Unlocking the Dark Side: Criminals Within Masters Fable, Path of Exile, and Beyond

Following the highly-anticipated Fable reboot's first gameplay trailer at the recent Xbox Showcase, fans are eagerly awaiting its release date. However, in the meantime, there's another game to keep an eye on. Criminals Within, an upcoming asymmetric co-op game developed by independent studio Space Rock Games in Unreal Engine 5, has intriguing ties to the original Fable game as well as other classic action RPGs like Path of Exile. Set in a medieval fantasy universe, Criminals Within allows players to team up and assume the roles of either Jarel the thief or Helena the royal guard. Together, they embark on a quest involving dragons, a kidnapped prince, and more. In a recent interview with Game Rant, Space Rock Games' Managing Director Zsombor Pirok discussed how the studio is leveraging its industry experience with Fable and Path of Exile, as well as the main inspirations behind their upcoming medieval fantasy title.

Criminals Within's Inspirations From Fable To It Takes Two And More

When asked about the inspiration behind Criminals Within, Pirok mentioned that Fable: The Lost Chapters and the two-player co-op game It Takes Two were major influences. They were also inspired by other action RPG games like Remnant: From the Ashes, Sea of Thieves, and classic DreamWorks movies. According to Pirok, Fable's imaginative world and lighthearted humor had always been favorites of theirs. They found It Takes Two to be groundbreaking in its co-op design, which is a significant aspect of Criminals Within. Additionally, they admired Remnant's intense combat focus and the emphasis on co-op gameplay.

Pirok mentioned that Fable: The Lost Chapters had an impact on the stylized art style of Criminals Within, aiming for it to have a timeless quality compared to more realistic art styles that tend to age quickly. Additionally, games like Sea of Thieves and Disney's Hercules were also cited as influences in creating this classic art style.

During the development of the trailer, we explored various influences from both 2D and 3D sources. In terms of gaming, we drew inspiration from both the original Fable: The Lost Chapters and Sea of Thieves. We also looked at the art style of Disney's Hercules in the context of a 3D environment. The outcome is a combination of these different inspirations.

Criminals Within's Experience With Games Like Fable And Path Of Exile

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In addition to a team of experienced developers who have worked at renowned studios like Lionhead, SEGA, Supermassive Games, and more, it is significant to mention that Space Rock Games also benefits from the industry expertise garnered from games such as Path of Exile and Fable while developing Criminals Within. Pirok emphasized the importance of the studio's experience with these games, particularly Fable 1 and 2.

We are incredibly excited to have some of the original creators of those games as part of our team. Caroline, our talented technical artist, has actually contributed to the development of both Fable 1 and 2, while Josh, our technical lead, previously worked as a programmer on Path of Exile. Their diverse experiences greatly contribute to the game's design, humor, and technical execution, making them invaluable assets to the project.

Pirok expressed that this valuable experience would greatly contribute to the creation of impressive cutscenes and the availability of Criminals Within on multiple platforms. In addition, the team consists of numerous industry veterans whose expertise will greatly enhance the overall gameplay of the final game.

Despite being Space Rock Games' inaugural project as an independent developer, their extensive industry knowledge combined with their utilization of the advanced Unreal Engine 5 technology positions them favorably to produce something truly exceptional. With anticipation building for the release of Fable 4 and the search for cooperative games following It Takes Two, Criminals Within is certainly one to keep an eye on. Notably, the inclusion of a friend pass system will further heighten the appeal of its fantasy offering.

Criminals Within is currently in development.