Hearing the tall tale of towering Paul Bunyon and his bulky blue ox for the first time immediately conjures up a desire to see how reality would treat the fabled pair. Wondering what a stories-high ox would actually look like barely crosses anyone's mind, though, because it's a fable. It's not meant to be true--it's only meant to inspire. Fable II crosses that threshold, the very one that its predecessor so ardently tried to pass, and becomes inspired truth. What promises had befallen the original have come alive in this compelling and wholly enjoyable romp. Even though lists of improvements can be drafted, there's no questioning Fable II's quality.

A millennium has passed over Albion since the days of the original; the sequel's opening moments showcasing an evolved landscape with the sprawling urban center of Bowerstone and surrounding countryside domains dotted with activity. It largely feels the same, albeit greater in scope and scale. You, however, start small. Fable II begins in childhood and primes its plot by narrating your humble origins. The story succeeds in pulling you in, despite its plain approach. It's crafted in such a simple, compelling fashion. An intimate connection is forged in the early sequences of the game—in large part thanks to the inclusion of your puppy partner—that you feel thoroughly motivated to journey through the game. That, more than anything else, ensures Fable II’s success over its predecessor.

Of course, there's plenty of game to go with the story. Fable II wisely keeps what worked in the original and altered what didn't. Ability-specific upgrades and augments have been expanded, so you have access to new spells and skills based on your willingness to spend experience in specific areas. Experience comes in four flavors and is doled out according to how you fight. Using ranged weaponry nets you Skill experience, whereas melee combat rewards you with Strength experience and magic translates to Will. There's also ‘general experience’ awarded every time you make a kill. Since you can only purchase magic spells, for example, using any combination of Will and general experience points, you must naturally execute spells to earn the experience needed to access advanced magic. You never "level up"; the emphasis lies in skill-based development instead of level grinding.

Eliminating the need to slog through battles for experience doesn't destroy the desire to engage in combat. On the contrary, the game ensures that fighting is so straightforward and actively entertaining that those periods in which combat is absent seem dull and at times even a bit boring. Enemies deserve to be slightly more challenging, yet being the professed hero does entail a certain amount of strength. Only the most tenacious of bosses prove to be a serious challenge and these are few and far between. But a game like this is more about the journey than it is about finding out how to beat a particularly tough enemy.

A great deal of focus has been placed on social interaction, which is an element that has been significantly improved in Fable II. More expressions, more possible relationships, more things to buy and sell—these are all hallmarks of a good story based RPG sequel. Yet, the true measure of evolution lies in the new complexities that arise in interacting with all of these additions. You're constantly managing relationships to gain favor for a mission or increase your standing in shops for cheaper goods or courting some lover. It's all tied together in an organic way that ushers a level of personal attachment unattained by the original. While many of the characters you meet on the journey are fleeting and frivolous, those close bonds forged with your pup and potential family are among the strongest formed in any game. Even if you embark on an evil path, you're likely to hold some spot in your heart for these figures as twisted as that spot may be.