The Extraordinary Evolution of Fable: Unmasking the Hero's Journey in a Whole New Light

Highlights

The hero's journey narrative structure is a fundamental part of the Fable franchise and should be retained in the reboot to maintain the essence of the series.

Each installment of the Fable game series wholeheartedly embraces the hero's journey concept. Players assume the role of a heroic character tasked with embarking on thrilling adventures to combat evil forces and safeguard the world.

While the remake should retain the hero's journey framework, it also has the opportunity to inject enjoyment by cleverly satirizing and mocking prevalent and overused elements within the trope. This approach would reflect the series' inclination towards parody and add an extra layer of entertainment.

The fantasy genre is well-known for its numerous tropes, but one of the most prevalent is the "Hero's Journey." This narrative structure follows an unlikely individual as they embark on an adventure, overcome evil, and return as a changed hero. The hero's journey archetype is commonly found in books, comics, TV shows, movies, and video games. Considering the Fable franchise's strong connection to fantasy stereotypes, it is no surprise that it fully embraces the hero's journey archetype.

After a 13-year wait, fans are eagerly anticipating the release of a new mainline Fable game. Developed by Playground Games, known for their work on Forza Horizon, not much is currently known about the Fable reboot, aside from its initial cinematic trailer. However, while this reboot may introduce some changes from its predecessors, it is crucial that it maintains a straightforward and classic hero's journey narrative.

Fable Needs to be an Unashamed Hero's Journey

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While each installment in the Fable series has introduced fresh elements and in some cases completely transformed the overall themes and gameplay, the consistent thread that runs through the entire series is the concept of a heroic quest. The original Fable game serves as the most blatant example of this. In this game, players assume the role of a skilled Hero and embark on a mission to vanquish bandits and enigmatic malevolence. As the story unfolds, the Hero learns of their lineage and wields a magical sword to triumph over evil and save the world. This is the quintessential hero's journey.

Fable 2 and Fable 3 also fully embrace the hero's journey concept, arguably even more so than their predecessor. Right from the start, Fable 2 pits players against childhood bullies, and throughout the narrative, the player character grows increasingly noble, ultimately saving the world and reviving those who perished during the game's climactic moments. Fable 3 presents a more intricate iteration of the hero's journey, with players assuming the role of the kingdom's ruler and valiantly facing a mysterious threat while saving countless lives along the way.

The Alignment system in the Fable games is a major draw for players as it allows them to make choices that greatly affect the game's narrative and the fate of key characters. Despite the possibility for morally questionable actions, the core of the Fable series remains a hero's journey, with the main character following expected narrative patterns.

Playground Games has the freedom to take the Fable franchise in any direction, but preserving the hero's journey archetype in the reboot is crucial. It is an essential part of Fable's identity, and without it, the game would not feel like a true Fable game. However, this does not mean that Playground cannot have fun with it. The Fable series has always embraced parody, and the reboot should continue this tradition. While keeping the hero's journey structure, Fable 4 could playfully satirize and mock some of the most common and cliched elements of the trope.

Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.