Summary
- Fable's return is eagerly anticipated, with dark humor intact, though details remain scarce.
- The player character in the next Fable game needs to be a jack-of-all-trades, specializing in many skills.
- A third-person camera angle has been integral to Fable's identity, giving it an edge over upcoming RPG competition.
After a rather lengthy hiatus, the Fable franchise is set to make its triumphant return at some point in the near future, though details are still pretty scarce. At the time of writing, there have only been two official Fable trailers released so far, both of which are completely CG and feature no actual gameplay. That said, these trailers aren't devoid of purpose, revealing that the trademark Fable dark humor is still very much intact all these years later, even despite a new studio taking the helm.
A Third-Person Camera Angle Could Set Fable 4 Apart
A Third-Person Camera Has Been a Major Part of Fable's Identity So Far
Every Fable game bar one has used a third-person camera angle, putting the player's perspective just behind the character's back, and for the most part, it suits the series perfectly. One of the Fable series' greatest draws was its sense of scale, and its vast rich fantasy world, filled with a variety of both appealing and intimidating locations. The Fable series' third-person camera perspective added a level of fantastical intrigue and wonder to the series' exploration, whereas a first-person camera angle may have made its locations feel slightly too oppressive or claustrophobic.
Though the Fable franchise never really had players create their own character, the series' third-person perspective does help to forge a connection between the player and their in-game avatar, with their button inputs resulting in direct actions on-screen, slowly building a subtle connection over time. This was further reinforced by Fable's customization options. Though they were sparse, customization options such as hairstyles, tattoos, and equipment helped to make the player's character feel like their own, and seeing those cosmetic changes on-screen at all times helped to further that feeling.
Fable 4's Camera Could Give it The Edge Over Upcoming Fantasy RPGs
Though it hasn't been officially confirmed if Fable will have a third-person camera perspective, it really should, with it being a core piece of the franchise's identity up until now. Aside from that element, Fable having a third-person camera angle would also give it a unique edge over a few members of its competition. From what's been revealed so far from trailers, Avowed will be a strictly first-person fantasy RPG, and while it looks extremely promising, that first-person camera angle might be off-putting to anyone who prefers to see their custom character and custom loadout shown at all times during gameplay.
A first-person perspective can add a much deeper layer of immersion to a game, but that doesn't mean that third-person games can't be just as immersive—they just might need to try a bit harder. There are plenty of examples of this in recent memory, with The Witcher 3, Dragon's Dogma, and most recently, Baldur's Gate 3 all being incredibly immersive third-person RPGs.
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
