Fable 4 brings back a crucial ingredient from the original games

As a huge fan of Fable, I’ve basically spent the last decade lost in the dark wilderness of Albion surrounded by balverines. 

The last Fable game, Fable Journeys, was released in 2011, and it was absolutely fine if I’m being charitable. There was nothing really wrong with it, but when I think about Fable, a series defined by choices, I don’t necessarily think of a game that puts you on literal rails. 

There was a brief glimmer of hope in the darkness when Fable Legends was announced. Unfortunately, that flame was snuffed out entirely when Microsoft canceled the project, and Lionhead — the studio that developed the Fable series — closed in 2016. 

It seemed like an ignominious end to a studio that had produced some of the best Xbox games ever made. 

From the ashes…

Xbox Game Studios

In July 2020, the embers of expectation were rekindled when it was announced that a rebooted Fable (which I’ll be referring to as Fable 4) was in the works. I was thrilled, however, there was also an irritating worry at the back of my head, droning away like the cackle of a giggling hobgoblin.

You see, while the Fable games are remembered as exciting adventure games where you use swords and sorcery to become a great hero, that’s only part of their DNA. When I remember Fable, I don’t think about the sinister Jack of Blades, the existential horror of the Creeper, or whatever the hell Theresa was. 

No, when I think of Fable, I think of how wonderfully the games blended high fantasy with outright silliness. Albion was jam-packed with hidden gags, funny dialog, and off-beat moments that made you feel like you were playing through a love letter to British comedies of old.

Make ‘em laugh!

Xbox Game Studios

I don’t think I’ll ever forget walking into Bowerstone — my eyes glowing with power, a greatsword on my back, and horns crowning my head — for all intents and purposes a god among men, only to be called a “wanker” by some random villager.

There’s something quintessentially British about that interaction. For years, comedians have used bawdy and downright rude jokes to disrespect the establishment and undercut people’s authority. Just look at shows like Spitting Image, Drop the Dead Donkey, and Brass Eye, and you can feel the influence of those shows on the Fable games.

However, while there’s a vital element of satire in Fable, it’s only a tiny part of what makes the game so funny. No, the actual gut-busting jokes are more absurd, they lean into the anarchic and chaotic comedy of the Young Ones and Monty Python. NPCs will literally quote Monty Python and the Holy Grail as they fight you, screaming, “It’s just a flesh wound,” as you cut them down, and hell, they even cast John Cleese in Fable 3. 

Which brings me back to Fable 4. While I was excited to explore Albion once again, I must admit I was worried the new game would lack the humor and charm of the original games. My concern was that, in the slightly uber-serious modern era, the bawdy spirit would be lost in an attempt to make the game feel more serious.

Turn that frown upside down

Still, some of those fears were assuaged when Playground Games — the new studio working on the Fable reboot — released the first teaser, which was narrated by Richard Ayoade. Ayoade is a fantastic comedian who’s well known on the British comedy circuit, and his inclusion suggested Playground Games knew the Fable had to have a sense of humor to succeed. 

Now, though, following the 2024 Xbox showcase, we seem to have confirmation that the new Fable game will be as absurd and funny as the original trilogy. In the new Fable trailer, we get Matt King (of Peep Show fame) voicing Humphrey, a pompous hero who’s telling the viewer how he trained the world’s greatest hero. 

In the first few seconds of this teaser, we get what appears to be a reference to Hot Fuzz and Simon Skinner’s grinning portrait. This is followed by the usual disrespectful jokes at the player’s expense, and Humphrey simply has what I can only describe as Super Hans energy about him. I even think I spotted a reference to the Spider-Verse hand-on-the-shoulder joke, but I might be reaching there. 

Basically, what I’m saying is it’s clear from watching this new trailer that Playground understands there’s more to Fable than hacking and slashing your way through monsters and maniacs. There’s an anarchic streak running through them that needs to be embraced for the game to truly stand next to its predecessors. After watching the new trailer, it seems to me that Fable is in safe hands… or should that be Super Hans?

Love games? Then check out our list of the best video game characters of all time. We’ve also got a full breakdown of the most exciting announcements from the most recent State of Play.