After the cancellation of Fable Legends and the subsequent closing of Lionhead Studios, fans of the fantasy series Fable were worried that it spelled the end of the franchise. However, players were relieved when it was announced during the Xbox Games Showcase in July 2020 that a new Fable game was in development. However, there has been barely any news since this announcement, and no release date was given. It's safe to assume that gamers may be waiting a long time to get their hands on the next Fable game, and they may be looking for something similar to play in the meantime.

If that is the case, they should look no further than Albion Online, a medieval fantasy MMORPG that has many of the popular elements of a Fable game while still giving players something different to sink their teeth into. Although the game has an online focus over Fable's single-player story-driven gameplay, there are echoes of Fable's medieval fantasy aesthetic and character-focused gameplay in Albion Online.

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Similarities Between Albion Online and Fable

Albion Online gameplay

There may be more obvious links, like the fact that the world where the Fable games take place is also called Albion, but this is actually a reference to an old name for Great Britain and has connections to Arthurian legend. In other more superficial ways, Albion Online and Fable are fairly similar. Both have RPG elements where there's a focus on upgrading the player's character as they progress throughout the game. Helping NPCs and completing quests in both games helps with this, awarding experience in the Fable games and Fame in Albion Online.

Both the Fable games and Albion Online give players the chance to roam the lush landscapes of their setting, showcasing both of their slightly cartoonish fantasy art styles. Along with similar designs, both Fable and Albion Online feature anatomically improbable character design, with burly physiqued heroes of impossible stature and muscle strength battling it out against mythical foes like Fable's balverines or more human enemies in Albion Online's PVP modes. In addition to the combat, Albion Online and Fable give players the option to pursue more domestic tasks alongside their adventuring, like marrying and purchasing property in Fable to raising crops and building homesteads in Albion Online.

With their medieval fantasy environments that are reminiscent of an old European setting embued with magical features, both Albion Online and Fable feel like games in the same vein. They give players the choice to largely shape their characters as they see fit, either pushing them down more melee-focused paths or trying their hand at a few spells. Although Albion Online offers more customization (as is typical with an MMORPG), Fable features an interesting morality system that allows player choice to affect how their protagonist will turn out.

Why Players Should Give Albion Online A Try

Albion Online

Although Albion Online isn't just Fable with a sandbox MMORPG focus, it does operate in a similar sphere to the popular action RPG. It's also a great game in its own right, and will not only scratch that Fable itch while fans wait for the next installment in the series, but is also an enjoyable online experience for players that love a bit of medieval fantasy in their gaming. Albion Online's classless combat system allows for plenty of flexibility, as the items that players equip define their abilities and their method of play, rather than stats that they assign themselves at the start of the game.

The combat ranges from PVE battles to intense PVP encounters, and players can join guilds in order to face down enemies together or pursue a more solo experience. While Fable is more focused on the journey of a single hero, Albion Online features a range of wide-scale PVP battles and the opportunity for guilds to join up to conquer new territories. Gamers have a large impact on the world of Albion Online, as not only do their allegiances help shape the landscape of the game, but almost every item is player-crafted and feeds into the player-driven economy.

Albion Online is a fun and expansive online game, with a vast open-world to explore. With dungeons to conquer, cities to get to grips with, and mythical monsters lurking in undiscovered lairs, there's more than enough to keep gamers entertained.

Albion Online is available now on Mobile and PC.

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