Microsoft Spring Gamer's Day: The Big Two
Here at Microsoft's Spring Gamer's Day in sunny and unseasonably hot San Francisco there are quite a few games to see, but the top two are, without a doubt, 'Gears of War 2' and 'Fable 2' - two very different games with two very different personalities behind them.
First, we have 'Gears' and its designer, Cliff Bleszinski. Cliff has been the spokesman for Gears of War and certainly is able to express how jazzed he is about a franchise that is making him and his employer, Epic Games, millions of dollars.
While it may sound simple to develop a sequel for a major hit like 'Gears of War' because as it ain't broke, there's no need to fix it. But that's not Cliff's or Epic's style. They are not mailing this one in.
I watched THE GAMEPLAY VIDEO just like the rest of you - it was easy to dismiss the game as "more of the same."
However, after watching the completion of what Cliff called "Level Two" I can now admit I was wrong - dead wrong.
Yeah it looks similar to 'Gears of War' - but after what I just saw, I am blown away with the pure scale of this game. It's a Gears game, but it's a monstrously huge Gears game.
Secondly, we have the venerable Peter Molyneux of Lionhead Studios who is currently working on 'FABLE 2' - a game that you can easily tell is the game he was put on this Earth to create.
Also, a game he would like to see sell 10 million copies - a number he thinks is attainable because 'Fable 2' is designed to be simple to play - as simple as you make it.
"Why shouldn't we invite our friends," Molyneux said. "Why shouldn't we be playing with them? Because they are not good enough? That is why we created a game that can be easily played by anyone."
However, that's selling the game short. 'Fable 2' is turning out to be a game that will be talked about at water coolers in offices throughout the world. I know that may sound like an exaggeration, but think about it. You and I will be playing this game and have two totally different experiences. Totally different and that is what we'll be talking about.
We are in for a treat this holiday season when these games are released. While they are completely different games, they are both games that will appeal to the hardest of the hardcore gamer in us all.
