Summary
Despite being officially announced in July 2020, there’s still a lot of mystery surroundingFable. The first installment in the series since the ill-fatedKinect-exclusiveFable: The Journey,Fablemarks a new beginning for the fantasy franchise, and naturally, many fans are excited. Slowly, those fans are getting better glimpses of the gameFableis shaping up to be, with two cinematic trailers having been released over the last year or so. But there’s still so much fans don’t know.
Of course, just like any other major modern-day game,Fablehas been the subject of a few leaks and insider reports. One such report in 2022 from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier claimed that Eidos Montreal was working on the game alongside Playground, and a few weeks ago that was officially confirmed. It’s unclear just how much Eidos Montreal is involved inFable’s development, but with its strong background in narrative games, it seems like the perfect studio to assist onFable.
Eidos Montreal’s Strengths Are Perfectly Suited to Fable
Eidos Montreal Has a Long History of Strong Narratives
While there’s a lot of faith that Playground Games will be able to produce an excellentFablegame, the studio has never worked on a title with a strong narrative focus, with it predominantly developingtheForza Horizonseries. This is where Eidos Montreal can lend a helping hand. Founded back in 2007, Eidos Montreal came out of the gate swinging withDeus Ex: Human Revolution.
The first entry in the series in almost a decade,Deus Ex: Human Revolutionhad a lofty legacy to live up to, with the original game being heralded as one ofthe most groundbreaking RPGs of all time. But against all odds, it did just that, earning critical acclaim across the board, with particular praise being given to the game’s strong narrative and thought-provoking writing. Though the sequel –Deus Ex: Mankind Divided– wasn’t so universally beloved, its environmental storytelling and overarching narrative structure was still a major point of praise.
Though Eidos Montreal’sShadow of the Tomb Raiderwas criticized for its lackluster story and unnecessary padding, the studio managed to pull itself back to its usual narrative heights withMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Released in 2021,Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxyis the most recent project Eidos Montreal has worked on. While its sales were deemed to be disappointing by Square Enix’s standards, it reviewed very well, with its story and character-writing being a highlight yet again, so much so that itwon the 2021 Game Awards' trophy for Best Narrative.
Eidos Montreal Can Deliver Strong Choice Systems
As well as having a long track record of excellent narratives, Eidos Montreal has also delivered a number of satisfying choice systems over the years. BothDeus Exgames andGuardians of the Galaxyboast complex dialogue options that can greatly affect the outcome of each game’s story. While it hasn’t been confirmed ifFablewill have a choice system, it does seem a likely inclusion given that it’s expected to be an RPG. Hopefully, Eidos Montreal will be able to lend some of its expertise in this area.
There’s a Lot of Overlap Between Guardians of the Galaxy and Fable
Based on the two trailers released so far, it seems as thoughFableis really leaning into the tongue-in-cheek, almost satirical humor that the series has always been known for. WhileMarvel’s Guardians of the Galaxynever got too ridiculous, it did lean into the more humorously absurd side ofthe cosmic Marvel universe, and that puts Eidos Montreal in a good position to helpFablewith its humor.
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.
