When someone thinks about those trademark Xbox series things like Halo and Gears of War spring to mind. However, there's also a cult classic RPG series that's just as synonymous with the Xbox brand, Fable.

Fable is a fantasy-RPG series that markets itself on player choice, and the series saw pretty decent success on the Xbox 360. However, as Microsoft moved onto the Xbox One it had trouble figuring out what to do with the Fable IP. A cooperative multiplayer title called Fable Legends was announced and in development, but after years of silence, the title was canceled.

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Now, after nearly six years of silence, Microsoft has finally announced a new Fable coming to Xbox Series X. Although next to nothing is known about the new game, it does raise the question of why Fable was so popular, to begin with.

The Promise of the Original Fable

Fable Game

The original Fable had a lot of hype behind its release, and that's because of a few different reasons. For one, it was a big new RPG project from Microsoft, who up until then was mostly known for action games and shooters, like Halo. It also drew attention for its lighthearted soundtrack, with its main theme composed by the renowned Danny Elfman. More than anything, however, Fable's hype was built by Lionhead Studio's co-founder Peter Molyneux. In multiple previews, Molyneux raved about the freedom that Fable allowed, and even took to calling it the best game ever made. Molyneux's hype was a little overblown, and it's something that he'd become known for throughout his career.

Even though Fable may not have lived up to the lofty expectations Molyneux set, it did arrive as a wholly unique experience. In the Xbox and PS2 era studios started putting more emphasis than ever on player and moral choice, and Fable hit the ground running with that idea. Nearly every action the hero does contributes to good or bad alignment points. It's generally a pretty black-and-white system, but what makes Fable really interesting is that the hero's look changes based on their alignment. Commit evil deeds and the hero will sprout horns and red eyes, while good deeds will make them look angelic and put a halo above their head. Fable also let players romance and marry whoever they wanted, both male and female, something a lot of games weren't doing at the time.

The arbitrary good and evil system works well because Fable is so tongue-in-cheek. The game didn't take itself seriously whatsoever, and it practically felt like a fantasy Monty Python world. Its humor was irreverent and offensive at times, but it played into the overall British humor charm. Equally impressive in the first game was the unique take on combat that allowed for players to focus on melee, ranged attacks, and magic. In addition to general experience players would earn Strength, Skill, and Will experience, based on what they use during combat. It was a unique system that only reinforced that idea of player choice, letting players choose to approach the game in any way they want. Fable wasn't a perfect game by any means, but it oozed charm out of every pore, and there's still nothing quite like it to this day, except for other Fable games.

Related: Fable May Be Stealing a Page Out of The Elder Scrolls 6's Book

Fable Remained Unique For Its Freedom and Humor

Fable Fairy Sword

Although the second and third games may not be quite as beloved as the first Fable, the series always stuck to its roots. Fable 2 added in even more choice, and even let players have their own children and families. Of course, when talking about Fable 2, the biggest addition was the player's very own dog. The dog accompanies the hero at all times and can learn tricks, fight, find treasure, and more; the pooch even took on different looks depending on the player's choices. Fable 3, even with its failures, put an interesting twist on things by having players overthrow a tyrannical ruler, and then become king or queen themselves.

One of the most interesting things across the trilogy is seeing how the world of Albion grows and changes. All three games take place in the same locations, but hundreds of years apart. It's fascinating to see the medieval world of Fable transform into the industrial revolution of Fable 3.

Over a decade after its release, though, perhaps what remains the most memorable part of Fable, is how lighthearted everything feels. Video games, especially Mature ones, so often tell dark and oppressive stories, but Fable just wasn't that. Fable was goofy and weird and knew it was. Playing Fable is a lighthearted experience, even though it has deep customization experiences. Propped up against Microsoft's other super serious series like Halo and Gears of War, Fable simply feels like a breath of fresh air.

Fable is currently in development for Xbox Series X and PC.

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