Players today who hear “RPG” might think about intense characters and extremely immersive worlds. As such, players might seem easily overwhelmed when an RPG bombards them with hard-hitting choices and narrative options too early in the game. Thankfully, games likeFablehelped players see that RPGs don’t necessarily have to approach gamers with a heavy story. In fact, thanks toFable, players can play a rather chill experience with just enough of a serious undertone to keep them engaged.
RELATED:Dungeons & Dragons: The 10 Best Weapons For Clerics (& Where They’re Usually Found)
As such, whenPlayground Gamesannounced aFablereboot, it’s natural for fans to get stoked. After all, RPG fans can finally get a game that’s hopefully both intense but highly entertaining at the same time. However, givenFable 3and the new announcement are 10 years apart, fans may have new expectations for the title. Just what might fans look for in theFablereboot, especially coming from the classic games?
10Yes Please: A Simpler Time
Fans of theFableseries will remember the first time they booted the first game. Unlike more serious fantasy RPGs,Fablemakes it obvious that it wants to have a much lighter approach to the genre. As such, interwoven in its grand (albeit simple) fantasy story are hours' worth of simple yet entertaining dialogue that will definitely give players a good time.
Moreover, if they plan on retaining the game’s more humorous undertone, a simpler medieval setting might actually work. After all, its sarcastic humor, delightful British setup,spectacular magic, and fairytale aesthetic remain a signature of the franchise. As such, it’s a delight to see the teaser imply leaning away fromFable 3’s more industrialized and serious setup.
9No Thanks: Industrial Setting
Fans ofFablestill have contested feelings regardingFable 3. After all, the latter’s more industrialized setup didn’t seem to retain the innate “charm” of the previous games' more “classic” medieval fantasy setting. InFable 3’s more industrialized Bowerstone highlighted Renaissance-era architecture, guns, and a much more serious tone. If Playground Games will indeed make this newFablegame a reboot, they might want to do away with the industrial setting.
What some players didn’t appreciate fromFable 3would be its rather more “serious” tone. Aside from fighting for a throne, the game contains a rather more mature outlook on hardship and transitioning into the Industrial Age. And while these in themselves aren’t bad, they do makeFable 3seem to be more akin to other"more serious" RPGsinstead of its more “innocent” trademark.
8Yes Please: The Heroes' Guild
Eagle-eyed players will likely notice some familiar imagery throughout theFablereboot teaser. In fact, the key to this point would be the sword the fairy approaches in the trailer. Players who pause the video can see the symbol of the Heroes' Guild etched on the hilt, implying some sort of return to a time beforeFable 3. After all, in-game lore explains that the Heroes' Guild has been disbanded between the events ofFableandFable 2.
AFablereboot sounds like a plausible place for the return of the Heroes' Guild.For the uninitiated, the Heroes' Guild serves as the training ground for Guild Apprentices. They have to train before venturing out and forging their destinies as Heroes. It’s also the place where the Hero of Oakvale, the firstFablegame’s hero, trains to become an adventurer.
7No Thanks: Ruling An Empire
Interestingly,Fable 3introduces yet another cool player option in the franchise: ruling an empire. The Royal Hero eventually becomes the King or Queen of Albion at some time in the game, and they have to make decisions for the kingdom. And while the problems NPCs present are entertaining, it seems “un-Fable” to expect players to get stuckruling an empire.
RELATED:Fable Reboot: 10 Important Questions We Have After The Xbox Showcase
On a related note, having to rule an empire inFable 3does seem to break a bit of immersion. Of course, it’s true that reclaiming the throne remained a crucial point to the hero’s story inFable 3. However, if the Royal Hero has to rule the kingdom first, what reason do they have to still explore the world around them? While the kingdom mechanics remain entertaining, this overlap in immersion seem to diminish the fun inFable 3’s experience.
6Yes Please: The Humor
The frog eating the fairy in theFablereboot teaser says enough about the tone of the game. And for a lot ofFablefans, this dark humor serves as a refresher for a lot of RPG enthusiasts. After all, many RPGs today tend to have much deeper and more serious narratives. As such, this pattern often makes playthroughs intense and emotionally taxing. Hopefully, theFablereboot takes a step back and allows RPG fans to enjoy “just being the Hero” in a more straightforward story.
Moreover, theFablereboot hopefully returns much of the more comedic parts of the franchise’s universe. For instance, a lot of side quests inFablebecome fan-favorites thanks to their entertaining nature.
5No Thanks: The Fetch Quests
RPG fans share mixed opinions regarding fetch quests. After all, quests by themselves exist to help players level up and get stronger. Unfortunately, devs don’t exactly have enough budget to make each and every side quest unique. As such, fetch quests exist to narrate stories with the same underlying structure.Fableseems to be no guest to fetch quests, either.
Unfortunately, theFablereboot would hopefully make do with the fetch quests. Instead, the game should hopefully provide more entertaining side stories, even if they’re few in quantity. This way, the world can remain memorable and immersive.
4Yes Please: Multiple Character Options
Interestingly, one other notable feature across theFablegames would be its variations of players “morphing” the world around them. These “morphing” occurs when playersmake significant decisions in-gamethat changes the world around them actively. Across the games, players can change their appearance depending on what stats they increase or what time of the game they’re in.
RELATED:Best Third Party Books for D&D 5e, Ranked
In later games, more things around the world change. For instance, inFable 2andFable 3, the player’s pet dog can change depending on player Alignment. Moreover, the player’s decisions as Albion’s Ruler also changes the structure of the world.
3No Thanks: Just One Story
Despite how the firstFableintroduced a newer tone to modern RPGs, there’s much to be desired in the story. For instance, making the Hero of Oakvale strictly male does seem a bit restrictive, especially toFablefans of different genders. However, some might argue that this choice was more to help the game have a stricter, more cohesive narrativewith a premade characterand setup.
Regardless, the existence of more diverse character options in RPGs today should motivate Playground Games to have a more flexible narrative. Instead of telling just one story from either a “male” or “female” character,Fablereboot can pull off aFable 3and let players choose.
2Yes Please: The Alignment System
Fans ofFableperhaps love the series for its unique Alignment system. In the games,a player’s Alignment(determined by the character’s Purity and Morality) changes depending on the actions they take in the game world. This in itself seems like an interesting gameplay mechanic. After all, this system shows players not only make a difference at the end of the game but also act within the world.
Depending on their Alignment, players can look much holier or much scarier. They can possess halos or horns, and even force NPCs to react differently from them.
1No Thanks: The Same Narrative
Despite fans calling the newFableteaser a reboot, Playground Games didn’t confirm anything too concrete about the nature of the game. However, should it really be a reboot, the game would hopefully approachFable’s first story differently. For instance, players may have had fun playing the Hero of Oakvale from the firstFable. However, a completely new story might also be able to capture their attention.
Moreover, even if Playground Games decides to adopt the same story as the original, the reboot should hopefully introduce new elements. These can be in the form of new characters, new choices, or even newer approaches to the canon.
NEXT:10 Great MMORPG Games That Flew Under The Radar At Release (But Still Hold Up Today)
