I remember playing the original Fable all the way back in 2004 on PC. While it was nearly 19 years ago, it's a game I thoroughly enjoyed thanks to its engaging narrative, rich environments, and often challenging combat. I also love the fact that every choice I made had an impact on how my character appeared and was treated by the various Npc's you encountered throughout the game. In essence, Fable allowed you to tell your own story and build your own legend in the medieval world of Albion, which was really fun and memorable. The game proved so popular that it spawned several sequels, with Fable 2 arguably being where the series peaked, although Fable.
Three, which followed in 2011, certainly did an admirable job of keeping the franchise alive and well, but after the release of some rather underwhelming follow-ups in the form of Fable Heroes and Fable The Journey in 2012 and the subsequent closure of Lionhead Studios in 2016, it seemed that any hopes for a new Fable game were dashed for evermore. Then in July 2020, a revealed trailer for a new Fable game was published online, courtesy of
Playground Games, a new developer that has seemingly taken up the mantle from Lionhead Studios. Then, after three fairly uneventful years, the first teaser trailer for Fable 4, which looks like it's going to just be called Fable, was finally released in June 2023. So how was the two-minute teaser received by fans of the franchise? Well, from the looks of it, with a lot of. Skepticism and even disappointment for the most part. While there are definitely several comments from fans that seem to like what the upcoming game has to offer, many are dissatisfied with several aspects. But first and foremost, it seems to concern the new protagonist and fable, and more accurately, their appearance. Now, I'll admit that I'm a fan of Richard especially for his role as Morris Mos in the RT crowd, but I'm not entirely convinced his unique brand of dry humor is all that well suited in the context.
Fable Game
That said, I don't necessarily bemoan his presence, but I'm honestly not really sure how to feel about it? Not yet, anyway. I think the main issue a lot of fans are having a problem with is the idea that the character they play as in this new fable is the character that seems to feature in the limited gameplay we got to see in the teaser trailer. For the record, I don't expect full character customizability, but it would certainly be nice to be able to change some aspects about your character like in the original games so that it matches your personality somewhat. And it's easy enough to add a character builder into games these days.
Every second one has had this feature for the longest time now, so even a fairly rudimentary system for altering your character's appearance should suffice, unfortunately. The new trailer just doesn't give me that vibe at all. In all honesty, my main problem is that there just isn't any wow factor here. Sure, the graphics are very clean, even realistic, but that's not actually what Fable is about. The original games had a very obvious fairy tale quality to them, so the art style and designs they employed are deliberately stylized, even cartoonish, which is a huge reason why the original Fable and its immediate sequels have such a unique charm in enduring quality to them.
Even when Lionhead Studios released Black and White all the way back in 2001, it had a distinct identity and charm to it that undoubtedly had an influence on Fable's aesthetic. And now that's all gone for good, it would seem. Removing these aspects and making Fable more laugh makes absolutely zero sense to me. Game studios seem to think that just because you can do something, you should. It's the same story with 3D animated movies. Most of the films intended for kids these days are just 3D reimagining of classic movies from the heyday of Disney, and they lack all manner of charm and memorable moments that only 2D animation can really capture.
Playground Games
Sorry for the rance, but it really does get on my nerves. This doesn't necessarily mean the game that is developing will be bad, but given that it's supposed to be a new take on Fable or something, I just don't see how it's going to work. I mean, if fans are already skeptical in questioning the protagonist and even Richard Iotti's character who's supposed to be a giant but looks more like a hipster, then you're really not off to a great start. This shows that Playground games have a limited understanding of the source material and haven't really done their homework. If you gain the rights to someone's RP, you need to handle it very, very carefully, and right now their entire approach seems ham fisted at best. One person even commented that the trailer gives them for spoken vibes, and judging by the number of likes on their comments, many fans seem to wholeheartedly agree. And the trouble is, they're absolutely right. It seems opinions on For Spoken are largely divided, with many critics citing the games dialogue and performance as two of the biggest saw points.
Fable is Back For Real
But even if For Spoken isn't as bad as people say, it's personally not a game I would want to have an influence on something like Fable, it just doesn't fit to my mind. Sure, there are overlaps in terms of themes in gameplay, but in many regards they're just stylistically in gameplay wires diametrically. Opposed. Ultimately, it all boils down to will Fable suck? With such little gameplay to go on, and something that's really just a cinematic teaser trailer with unremarkable, if well rendered visuals, there's just not enough to go on to say for sure. If I had to go with my gut, I would say it's not going to live up to Fable's legacy, even if it ends up being a decent game in its own right. Would I want to play the game based on the teaser trailer alone? Absolutely not. That's just the honest truth, my friends. Nothing about it says man,
Maybe this kind of stuff appeals to a newer audience, but for those of you who are fans of the original games, I think you get where I'm coming from. In any case, I'm not even sure when we'll see a release for this new fable. 2023 is definitely off the table, and I get the impression that we won't see it in 2024 either. If you ask me optimistically, we'll see it in early or mid 2025, but I have absolutely no idea. Personally, I'll make sure I keep my ear to the ground for more info and updates, but I'll be lying to all of you if I said I wasn't just a little bit skeptical. When Fable does eventually come out, it'll be available on Xbox and PC anyway. That's all I have to say. Do you think the new Fable will be a worthy reboot of the franchise, or are you on the same page as me? If I'm wrong, please set the record straight in the comments.
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