Fable III has "huge decision" at start

Peter Molyneux has revealed that there will be a "huge decision" to make at the beginning of Fable III.

How big? As big as the one you made at the end of Fable II.

"Within the first 10 minutes we give you what we thing is an equally big decision at the start of Fable III," Molyneux told a Eurogamer Expo 2010 audience this morning.

"We're doing that because we want to establish your character. If we make you care about something we can also make you hate something that you care about."

Molyneux said the decision comes early on because in Fable II fans were outraged at making a tough choice at the end. Incidentally, if you didn't finish that second instalment in the series, Molyneux probably doesn't like you.

"It's like stabbing me in the heart," he bled. "It's the worst thing you could do. I'm going to commit suicide up here on the stage."

Still, Fable II fans' fury couldn't match that of Fable 1 fans, who were crushed by Molyneux's unfulfilled promise of planting an acorn in the game and watching it grow into a tree. "I still don't understand why people were so excited about that," he said.

Lionhead's third instalment in the series should finally answer some lingering questions. "Did Theresa cause the spire to be built?" teased Molyneux. "We had lots of conversations about if maybe Teresa had killed [Lucien].

"Had Teresa killed the wife and daughter to motivate him to build the spire? That's an interesting question that we haven't completely answered yet."

He's also nestled "a huge plot twist in when you become King".

Peter Molyneux went on to talk about the various influences to the Fable series over the years. Among them were tales like Robin Hood and Oliver Twist, as well as films Perfume, Mad Max 2 (the dog) and Kill Bill.

There was even a live swordfight on stage at one point.

Looking back, Molyneux said he'd learned not to deliver passionate statements about games because they build hype to a level he can never fulfil.

"'Fable is going to be the greatest role-playing game of all time.' Probably the worst thing I've said in my entire life," rued Molyneux. "I got into an awful lot of trouble."

Nevertheless, he's confident about Fable III, which will be "undoubtedly the best Fable there has ever been. You're going to be totally blown away by the pace, the story, the surprises, the new levelling up system, the new cast," Molyneux promised, passionately.

Fable III will be released on 29th October on Xbox 360, and a bit later on PC. We interviewed Peter Molyneux ahead of his talk today to find out about his son Lucas' internet video sensation and much more.