Summary
- Fable is rebooting a 20-year-old franchise known for its morality and alignment system, pushing boundaries that others won't attempt.
- Fans hope the upcoming Fable will stay true to its roots by including the beloved companion system from Fable 2 and 3.
- Fable could expand on the companion system by introducing new animals with unique abilities, bringing a modern twist to a classic feature.
Playground Games' upcoming title Fable is inheriting a huge legacy, rebooting a beloved 20-year-old franchise that changed the landscape of choice-driven gameplay with its innovative morality and alignment system. Since the release of the original Fable and the sequels that followed it, nothing else has come close to replicating it, and this is largely due to Lionhead Studios' unique, bold, and often outlandish ideas that other developers might not be brave enough to attempt. Thankfully, the upcoming Fable reboot appears to be doing its best to honor its roots while simultaneously exploring new territory.
Fable (2025) may be a reboot of the original Fable trilogy, but that doesn't mean it needs to leave the past behind. Based on what has been revealed so far, it seems like it will at least keep the original trilogy's emphasis on morality and choice intact. However, there is one other element that was introduced in Fable 2 and kept around in Fable 3 that would arguably be a perfect fit in Playground Games' reboot: Fable 2's adorable dog companion. At the very least, giving the Hero an animal companion of some kind would be a great addition to the game.
Fable's Latest Trailer Puts All the More Weight on Its Morality System
The latest trailer for Playground Games' Fable really emphasizes themes of morality, which is a good omen for staying faithful to the series.
Fable Needs to Bring Back the Original Trilogy's Animal Companion
The Dog Companion Was an Integral Part of Fable 2 and a Helpful Friend
Fable certainly had its merits — if not just for being an incredibly unique experience at the time of its release — but its sequel, Fable 2, upped the ante and is still widely recognized as the best installment in the original trilogy. There are a lot of different things that factor into this opinion, including its implementation of various quality-of-life and visual improvements from the first game, as well as a host of new features, but its helpful dog companion was certainly a standout addition to the game. Fable 2's dog existed for two reasons: to strengthen the player's emotional bond with the world of Albion and to assist the player in finding treasure and quest objectives.
The dog in Fable 2 essentially acted as an extension of the player, even to the point of its appearance changing with the player character's as they became more good or evil depending on their choices. As players explored Fable 2's world, the dog would bark to let them know there was treasure nearby. This treasure could either be retrieved from a chest or dug up from the ground using a spade, and some of it is even nearly impossible to find without the help of the friendly canine. As animal companions have become increasingly popular in gaming over the years, there is little doubt Fable 2's dog would find a perfect home in Playground Games' upcoming Fable reboot.
Fable Could Also Include Other Animal Companions and Improve the System in General
If Fable did bring back the dog companion from Fable 2, it could also include other companions. For instance, cats have become some of the most popular animal companions in gaming. In Monster Hunter World and other Monster Hunter games, players have a feline Palico companion that goes with them on their monster-hunting adventures. It would also make a humorous bit of sense to have a chicken companion in a Fable game, simply based on the franchise's history with chicken-based comedy — giving players the ability to punt chickens and give themselves the title of "Chicken Chaser."
Each animal follower in Fable could have different abilities associated with their nature. Perhaps feline companions would be great for retrieving treasures that are too high for other animals to reach, like trees and balconies. A bird companion would be capable of this as well, but might also be able to scout the area for enemies from above. An animal companion in the next Fable game would revive an old tradition while also reinventing it for modern gaming.
Fable
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
Fable is an RPG developed by Playground Games and published by Microsoft. Set in Albion, the game challenges players to define what it means to be a hero.
- Developer(s)
- Playground Games
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Franchise
- Fable
- Platform(s)
- Windows, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG, Adventure
