Fable 4, the next title in the long-running fantasy RPG series, is currently in development at Playground Games. The England-based studio was first rumored to be working on a new Fable title back in 2018, after hiring developers for a triple-A open world RPG. While many initially dismissed these rumors, as Playground Games has previously only worked on the Forza Horizon racing series, they were confirmed 2020.
With only a single teaser trailer from the Xbox Games Showcase to go off, information is limited on the new Fable title so far. However, one feature that it should definitely inherit from Fable 3 is the dynamic magic system.
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How Magic Works in Fable 3
Magic, or Will as it's known in the Fable universe, has been a part of the series since the original Fable game. However, Fable 3 expanded the game's magical system with the introduction of Spell Gauntlets. Spell Gauntlets are enchanted items that can channel the natural Will energy of their user into magical effects. They are wielded a little like weapons, but with much more bombastic effects. There are six different kinds of Spell Gauntlet in Fable 3, each with an aimed and an area-of-effect attack, both of which can be charged up for greater damage.
- Blades: Summons mystical blades to impale foes.
- Ice Storm: Summons frozen shards that rain from above.
- Fireball: Summons a explosive ball of flames.
- Shock: Summons arcs of lightning to strike enemies.
- Vortex: Summons a windstorm that can pick enemies up.
- Force Push: Summons a burst of force that can throw enemies back.
Where the Fable 3 magic system gets really interesting however, is with the introduction of Spell Weaving. If a player with the Spell Weaving ability equips two different Gauntlets, they can combine the two elemental effects into a new and more powerful spell. For example, combining the Shock and Ice Storm Gauntlets allows players to summon a tempest that stuns enemies with lightning even as it shreds them with frozen shards. This adds a huge amount of creativity to the magic system, letting players mix and match powers until they find a perfect combo.
How Fable 4 Could Improve Spell Gauntlets
The reason that the Spell Gauntlets make the Fable 3 magic system so good is the potential for new an interesting combinations. Therefore, if Playground Games' new Fable wanted to expand the system, the easiest way would simply be to add more Gauntlets. Each new addition would add fresh combos for players to experiment with, driving the versatility of the magic system even further.
Another way to expand the Spell Weaving system would be through full-scale spell crafting. Many games praised for their magic systems have played with this concept, allowing players to fulfil the fantasy of the inventing wizard, mixing and matching spells and effects until they have an entirely personal arsenal. Spell Weaving is a solid framework for a versatile magic system, and it would be great if Playground Games improved the system for the new Fable.
Fable 4 is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.