Summary
Playground Games' upcoming titleFableis 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 originalFableand 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 upcomingFablereboot appears to be doing its best to honor its roots while simultaneously exploring new territory.
Fable(2025) may be a reboot ofthe originalFabletrilogy, 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 inFable 2and kept around inFable 3that 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 Needs to Bring Back the Original Trilogy’s Animal Companion
The Dog Companion Was an Integral Part of Fable 2 and a Helpful Friend
Fablecertainly 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 withthe world of Albionand to assist the player in finding treasure and quest objectives.
The dog inFable 2essentially 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 exploredFable 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 doubtFable 2’s dog would find a perfect home inPlayground Games' upcomingFablereboot.
Fable Could Also Include Other Animal Companions and Improve the System in General
IfFabledid bring back the dog companion fromFable 2, it could also include other companions. For instance, cats have become some of the most popular animal companions in gaming. InMonster Hunter Worldand otherMonster Huntergames, players have afeline Palico companionthat goes with them on their monster-hunting adventures. It would also make a humorous bit of sense to have a chicken companion in aFablegame, 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 animalfollower inFablecould 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 nextFablegame would revive an old tradition while also reinventing it for modern gaming.
Fable
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.
