We played Fable II a lot in our household – I think three of the four inhabitants finished the game. So this is one set of downloadable content that we were actually looking forward to – certainly more so than the Knothole Island DLC, because it purportedly expanded on certain unanswered questions from the original game’s ending. If you haven’t finished Fable II, stop reading now and go finish it – here be spoilers.
See the Future begins with the reintroduction of Murgo, the slightly unhinged trader who sold you the magical music box at the start of Fable II. Seems he has a problem with a few cursed items, and it’s up to you to dispel them. Of course, that’s easier said than done.
The first two items you’re given transport you to two very different worlds that act as miniature quest strings. The first, a cursed snow globe, takes you to a tiny village inside that’s being held captive by some nasty (and primary coloured) shadows. The world has been drained of colour except for these shadows, and it’s naturally up to you to defeat them.
The second item is a skull, which transports you to a crypt where a knight has apparently been trapped by an evil necromancer. You have to follow his instructions to gather will o’ wisps that will help him escape. Along the way, you’ll find a handful of different costumes to dress up in, which are essential to make progress. To attract the wisps, for example, you’ll need to be dressed as a Hollow Man; to get past other places, you’ll need to don a Balverine costume. And then there’s the third costume, but it’s far too horrible and scary to speak of.
Both of these worlds are pretty small, but they do offer a number of nooks and crannies for further exploration. Among other goodies, you should be hunting for the ten statues of Murgo in various poses, particularly if you’re addicted to achievements.
It’s hard to say much about the third cursed item you get, because spoilers just aren’t fun. Suffice to say that you learn a little bit more about things – it was perhaps briefer than I would have liked, but still satisfying. Plus you get some cool items, which is never to be sneezed at.
New dog types (you’ve still got your dog, right?) are another welcome addition here. I didn’t think I’d like the dalmation, but he’s just goofy enough to be adorable. It’s a purely aesthetic thing, but I suspect it’s going to be a popular selling point for the expansion – given the choice, who wouldn’t want to shake up the look of their dog?
And finally, there’s the Colosseum. Think of it as the Crucible on steroids, and you won’t be far off – they’ve taken that basic concept and ran with it. The goal is simply to kill everything you can, kick lots of chickens (don’t ask), and rack up as many points as possible within the time limit. The prizes range from awesome to humorous to useless, but it’s worth hanging around for the ultimate prize – just make sure you bring in a partner with you.
Overall, this expansion is worth the asking price, and – to my mind, anyway – edges out Knothole Island. The new story elements, while brief, are still welcome, and features like the new dog types and the Colosseum will keep people coming back. If you’re still trucking on with Fable II, or are looking for an excuse to jump back in, See the Future is a good way to go.