Fable III: A Preview in Context
The premise of Fable never seemed to lend itself to a nuanced story-based game. But its smooth graphics, fluid combat control, and extensive world-building earned it both critical acclaim as well as fans around the globe. In its upcoming release, it seems that adventurers in the land of Albion may have a whole new feel to look forward to: a world that is darker, a landscape that is more complex, and a mood heavy with consequence–both because the setting and the player’s actions (current life and previous).
The story starts roughly 50 years later with the descendant of the original hero from Fable II living under the heel of an unforgiving lord. In that time, Albion has jumped from its medieval days to the beginnings of a technological Renaissance. Ancient magic and science struggle in the background, and the player has the opportunity to rise from the coals of obscurity to free the land of oppression, or rule it as a tyrant. Under the auspices of this new aesthetic, the development team has hinted at dramatic changes to the original Fable formula. Unlike the first two titles, the second half of Fable III will deal with the challenges and decisions of the story’s hero as a ruler. Players who may have panned the sequel for not experimenting and pushing far enough in terms of the immersion and game play may be in for a treat. “I think there’s something fundamentally wrong with RPGs like Fable,” says Fable creator and industry leader Peter Molyneux, “It’s a mechanic that’s been there since the eighties. I’m going to take that foundation stone and throw it away.”
All in all, Fable III seems a game to look forward to–a combination of a proven action RPG and with a new game genre of RPG simulation from the man who brought us Dungeon Keeper and Black & White. With the dramatic new changes developers are promising, it might be easy for developers to overlook the elements that made Fable I & II such hits, but this writer has faith that Lionshead will live up to the hype. And of course, I hope they keep the dog.