Chicken kicking, flatulence, Union Jack underpants and West Country accents - yes, welcome to the remastering of a very British RPG with Fable Anniversary that's cl-cl-clucking its way on to the Xbox 360 in glorious HD.
While Japanese RPGs like to indulge in outlandish scenarios featuring massive ruddy swords and the Yanks enjoy getting gritty with theirs, us Brits love our roleplaying with its tongue firmly in its cheek (and with a creamy side helping of double entendres).
On its Xbox release in 2004, this third person action adventure promised the earth; where your good or evil actions would directly impact on your reputation in the world of Albion. While Fable never quite lived up to the hype that its creator Peter Molyneux excitedly gushed in the lead up to its release, the actual game was still a breath of fresh air. It offered gorgeous locales to explore, accessible melee and ranged real-time combat and well-rounded RPG elements such as baldness-inducing magic. Oh, and did we mention the chicken kicking?
And as fans journey round Albion's green and pleasant lands for the second time, they'll coo at the memories of their first time getting married, being cheered by villagers or how their behaviour in the world directly impacted on their character's appearance. And they'll warm to this version's HD makeover too.
New textures and models plus a spangly new lighting system are all framed within a new interface that makes the old feel new again. Well, new enough to be worth parting cash for; especially when you get The Lost Chapters expansion pack included in the price.
Newbies are well-served too; Fable Anniversary's tone is still refreshingly bright and upbeat in a world of dark, bleak RPGs. In the very best possible way then, Fable Anniversary harks back to a more innocent time and one which (nostalgia aside) we miss. Perhaps this remastered version will inspire a new wave of British RPGs that'll show off our unique sense of humour and gift for dreaming up charming, engaging ideas. Or at the very least, feature more chicken kicking.