Fable Looks Promising with Witcher-Inspired Combat, Says Jez Corden; Character Selection Reportedly Included
One of the most eagerly awaited games of 2025 is Fable, the long-dormant fantasy RPG franchise originally developed by Lionhead Studios. After a 15-year hiatus, the series is being rebooted by Playground Games, the studio best known for the Forza Horizon series. Despite concerns about transitioning from racing games to RPGs, early reports suggest there's plenty of reason to be optimistic.
Gameplay Impressions: Witcher-Like Combat and More
In the latest episode of the Xbox Two podcast, Jez Corden of Windows Central shared his impressions after seeing alpha gameplay footage of Fable. According to Corden, the game looks "fantastic", with combat reminiscent of The Witcher series, a likely result of Playground hiring former CD Projekt Red developers.
“I very recently saw some alpha gameplay footage from Fable. It looked fantastic. You can tell this game has CD Projekt Red DNA… The melee combat, pirouettes, dodging, and hack-and-slash executions look super polished. If this was early gameplay, it’s probably even better now.”
Corden highlighted several gameplay elements:
Combat Variety: Seamless transitions between melee, ranged attacks (such as bows), and spells.
Creative Weapons: Includes large mallets capable of hitting multiple enemies and spells like levitating foes and slamming them down.
Unique Enemies: Includes werewolves and even a giant, terrifying chicken, blending Fable's signature humor with darker undertones.
Character Selection Confirmed
Corden also revealed that Fable will likely offer character selection, allowing players to choose between male and female protagonists. This feature is a welcome addition, especially for those who weren’t fans of the protagonist shown in earlier trailers.
The Road Ahead
While Fable borrows inspiration from The Witcher, it’s clear Playground is working to refine and polish the combat system beyond its predecessor. Fans might get a closer look at the game during The Game Awards 2024, where a new trailer could be unveiled.
Currently, Fable is set for release in late 2025 on PC and Xbox Series S|X.
