Fable (2023) — 5 Features We Want

Playground Games’ ever-elusive goal to complete the reboot of Fable has been winding us up for quite some time now. In fact, with little to no news on it since initially appearing at the Xbox Showcase back in 2020, there’s even that slight chance of it no longer even being in the works at all. But that’s becoming increasingly unlikely, what with the dawn of yet another showcase on the nearby horizon and all the cards pointing towards it getting a potential and, let’s face it, well overdue update.

Anyway, the thought of Fable making an appearance at the forthcoming Xbox Showcase got us thinking — mainly about the features that it’ll bring to the slate. Fact is, and annoyingly as it is, we can’t say for sure what it’ll look like, let alone what the story or even the gameplay features will accommodate. That said, if we had to select just five things that we’d like to see in the final product, then we’d opt for these.

5. Multiple Heroes & Villains

It isn’t a revolutionary thing, being able to switch between characters simultaneously while playing the same story and towards the same objectives. On the contrary, it’s actually something that has been used in several big budget games. Here’s hoping, then, that Playground Games consider the concept of having more than just the one playable hero in Fable. It’s unlikely, given the fact that its previous entries have only ever been centered around a sole individual. That said, as it’s a reboot that’s in the works, perhaps we’ll see something of the sort after all?

To dive a little deeper, we’re talking about the concept of being able to switch between a hero and a villain—two sides of the same coin, both working to either save Albion, or whittle it down to rubble. It’d certainly provide a great change of pace, and would definitely give players a deeper insight into the trials and tribulations from both characters’ perspectives. But who knows? It’s mostly just food for thought at this point. Either way, we’d love to have the option to control more than just the one protagonist.

4. Property Development

While the original Fable series did allow for you to swap out various pieces of furniture in homes that were either rented or bought, they never really went to the extreme lengths of letting you build your homes from the ground up. The reboot of Fable could certainly rectify this issue, though, what with the sheer amount of assets and base-building blueprints that are available to developers these days. And given the fact that Playground Games has every intention of building on the original by Lionhead Studios, the chances of this feature coming to fulfillment remains optimistically high.

Of course, we all know that the world of Albion has more than enough market stalls, furniture stores, and workshops to assist you in establishing your own home away from home. Here’s hoping that PG will put these outlets to use in the upcoming reboot and let users not only collect the resources needed to build their own retreat, but fully kit it out with furniture, patterns, and themed rooms — right down to the last window frame. Fingers crossed.

3. Companions

It’s safe to say that Fable will feature a multitude of species—most notably fairies, which will occupy a great deal of Albion and its surrounding wooded boroughs. This leads us to believe that the winged creatures could be slightly more important to the game than Playground Games wants to let on. Our guess here is that there’ll be companions to adopt, similar to the dog in the original Fable saga. And if this doesn’t wind up with us being able to foster a fairy with horns, then yeah, we’ll be disappointed.

Given the fact that the early announcement trailer also showcased other species, there is a slight chance our heroes will have the option to select a companion to accompany them on their adventures. And it’d make sense, too, what with the dog in the earlier chapters having separate abilities that aided the heroes progression, either by unearthing keys, treasures, or pathways leading to the next objective. What we’re after this time is a bulkier roster — one that goes beyond household pets and more towards mythical creatures. A fairy wouldn’t be a bad idea, all things considered.

2. Decisions With Actual Consequences

Fable 3 tapped into something that Playground Games could certainly take a note out of — decisions with actual world-changing consequences. As the King or Queen of Albion, players could make weighty choices that would later make a direct impact on one of its districts, social classes, or infrastructures. This is something we’re hoping to see more of in the upcoming reboot — decisions that’ll shape the future of Albion and its many, many citizens.

It makes sense, that the new Fable would be able to figure out how to factor in your moral compass and with it, translate your choices as either a hero or a villain into scenarios that directly affect the world around you. It isn’t a new concept, nor is it something that’s completely unknown to the Fable IP, either. What we’re looking for, really, are more ways to shape Albion through decision-making alone.

1. Give the Hero a Personality!

What lets Fable down is its protagonists. Specifically, those brain-dead vessels who often lack any character outside of their ability to conjure magic and swing a sword about. This has been the case since day one, which has actually made a negative impact on the series as a whole. And that brings us to our final request: to have a hero who’s genuinely likable. Heck, we’d settle for someone with a voice at this rate.

Of course, it’s all well and good being able to customize your hero and lead them down a path of righteousness or wickedness. That said, without a voice to carry their message, they’re actually rather pointless and, in all honestly, a little tedious to lug around. So, if we had the chance to update anything — it’d be the characters. For crying out loud, just make them slightly more relatable.

So, what’s your take? Do you think we’ll be seeing an update on the situation with Fable later today? Let us know your thoughts over on our socials here.