Where to Start · Fable
Where to Start with Fable
Fable is Lionhead Studios' action RPG franchise set in the whimsical fantasy world of Albion — a land of heroes, monsters, and moral choices that visibly change your character's appearance. Kill innocents and grow horns, save villagers and sprout a halo.
The series was Peter Molyneux's most personal project and carries his characteristic ambition alongside the characteristic gap between promised and delivered features.
What the games actually delivered is still excellent — charming worlds, genuine humour, and a morality system that makes choices feel meaningful even when they are simple. The franchise has three mainline entries from Lionhead and a reboot in development.
If you only play one Fable game
Play Fable (2004) — the original, or Fable Anniversary (2014) which remasters it with updated visuals. It is the best entry in the franchise — the Hero of Oakvale growing from a boy who loses his family to a legendary hero, Albion as a compact but characterful world, and a morality system where being evil is genuinely tempting (the Dark Side pay-off is real). Fable Anniversary is on PC via Steam. The original is on Xbox (backward compatible on Xbox Series).
Fable II — the fan favourite
Fable II (2008, Xbox 360) is the most beloved entry for many fans — a 500-year time jump from the original, Bowerstone as the industrial-era city, co-op multiplayer, and a dog companion whose loyalty reflects your character's morality. The shooting system with the flintlock pistol adds a new dimension to combat. Fable II is Xbox 360 exclusive and backward compatible on Xbox One/Series. It is not on PC or PS3. The ending is the most debated in the franchise — prepare to have opinions.
Fable III
Fable III (2010) continues 50 years after Fable II — you play as the prince or princess of Albion leading a revolution against your brother the tyrant king, then governing the kingdom yourself. The second half of the game — where you must make the governing decisions you promised during the revolution — is the most mechanically interesting idea in the series. The execution is uneven but the concept is ambitious. Available on Xbox 360/PC.
The Fable reboot
A Fable reboot is in development by Playground Games (Forza Horizon) for Xbox Series and PC. As of 2026 no release date has been confirmed and minimal gameplay has been shown. The original Lionhead trilogy is the complete Fable experience as it stands.
What platforms you need
Fable Anniversary — PC/Xbox. Fable II — Xbox 360/Xbox One/Series (backward compatible). Fable III — Xbox 360/PC.
Recommended order
Fable Anniversary → Fable II → Fable III. The story builds across entries — the world of Albion evolves across centuries and returning to Bowerstone in each entry rewards familiarity with what it was before. Play in release order for the full experience.