The latest from Peter Molyneux, the British developer who invented “God games”, has already become the fastest selling Xbox title to date in America. This is a role-playing game in which every decision taken by the main character affects the way he will look, behave and develop later in the game — and the way he is treated by his peers.

It all begins in the fabled land of Albion, where our young hero must notch up three good deeds to raise money to buy his sister a birthday gift. The game is driven by the good (or bad) choices made by this boy as he develops through adolescence to become a responsible (or irresponsible) Albion citizen.

To earn money and respect, our hero must embark on missions to slay opponents. The harder he makes his quests — by bragging to others about how he will complete the task without the aid of magic — the more respect and gold he earns upon completion. The more physical combat he undertakes, the bigger his muscles become. Around the town, the more friends he makes, the more respected he becomes.

He can just as easily be scarred, both physically and mentally. Wounds picked up in battle will stay with him all his life, and if he acts like a bully as a teenager this will affect his personality as an adult. Extra goods can be acquired through burglary, but if you are caught by the police you can be barred from town. You must then fight your way back in, which will make you very unpopular.

Fable is an unusual adventure game — an interesting concept competently carried off. Thanks to the personality-forming decisions involved, it’s possible to run parallel games — one for evil, one for good — so doubling the game’s playing life.

Tim Wapshott