(Image: Microsoft via HGG)
Justin's foray into gaming started with classic Resident Evil 3 and has only expanded since then. He graduated from RIT in 2021 and aspires to have his name in the credits of a video game one day.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
To say it’s tough being a Fable fan these days would be an understatement. With the last new Fable installment being released back in 2012, fans of the series haven’t had much to whet their appetites in the past decade. Fable Anniversary helped, but only served as a reminder of how much we loved the series and wanted to see it continue.
It wouldn’t be until the Xbox Games Showcase of 2020 that people would get to see the reveal of the next game in the series being developed by Playground Games. And then two more years of silence. With the 2023 Xbox Game Showcase fast approaching, we thought now would be the best time to go over everything we know about Fable 4.
What We Know
Unfortunately, what we know about the actual game so far is limited. What we do know is that the game will be developed by Playground Games, the studio behind the Forza Horizon series. We also know that the game will be developed using ForzaTech, the engine behind the Forza franchise. So at the very least, we know the game will likely be a treat to look at. The last thing we are certain of is that the previous lead writer of this reboot, Anna Megill, has been promoted to narrative lead. This means that instead of just creating the outline and story for the game, Megill is now in charge of how players will interact with that story in the world they are making. Having worked with games like Dishonored, Guild Wars 2, and Control, it’s clear that Megill is more than up for the task.
And that’s what we know for sure about the upcoming Fable reboot. With a little over two years of silence, there are not going to be a lot of hard facts about the game. What we miss in facts, however, we make up for in rumors.
Rumors
Funny enough rumors regarding the direction and gameplay predated the official reveal. This leak comes courtesy of a video posted on Reddit back in 2019. Needless to say, take this, just like any rumor, with a grain of salt. Even if these leaks were true, any number of things could have changed the direction of the game in the past three years. And the last thing you want to do is get your hopes up or down for something that doesn’t even exist.
A New World
Anyway, the leak is as follows. Apparently, the land of Albion, the setting for all previous Fable games, has been reduced to space dust. Under the control of some mad king, an asteroid destroyed the world essentially resetting humanity. The game would then pick up when humanity has essentially gotten back to the medieval era. This would also push the series back to its roots with swords and magic and doing away with firearms. The leaks also make mention of the game taking place across different planets as humanity spread out after the cataclysm that was the asteroid.
I have to say, as wild as the leaks seem, there’s something distinctly Fable about it. While planetary travel and the like may seem a little too sci-fi for the series, it seems just whacky enough to work. Anyone who remembers the Master Chief armor set in Fable II will remember how the series can blend sci-fi and medieval in a fun way. Furthermore, if the developers are looking for a way to “bring Fable to its roots,” I think this could work. While many long-running franchises often try to make their games closer to the original, a lot of developers simply reboot the series or refuse to explain why things in-universe suddenly look different. With this way of handling a reset, the developers both acknowledge the game’s past but put themselves in a spot to make something new for its future.
What We Want
In the Fable drought after Fable: The Journey there was a glimmer of hope with the reveal of Fable Legends. Those lucky enough to get into the beta could see the new but interesting direction for the Fable IP. Despite its shift in gameplay, it was full of all the charm the original Fable games had. Unfortunately, the game was canned shortly after and the developer studio closed down.
In the short time I got to play the beta for Fable Legends I came to the conclusion that it was the most ‘Fable’ feeling game since the original. Don’t get me wrong, I loved all the Fable games (except for The Journey since I never had a Kinect), but Legends was something else. It had the perfect mix of crass humor, fun gameplay, and interesting characters that reminded me of the first time I played Fable.
An Interesting Map
When it comes to the next game in the franchise, I’m not too picky. As they say, beggars can’t be choosers, and I’d just be happy to have a new Fable game that’s fun to play. There are a couple of things I would like to see, however. First and foremost would be a well-thought-out open world. Some of my best memories from the series are from stumbling onto bizarre quests and characters in the different maps. With the focus on larger more open-world map design, I’m hoping the game doesn’t follow the trap of other open-world games with giant beautiful worlds with nothing in it.
Better Combat
The next thing I would like is a deeper combat system. The combat in Fable has never been very complex to its favor. After Fable Legends where every hero played differently, I would like to see a little bit of that complexity transfer over to this new reboot. Creating a combat system that allows players to tackle different problems in wildly different ways would go very far.
Keep It Whacky
Finally, the new Fable needs interesting personalities. What makes the franchise so special is the unique cast of characters you come in contact with. Without that, Fable would be just another medieval fantasy game. I know I’ve mentioned Fable Legends multiple times in this article, but that game truly had something special. And I think taking some of the design philosophy present in that game and incorporating it into this reboot would benefit it. At the very least it would be nice to see some of those scrapped characters brought back to life in this new future for the series.
At Least It’s Happening
Despite the long hiatus for the series, it seems like Microsoft is intent on making sure Fable 4 comes out. While the two years of silence may be worrying, it’s not super surprising for games to be announced and then go radio silent until they’re about to be released. Regardless I’ll stay cautiously optimistic that the team behind this reboot knows what they’re doing. And if we’re lucky we might even get some more info from this upcoming Xbox Games Showcase.
Join the High Ground
And that’s everything we know about Fable 4. Although mostly rumors and questionable leaks, it seems like the next entry in the franchise is on its way. What are your thoughts on this reboot of the series? Do you believe the leaks? What would you want to see in a Fable 4? Tell me in the comments below and don’t forget to subscribe for more content.
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