Fable
Choices and consequences
Lionhead's Fable promised a world that reacted to every player choice, delivering an accessible action RPG where moral decisions shaped character appearance and world reputation.
Overview
Peter Molyneux promised a tree that would grow from an acorn over the game’s timeline. Players didn’t get that tree, but they got something compelling: an action RPG where choices visibly transformed their character. Good deeds brought halos and admiring villagers; evil acts grew horns and inspired terror. Fable’s moral system was simpler than promised but more accessible than most RPGs, bringing the genre to console audiences.
Fast facts
- Developer: Lionhead Studios (Guildford, UK).
- Originally titled: Project Ego.
- Platform: Xbox exclusive (later PC).
- Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios.
Moral alignment system
| Good actions | Evil actions |
|---|---|
| Protecting villagers | Killing innocents |
| Donating to temple | Stealing, vandalism |
| Merciful choices | Cruel decisions |
| Halo, butterflies | Horns, flies |
Character evolution
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Combat style | Physique changes (melee = muscular) |
| Magic use | Will lines appear on skin |
| Age | Visible aging over game |
| Alignment | Appearance shifts good/evil |
| Scars | Combat damage leaves marks |
The Molyneux promise gap
Extensive pre-release claims included:
- Trees growing in real-time over years
- NPCs with complex lives and memories
- Unprecedented world reactivity
Reality delivered solid but simpler systems. The gap between promise and product became a recurring Molyneux narrative, though the game succeeded commercially and critically.
Series evolution
| Game | Year | Platform |
|---|---|---|
| Fable | 2004 | Xbox |
| The Lost Chapters | 2005 | Xbox, PC (expanded) |
| Fable II | 2008 | Xbox 360 |
| Fable III | 2010 | Xbox 360, PC |
| Fable (reboot) | TBA | Xbox Series |
Legacy
Fable made action RPGs accessible to mainstream console audiences. Its visible morality system influenced countless games, from inFamous to Mass Effect. The Guildford studio’s closure in 2016 ended an era, though the franchise continues under new developers.