Fable III is a 2010 action role-playing video game created by Lionhead Studios and released by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows. It is the third game in the Fable series. The story follows the player character as they work to defeat the King of Albion, their brother, by making allies and gaining support for a revolution. After successfully leading a rebellion, the player becomes the ruler of Albion and must try to protect the land from a powerful enemy. The game features voice acting by Ben Kingsley (Sabine), Stephen Fry (Reaver), Simon Pegg (Ben Finn), Naomie Harris (Page), Michael Fassbender (Logan), Zoë Wanamaker (Theresa), Bernard Hill (Sir Walter Beck), Nicholas Hoult (Elliot), John Cleese (Jasper), Jonathan Ross (Barry Hatch), Adjoa Andoh (Kalin), Kellie Bright (Hero of Brightwall female), and Louis Tamone (Hero of Brightwall male). The game was released on October 29, 2010, for Xbox 360 and on May 20, 2011, for PC through Games for Windows and Steam. The PC version includes a Hardcore mode and 3D features not available on the Xbox 360 version. The game received mostly positive reviews.

Gameplay

The player controls the Royal Hero as they go on a journey to take over the current king and then rule the kingdom. As the story progresses, the player must make important choices that affect how the people view them and will have future consequences. A morality system classifies most actions as either "good" or "evil." Good actions usually show generosity, kindness, and forgiveness, while evil actions show selfishness, greed, and cruelty. Most moral choices appear through dialogue options, but the player's reputation is also influenced by side quests and how often they commit crimes, such as stealing or killing. Rewards, like special items and gifts, can be earned based on how the people view the player.

Combat happens often. The Royal Hero has three ways to attack: close combat, long-distance attacks, and magic. The player can choose different weapons for each attack style, such as a sword or hammer for close combat, or combine two types of spells for magic. Attacks can be held and charged to release strong strikes, but this makes the player unable to move. Special attacks called critical hits trigger unique animations based on the weapon used and the type of enemy being attacked. As the game continues, the player’s weapons become stronger. The design and shape of weapons also change based on the player’s actions.

The Royal Hero is accompanied by a pet dog that the player can name. The dog travels with the Royal Hero and can be played with, petted, and spoken to. While exploring, the dog helps by pointing out treasure chests or hidden secrets and growls when enemies are nearby. The dog also helps in battles, mainly by attacking fallen enemies, and can learn new skills to improve its abilities.

Instead of a regular pause menu, the game uses a place called the Sanctuary, which is a central area the Royal Hero walks through. In the Sanctuary, the player is safe from battles and can access weapons, costumes, achievements, save files, and system settings. A map is also available, allowing the player to quickly move around the world, check available quests, and manage their properties.

Gold is an important part of the game, especially in the second half when the player must collect about 6.5 million gold before war begins. Money can be earned in many ways. Items and treasures can be sold at shops, and players can make money by buying items when they are cheap and selling them when prices are higher. The player can buy almost any shop or home, which earns money automatically every five minutes if the home is rented to tenants. These properties can be fixed and decorated with items found during the game. The player can also complete mini-games as jobs to earn more money, especially with long winning streaks.

If the player chooses, they can build relationships with other characters. If an NPC is friendly with the Royal Hero, the player can develop a romantic relationship if the NPC’s preferences are compatible. The player can marry, have children, or end relationships through divorce.

Synopsis

Fable III is set on the fictional continent of Albion, 50 years after the events of Fable II. The main character from the previous game, known as the "Hero of Bowerstone," became the ruler of Albion and created a new kingdom with Bowerstone as its capital. As a result, Albion has begun entering an industrial age, where large-scale resource gathering and factories are now common. The game also includes Aurora, a desert region that is struggling to rebuild after a serious disaster.

After the death of their parent, the youngest child of the Hero of Bowerstone, called the Royal Hero, lives in the palace with their older brother, Logan, who is now the king of Albion. While helping with chores, the Royal Hero hears rumors that Logan has become harsh and tyrannical, even executing a citizen for a minor crime. When they see their love interest trying to stop Logan from killing protesters, the Royal Hero must choose between saving the group or their love interest. That night, their mentor, Sir Walter Beck, advises them to escape and plan to overthrow Logan. With the help of their butler, Jasper, the Royal Hero flees the castle.

During their escape, the group discovers a hidden passage that leads to a secret dimension once used by the former king. Jasper stays behind to help from within, while the Royal Hero enters the dimension. There, they meet Theresa, a mysterious prophet, and learn that they are destined to become the new ruler and save Albion from a great danger. With Theresa’s guidance and Walter’s help, the Royal Hero begins gathering allies across Albion, including Sabine, leader of the mountain-dwelling "Dwellers"; Major Swift and Ben Finn, soldiers from the Royal Army; and Page, leader of the "Bowerstone Resistance." However, Logan discovers their plans, captures Major Swift, and executes him for treason.

Branded as traitors, the Royal Hero and their allies are forced into exile. At Walter’s suggestion, they travel to Aurora, where they form an alliance with Kalin, the leader of the desert region. There, they learn about the Crawler, a creature that caused a devastating attack on Aurora and is now threatening Albion. Theresa confirms the danger and explains that Logan is not strong enough to fight the Crawler, so the Royal Hero must take the throne. With Kalin’s support, the group launches a revolution, overthrows Logan, and appoints the Royal Hero as the new ruler. The Royal Hero then faces a choice: execute Logan for his crimes or pardon him for trying to protect Albion from the Crawler.

As ruler, the Royal Hero learns they have one year to raise 6.5 million gold to fund an army to defend Albion against the Crawler. They must make difficult decisions about how to raise the money, balancing the needs of the people, promises to allies, and the use of resources. The Royal Hero can use their own funds to help the kingdom. After a year, they lead the forces they have gathered to fight the Crawler. During the battle, Walter is possessed by the creature, forcing the Royal Hero to kill him to defeat the Crawler. The story ends with the Royal Hero in charge of Albion, dealing with the consequences of their choices and the losses from the battle.

Development

At the start of the Gamescon announcement for Fable III, Peter Molyneux explained that the game would have a different theme than previous Fable games. He believed that creating a third game in a series is difficult because if a game only offers a new story and a few new places, players might lose interest.

In an interview with Official Xbox Magazine, Molyneux said that Fable risked becoming a game with a common structure. In such games, players begin weak and powerless, grow stronger after defeating a villain, and then the game ends. Molyneux questioned why games often end before the most exciting part happens. This idea influenced Fable III, where players can defeat a tyrant and become rulers themselves. He explained that when players become rulers, the choices they make—such as being kind or cruel—no longer affect only themselves but also the entire country.

Molyneux suggested that leaving a player’s castle to investigate crimes or fight wars might have challenges. He asked, “What happens if players spend too much time outside their castle?”

Molyneux said that Fable was inspired by folklore, Fable II by stories like King Arthur and Robin Hood, and Fable III by modern and historical rebels and monarchs.

New features in Fable III include changes to traditional game ideas. For example, a player’s weapon changes based on their actions. If the Hero kills many skeletons, their weapon looks like it is made of bones. If the Hero harms innocent people, their weapon appears to drip with blood. The weapon also becomes stronger as the game progresses. Another new feature is the “Extreme Emote” system. If someone angers the Hero, they might reveal demonic or angelic wings on their back.

Georg Backer, an associate sound producer at Lionhead Studios, said Fable III includes over 47 hours of recorded speech. This is more than the 36 hours in Fable II. Backer noted that the AI characters have the most dialogue. The 47 hours include “gossip lines” where AI characters talk about events in the game. There are about 30 to 40 types of AI characters, each with around 2,000 lines of dialogue. Three writers created the 460,000 words in the game, and over 80 actors voiced them. Some lines were reused from Fable II, so the exact number of original recordings is unknown.

Marketing

Before Gamescom 2009, Lionhead's website showed pictures of famous revolutionaries and quotes, which led to talk about the game they were making next. At the Gamescom press conference, where Peter Molyneux announced Fable III, the room was decorated with medieval shields and banners.

In August 2010, Lionhead said they would create a companion game for Fable III. Peter Molyneux explained it would not be like the downloadable content for Fable II and suggested it would use a mobile phone. The game, called "Kingmaker," was officially revealed on September 28, 2010. It was designed for smartphones and allowed players to mark real-world locations for two groups in the game, the Royals or the Rebels. Players earned power-ups and gold to use in Fable III. The game was available in the United Kingdom and Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Sweden.

Microsoft announced various downloadable content for Fable III, including new dyes, hairstyles, and quests.

The Xbox 360 standard and limited editions of Fable III were released on October 29, 2010, while the PC version came out in May 2011. Preorders of the Xbox 360 versions (both standard and limited editions) in participating stores included codes for a special weapon, tattoos, and a way to transfer a villager created using the Villager Maker into the game.

• Xbox 360: The Standard Edition includes the game disk, a manual, and a plastic case. Peter Molyneux said Fable III would also be released in episodes on Xbox Live Marketplace after the retail version was available. The first episode was free.
• PC: Both a physical copy and a downloadable version (through Games for Windows Live) were available.
• Xbox 360: The Limited Collector's Edition includes the game disk, manual, a new in-game quest, limited edition playing cards, a "Guild Seal Coin" to help players make moral choices, a new dog breed called "Boxer," two new outfits (one for males and one for females), a faux book, a new region with a family, and a new weapon.
• PC: All PC Standard Editions included the contents of the Limited Collector's Edition for free.

Lionhead released a special Fable III wireless controller for Xbox 360 on October 5, 2010. The controller came with a code to unlock a unique tattoo in the game.

A mini-game called Fable: Coin Golf, made by Ideaworks Game Studio with help from Lionhead, was released for Windows Phone 7 on March 30, 2011. Players controlled a hero puck to defeat evil and reach a pillar of light in as few moves as possible. Gold earned on the phone could be used in Fable III on Xbox 360 or PC. Completing each of the three chapters unlocked a unique weapon in Fable III.

Three books—Fable: The Balverine Order, Fable: Edge of the World, and Fable: Blood Ties—were released in North America and Europe in October 2010 and October 2011. Each book included codes for downloadable content. The Balverine Order had a code for a unique weapon called the Shardborne sword, and Blood Ties included a code for an exclusive Dye Pack. Both items were for use in Fable III.

Reception

Fable III received mostly good reviews from critics. IGN gave the Xbox 360 version an 8.5 out of 10, praising the part of the game where players act as a king or queen, the fighting system, and the way the game world was created. However, they noted the game started slowly and had some technical issues. GameSpot gave the game a 7.5 out of 10, saying the world was beautiful and full of humor, but they mentioned problems with technical issues and simple gameplay that made the experience less enjoyable. Official Xbox Magazine said Fable III is most remembered for making players feel emotions, such as guilt if a character is harmed or pride if a pet helps during a fight.

The PC version of Fable III had more varied reviews. IGN gave it a 6 out of 10, calling it "a royal disappointment" due to a poorly designed interface for the PC, an uneven story, slow-paced gameplay, and repetitive tasks. GameSpot gave it a 7 out of 10, noting improved graphics and harder fighting, but they still criticized the simple gameplay that reduced enjoyment.

At the 14th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences nominated Fable III for "Role-Playing/Massively Multiplayer Game of the Year" and "Outstanding Achievement in Original Music Composition."