Fable (video game series)
Encyclopedia
Fable is a series of action
role-playing
video games for Xbox
, Xbox 360
, Windows
, and Mac OS X
platforms. The series is developed by Lionhead Studios
and is published by Microsoft Studios.
city-state
s with vast areas of countryside or wilderness
in between. The setting originally resembles Medieval Europe or traditional fantasy settings like that of The Lord of the Rings
. However, the period of time progresses with each game; in Fable II, Albion has advanced to an era similar to that of the Age of Enlightenment
, and by Fable III
the nation has been unified under a monarchy and is undergoing an "Age of Industry
" similar to the real-world 19th-century Industrial Revolution
.
In the first Fable
, players assume the role of an orphaned boy who is forced into a life of heroism when bandits attack his village, and kidnap his sister. The choices players make in the game affect the perception and reaction to their Hero by the characters of Albion and change the Hero's appearance to mirror what good or evil deeds he has performed. In addition to undertaking quests to learn what happened to the Hero's family, players can engage in optional quests and pursuits such as trading, romance and married life, pub gaming, boxing, and theft. Even so, set quests are the motor of the story development. It is an era between the year 900 and 1100.
Fable II takes place 500 years after the events of the first game. The world slightly resembles a Europe between 1600 and 1800, the time of highwaymen
and the Enlightenment
. Science and more modern ideas have suppressed the religion and magic of old Albion. Its towns have developed into cities, weaponry is slowly taking advantage of gunpowder, and social, family and economic life present more possibilities - as well as challenges. The sequel basically expands most or all parts of the gaming experience from the previous game, without changing the elementary modes of playing. The continent of Albion is smaller as a game world, since it contains fewer locations, but the locations that remain are more developed and detailed. In contrast to Fable
, the solving of set quests is not the basis of the story; rather, the story develops from the player's situation in time and place. This gives the game a sense of more interactivity than the first installment of the series.
In Fable III
the setting is 50 years after that of Fable II. The historical development is further advanced since the last version: Albion is experiencing the Industrial Revolution
. In all of the versions, the moral development (in a negative or a positive way) is at the core of the gameplay. In this latest version, this moral development is expanded to include not only the personal or psychological but also a more political aspect, as the goal of the game is to overthrow the oppressive king of Albion, as well as defend the continent from attacks from abroad.
(RPG), the Fable series constructs the development of a protagonist controlled by the player, and the development is related to the same character's interaction with the game world. A major part of this interaction is for the Fable series related to interaction with people, be it conversation, story-telling, education, trading, gaming, courting and relationships, or fighting.
The player is able to develop the protagonist following several parameters, such as magic, strength and social skills. The player may also direct the moral quality of the protagonist, so that skills may be developed in equal terms and conditions both in the negative and positive field.
In addition to this basis of the gameplay, some of the version focus on set quest that together give the protagonist the opportunity to develop, as well as unveiling strands of the story of the game.
Fable II and III
also include cooperative gameplay, where two players with their own character can join forces in their different tasks.
, shipped for Xbox on September 14, 2004. An extended version of this first installment, Fable: The Lost Chapters, was released for Windows and Xbox in September 2005; Feral Interactive
ported the game to the Mac platform on March 31, 2008.
The proper sequel of the series, Fable II, was released for Xbox 360
October 21, 2008. A third installment of the game, Fable III
, was released for Xbox 360
October 26, 2010, with a Microsoft Windows
release confirmed for May 17, 2011.
According to Peter Molyneux, Lionhead Studios currently has plans for the 4th and 5th Fable installations.
At E3 2011
the latest installment in the series was announced, entitled Fable: The Journey
. However Fable: The Journey
should not be confused as Fable lV. Fable: The Journey
is actually a separate game within the series and is clearly differentiated from the first 3 installments of the series. It has been understood as somewhat like a spin-off from the "hero bloodline" storyline of the previous games. It is expected to be released late 2012.
Action role-playing game
Action role-playing games form a loosely defined sub-genre of role-playing video games that incorporate elements of action or action-adventure games, emphasizing real-time action where the player has direct control over characters, instead of turn-based or menu-based combat...
role-playing
Role-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
video games for Xbox
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
, Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
, Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
, and Mac OS X
Mac OS X
Mac OS X is a series of Unix-based operating systems and graphical user interfaces developed, marketed, and sold by Apple Inc. Since 2002, has been included with all new Macintosh computer systems...
platforms. The series is developed by Lionhead Studios
Lionhead Studios
Lionhead Studios is a British computer game development company led by industry veteran Peter Molyneux, and acquired by Microsoft Game Studios in April 2006. Lionhead started as a breakaway from the developer Bullfrog, which was also founded by Molyneux. Lionhead's first game was Black & White, a...
and is published by Microsoft Studios.
Setting
The Fable series takes place in the fictional nation of Albion, a state that, at the time of the first game, is composed of numerous autonomousAutonomy
Autonomy is a concept found in moral, political and bioethical philosophy. Within these contexts, it is the capacity of a rational individual to make an informed, un-coerced decision...
city-state
City-state
A city-state is an independent or autonomous entity whose territory consists of a city which is not administered as a part of another local government.-Historical city-states:...
s with vast areas of countryside or wilderness
Wilderness
Wilderness or wildland is a natural environment on Earth that has not been significantly modified by human activity. It may also be defined as: "The most intact, undisturbed wild natural areas left on our planet—those last truly wild places that humans do not control and have not developed with...
in between. The setting originally resembles Medieval Europe or traditional fantasy settings like that of The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings
The Lord of the Rings is a high fantasy epic written by English philologist and University of Oxford professor J. R. R. Tolkien. The story began as a sequel to Tolkien's earlier, less complex children's fantasy novel The Hobbit , but eventually developed into a much larger work. It was written in...
. However, the period of time progresses with each game; in Fable II, Albion has advanced to an era similar to that of the Age of Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
, and by Fable III
Fable III
Fable III is the third video game in the Fable series of action role-playing games . The game was developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. The story focuses on the player character's struggle to overthrow the King of Albion by...
the nation has been unified under a monarchy and is undergoing an "Age of Industry
Industrialisation
Industrialization is the process of social and economic change that transforms a human group from an agrarian society into an industrial one...
" similar to the real-world 19th-century Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
.
In the first Fable
Fable (video game)
Fable is an action role-playing video game in the Fable series. It was developed for Xbox, Mac OS X, and Windows platforms, by Big Blue Box, a satellite developer of Lionhead Studios, and was published by Microsoft. The game shipped for Xbox on October 14, 2003...
, players assume the role of an orphaned boy who is forced into a life of heroism when bandits attack his village, and kidnap his sister. The choices players make in the game affect the perception and reaction to their Hero by the characters of Albion and change the Hero's appearance to mirror what good or evil deeds he has performed. In addition to undertaking quests to learn what happened to the Hero's family, players can engage in optional quests and pursuits such as trading, romance and married life, pub gaming, boxing, and theft. Even so, set quests are the motor of the story development. It is an era between the year 900 and 1100.
Fable II takes place 500 years after the events of the first game. The world slightly resembles a Europe between 1600 and 1800, the time of highwaymen
Highwayman
A highwayman was a thief and brigand who preyed on travellers. This type of outlaw, usually, travelled and robbed by horse, as compared to a footpad who traveled and robbed on foot. Mounted robbers were widely considered to be socially superior to footpads...
and the Enlightenment
Age of Enlightenment
The Age of Enlightenment was an elite cultural movement of intellectuals in 18th century Europe that sought to mobilize the power of reason in order to reform society and advance knowledge. It promoted intellectual interchange and opposed intolerance and abuses in church and state...
. Science and more modern ideas have suppressed the religion and magic of old Albion. Its towns have developed into cities, weaponry is slowly taking advantage of gunpowder, and social, family and economic life present more possibilities - as well as challenges. The sequel basically expands most or all parts of the gaming experience from the previous game, without changing the elementary modes of playing. The continent of Albion is smaller as a game world, since it contains fewer locations, but the locations that remain are more developed and detailed. In contrast to Fable
Fable (video game)
Fable is an action role-playing video game in the Fable series. It was developed for Xbox, Mac OS X, and Windows platforms, by Big Blue Box, a satellite developer of Lionhead Studios, and was published by Microsoft. The game shipped for Xbox on October 14, 2003...
, the solving of set quests is not the basis of the story; rather, the story develops from the player's situation in time and place. This gives the game a sense of more interactivity than the first installment of the series.
In Fable III
Fable III
Fable III is the third video game in the Fable series of action role-playing games . The game was developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. The story focuses on the player character's struggle to overthrow the King of Albion by...
the setting is 50 years after that of Fable II. The historical development is further advanced since the last version: Albion is experiencing the Industrial Revolution
Industrial Revolution
The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, mining, transportation, and technology had a profound effect on the social, economic and cultural conditions of the times...
. In all of the versions, the moral development (in a negative or a positive way) is at the core of the gameplay. In this latest version, this moral development is expanded to include not only the personal or psychological but also a more political aspect, as the goal of the game is to overthrow the oppressive king of Albion, as well as defend the continent from attacks from abroad.
Gameplay
As a role-playing gameRole-playing video game
Role-playing video games are a video game genre with origins in pen-and-paper role-playing games such as Dungeons & Dragons, using much of the same terminology, settings and game mechanics. The player in RPGs controls one character, or several adventuring party members, fulfilling one or many quests...
(RPG), the Fable series constructs the development of a protagonist controlled by the player, and the development is related to the same character's interaction with the game world. A major part of this interaction is for the Fable series related to interaction with people, be it conversation, story-telling, education, trading, gaming, courting and relationships, or fighting.
The player is able to develop the protagonist following several parameters, such as magic, strength and social skills. The player may also direct the moral quality of the protagonist, so that skills may be developed in equal terms and conditions both in the negative and positive field.
In addition to this basis of the gameplay, some of the version focus on set quest that together give the protagonist the opportunity to develop, as well as unveiling strands of the story of the game.
Fable II and III
Fable III
Fable III is the third video game in the Fable series of action role-playing games . The game was developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. The story focuses on the player character's struggle to overthrow the King of Albion by...
also include cooperative gameplay, where two players with their own character can join forces in their different tasks.
Installments and releases
The first version of the game, FableFable (video game)
Fable is an action role-playing video game in the Fable series. It was developed for Xbox, Mac OS X, and Windows platforms, by Big Blue Box, a satellite developer of Lionhead Studios, and was published by Microsoft. The game shipped for Xbox on October 14, 2003...
, shipped for Xbox on September 14, 2004. An extended version of this first installment, Fable: The Lost Chapters, was released for Windows and Xbox in September 2005; Feral Interactive
Feral Interactive
Feral Interactive is a publishing company founded in 1999 that publishes games and other software that did not fit in with the release programs of the large established publishers. It publishes Macintosh games and has relationships with publishers such as Electronic Arts, Eidos Interactive,...
ported the game to the Mac platform on March 31, 2008.
The proper sequel of the series, Fable II, was released for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
October 21, 2008. A third installment of the game, Fable III
Fable III
Fable III is the third video game in the Fable series of action role-playing games . The game was developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360. The story focuses on the player character's struggle to overthrow the King of Albion by...
, was released for Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
October 26, 2010, with a Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows is a series of operating systems produced by Microsoft.Microsoft introduced an operating environment named Windows on November 20, 1985 as an add-on to MS-DOS in response to the growing interest in graphical user interfaces . Microsoft Windows came to dominate the world's personal...
release confirmed for May 17, 2011.
According to Peter Molyneux, Lionhead Studios currently has plans for the 4th and 5th Fable installations.
At E3 2011
Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011
The Electronic Entertainment Expo 2011, commonly known as E3 2011, was the 15th Electronic Entertainment Expo held. E3 is an annual trade show for the computer and video games industry presented by the Entertainment Software Association . The event took place June 7–9, 2011 at the Los Angeles...
the latest installment in the series was announced, entitled Fable: The Journey
Fable: The Journey
Fable: The Journey is the fourth video game in the Fable series, developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360, as an exclusive Kinect title. It was announced at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo, with a debut trailer and demo shown...
. However Fable: The Journey
Fable: The Journey
Fable: The Journey is the fourth video game in the Fable series, developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360, as an exclusive Kinect title. It was announced at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo, with a debut trailer and demo shown...
should not be confused as Fable lV. Fable: The Journey
Fable: The Journey
Fable: The Journey is the fourth video game in the Fable series, developed by Lionhead Studios and published by Microsoft Studios for Xbox 360, as an exclusive Kinect title. It was announced at the 2011 Electronic Entertainment Expo, with a debut trailer and demo shown...
is actually a separate game within the series and is clearly differentiated from the first 3 installments of the series. It has been understood as somewhat like a spin-off from the "hero bloodline" storyline of the previous games. It is expected to be released late 2012.