One thing that is missing is side-stories. There are explanations attached to quests, but they begin and end with the quest, and your only role is to play hero and save the day. This is better than the FedEx style quests in many action-RPG's, but is lacking compared to classic epic RPG's. For example, in Gothic 2 there is a character called ‘Constantino' a loud-mouthed rich noble who hangs around the local bar and berates the townsfolk. You learn about him from a few different people, and then have the opportunity to ‘teach him some manners' as part of an alchemist's experiment. Then you can discuss him with someone else and hand off his ring as a reward. The character is part of the living world, just passing through while on his quest. But in Fable everything plays as if the world begins and ends with you, which makes the world feel even less alive.
