episodic version of Fable II, is now available for free to all Xbox LIVE members (Silver and Gold). Fable II: Game Episodes features delivers Fable II in five consecutive installments. The five episodes offer all the Achievements and challenges of the disk-based game. The first episode, which is completely free, lets players experience childhood and the trials of being a young adult in the world of Albion. After completing this chapter, players have the option to purchase the next installment and continue the adventure. Naturally if you don’t purchase anything then you’re done.

Fable II: Game Episodes is fully compatible with the retail version of Fable II, allowing players to enter Albion and continue their story should they purchase Fable II at retail. The episodes also deliver full compatibility with the previously released Game Add-ons, Knothole Island and See the Future.
Add it to your Xbox Live download queue by visiting xbox.com.

Fable II goes episodic with Fable II: Game Episodes

As part of its Fable III announcement today at GamesCom in Cologne, Germany, Microsoft also announced that it would be releasing Fable II in episodes via its freshly launched Games on Demand service. Thankfully the first chapter will be free. The launch of Fable II: Game Episodes will debut Sept. 29 with the release of the first episode for free download exclusively on Xbox LIVE.

In the first episode, players will begin as a child in the world of Albion. After completing the chapter, players have the choice to then purchase the next installment or the entire game (in select regions). Fable II: Game Episodes will deliver the entire Fable II experience in five installments, with all the Achievements, challenges and character growth of the disk-based game, as well as full compatibility with the previously released Game Add-ons, Knothole Island and See the Future. The episodes are also fully compatible with the disk-based, retail version of Fable II, allowing players to continue their story should they purchase Fable II at retail.

More information about “Fable III” and the episodic release of Fable II will be made available at a later date at http://www.lionhead.com.

Xbox 360 Game of the Year Bundle Detailed

If you don’t already own an Xbox 360 chances are you could also use Fable II and Halo 3, right? I mean why not? A new bundle, available beginning in May, will give you the chance to get those two games, along with an Xbox 360 elite for $399 USD. The bundle comes with the games, the system, one controller, a wired headset, an HDMI cable, 120 GB of hard drive space and a free Netflix trial.

Not too shabby. Look for the Xbox 360 Game of the Year Bundle next month - but only for a limited time. There’s no mention of an Xbox Live gold membership trial, but one would assume there is at least a month’s worth of that in the package.

Fallout 3, Left 4 Dead Top ELAN Noms

Valve Software’s Left 4 Dead, Bethesda’s Fallout 3 Gears of War 2 and Fable II have been nominated in the lion’s share of categories for this year’s ELAN Awards. These four titles have been nominated in nine different categories including Videogame of the Year, Best Console Game and Outstanding Technical Innovation - to name a few.

The awards will take place in April and be hosted by Tom Kenny, comedian and voice of the SpongeBob SquarePants.

The full list of categories and nominations after the break:

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Rumor: Fable III at GDC

Will Peter Molyneux be revealing Fable III or some other secret game project at the Game Developers Conference later this month? Perhaps he’s being cheeky, but Molyneux said at the BAFTA awards ceremony that those curious about what Lionhead is currently working on will want to pay close attention to what he does or says at GDC.

“Naming a particular game before it’s out is a difficult thing. And I’ll tell you why, because in two weeks I’m about to fly out to America for the Gamers’ Development Conference and that’s the time when you start to see what’s really coming up,” said Molyneux to the BBC.

British radio and television personality Jonathan Ross also threw some gasoline on the fire by saying that he was doing some voice work for Fable III via twitter.

Maybe this will be like a fake out make out where Molyneux tells us about the ship in a bottle he’s been working on for the last three months. Stay tuned. Check out our Fable II games page to see just how good the last game in the popular RPG series rated.

thanks, www.vg247.com.

Fable II DLC in Dec.

Lionhead and Microsoft announced that, starting mid-December, fans will be able to download the Knothole Island downloadable content pack for Fable II. The story goes that the remote island of Knothole is dying: its golden sands and lush vegetation are covered with snow, its people freezing, its treasures buried. Only a hero (perhaps you?) can face the trials of the three shrines to bring back the sunshine. With the release of the first “Fable II” downloadable content, available for 800 Microsoft Points, gamers will be able to enter Knothole Island, where new quests, new items and bizarre characters await.

Also in mid-December, fans will be able to score a free Fable II downloadable pack - you’ll need this if you want to play co-op in the Knothole Island content. Free and premium users will also receive several gifts, including Knight’s Boots, Assassins Gloves, a special Weight Loss Potion, collectible silver book and more. Players will also be able to check their standing in over 50 new Leaderboards on Lionhead.com.

As an additional treat for Fable II fans, Lionhead Studios and Microsoft Game Studios have created an all-new Albion dashboard theme to celebrate the launch of the New Xbox Experience. Fans who want to show off their Fable II pride can head over to Xbox LIVE Marketplace to download the Albion theme, available now for 250 Microsoft points.

Fable II Tops Oct. Charts

No matter what you think of Fable II (great game, crappy game, whatever), Lionhead’s lofty RPG is doing very well at retail. According to retail sales data from NPD for the month of Oct., Fable II moved a respectable 790, 000 units, beating out such heavy hitters as Fallout 3, and LittleBigPlanet.

Fallout 3 for the Xbox 360 moved 375, 000 units, while LittleBigPlanet managed to move a meager 215, 000. If you’re looking for the big winner based on platform, then this month goes to the Xbox 360, with Wii coming in second and PS3 coming in last. So sorry, Sony.  The full top ten list after the break with all the dirty little numbers you hunger for.

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