While it may have drifted into obscurity over the last few years, theFablefranchise was once one of the leading names in the fantasy gaming genre, appearing right alongside beloved series likeThe Elder Scrolls, andDragon Age. However, afterFable: The Journey’s release in 2012, the franchise has remained dormant ever since, with its original creator Lionhead Studios closing its doors in 2016. But right before its shutdown, Lionhead was working on a newFablegame, one which traded in the traditional RPG formula for an experimental asymmetrical multiplayer experience, titledFable Legends.
First announced back in 2013,Fable Legendswas a series spinoff that was set to put the player in either the villain’s or the hero’s shoes, alongside several other players as they all attempted to either hinder or complete fantasy-themed objectives. Despite the unique premise,Fable Legendswasn’t really embraced by fans, and just before the game was set to launch its open beta,Fable Legendswas canceled. Not all is lost, however. There’s a lotthe newFablerebootcan learn fromFable Legends' failure.
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What the Fable Reboot Can Learn From Fable Legends
On paper,Fable Legendshad a pretty neat premise. A group of four heroes would be thrust into a fantasy world, and given a set of objectives to complete. All the while, one player takes the role of a villain, who needs to hinder their progress by any means possible. When playing as a hero, the players would choose from a selection of character classes, each one allowing customization and boasting their own unique set of weapons and abilities.
Once in the game, the heroes would play like a typical third-person action game. The villain, on the other hand, would begin the game by placing creature spawn points across the map, adjusting how aggressive they are, and controlling the boss. Once the match started, the villain would play more like an RTS, commanding the creatures from above. This is a pretty unique concept for a fantasy game, and for the time, it was a fairly unique premise for a multiplayer title altogether. While asymmetrical multiplayer games are a dime a dozen now, thanks to key examples such asDead By Daylight,Friday the 13th, and now the recently releasedGhostbusters: Spirits Unleashed, they weren’t too prevalent back in 2013 whenFable Legendswas first announced.
Despite this unique premise, fans weren’t all that impressed withFable Legends. When the game was first announced, a lot of fans were disappointed to learn thatFable Legendswasn’t going to bea standardFableRPG experience. At the time, a lot of popular franchises were pushing their single-player roots to the background while they focused on the rise of online multiplayer, butFablefans weren’t having any of it. The general consensus only worsened whenFable Legendswent into closed beta, and fans discovered that the gameplay loop didn’t hold up too well in practice. While it sounds fun to let the player win as a villain, in actuality, this means that the four hero characters aren’t always having a great time, losing progress with every loss.
The key lesson that Playground Games’Fablereboot should take away from the failedFable Legendsis to give fans exactly what they want. While introducing new gameplay concepts is certainly worthwhile,Playground Gamesneeds to ensure that it provides a traditionalFableRPG, just like fans have spent years waiting for. Starting classes, specific weapon types, character customization, sprawling side quests, a morality system, and a satirical tone, should all be present in theFablereboot.
