Microsoft Game Studios and Lionhead Studios announced the release date of their highly anticipated sequel to the 2004 action-RPG Fable . Fable II will be hitting North American retailers' shelves on October 21 ^st , and European retailers' shelves on October 24 ^th . Release dates for the rest of the world are still to be announced.

Developed by Peter Molyneux and Lionhead Studios, creators of Fable and the Black & White franchise, Fable II expands on the world of choice and open environment that Fable offered gamers, allowing them to become the most hailed of heroes or vicious villains. The game includes a brand new combat system, featuring one button attacking, and a number of short range weapons, long range weapons and magic attacks to master. The single button attack system has been tuned to be accessible to both casual and core gamers, making sure the experience will still be fun and immersive.

The story campaign in Fable II can be played alone or cooperatively with a friend in-house or online, over Xbox Live. Players will always have a loyal dog companion at their side, not only to help them but to just accompany them as well. One of the interesting features Molyneux has been touting about the game is the complete lack of control players will have over the dog. In fact, within one of the episodes of Lionhead Studios' developer diaries for Fable II he went so far as to mention it four times in a row. Though something like that may seem like a minor detail, the point that he must be trying to make overall is that the team has gone down to such detail with interactions in the game that even your dog companion will be affected by what you do.

All that and more is explained within the developer diary videos below. Fable II will be available in North America on October 21 ^st , exclusively on Xbox 360 for $59.99 USD/CAD and is rated M for Mature. The Limited Collector's Edition is currently set to be released for $79.99 USD/CAD and will include a bonus DVD with behind-the-scenes footage, extra in-game content (requires a Live account) – includes “The Hall of the Dead” Dungeon, “The Wreckager” Legendary Cutlass Weapon and Otherworldly Bonus – a collectible Hobbe figure with acessories, a 48 hour Xbox Live Gold trial card and five printed Fate Cards.