Although Fable II and Little Big Planet [1] were supposed to be released on the same day (causing some major headaches for yours truly on which to play first), I was a bit relieved to find that one of them would be delayed [2], causing my game crunch to disappear for the time being.

Now, the much anticipated sequel to 2004's Fable will keep me happily occupied until LBP hits shelves on Oct. 27. Not that Fable II should be looked at as a place saver — it's an amazing game on its own, and I'm totally loving it! I got my hands on a copy of Fable II a few days ago, and I haven't been able to stop playing since. Seriously — I was up till 1:30 a.m. yesterday morning.

Although I have barely skimmed the surface of this massive world, I do have a few thoughts on the game already. To find out what they are, just .

• I love having the dog as a companion. He helps me find treasures, warns me of danger, and I can even get my pet fix by playing fetch with him!
• The camera kinda sucks when you're playing co-op. The weird part is, when you are playing the hero, the camera follows your sidekick! Hello? I'm over here trying to open this treasure chest!
• I don't like the map. I couldn't even find it at first!
• I really love the golden pathway that you follow to find where you need to go. Although you are free to explore the world as you please, the golden path leads you to your next mission, so you never get lost.
• I also love how you can skip conversations. Sometimes waiting for a villager to tell you the origins of a building you want to buy is annoying when you can read the details on the deed.
• Be careful of who you are nice to and flirt with! They may follow you around, and get in your way.
• Battle sequences are not too challenging, but are totally satisfying. I'm sure they will get tougher as the game develops though.

I'll have my full review coming up soon, but in the meantime, have you been playing Fable II nonstop like I have?