Buried like a long-lost treasure within the latest Xbox Podcast episode was a tantalizing update on Playground Games' eagerly awaited Fable. We call it "treasure" because it offered a rare peek at gameplay, yet "cursed" due to the announcement of a delay. Originally slated for this year, Fable's release has now been pushed to 2026.

Delays, while frustrating, often signal a commitment to delivering a more polished and detailed product. For Fable, this extra time could be what's needed to craft a truly immersive world. But rather than dwell on the wait, now's the perfect time to dive into the Fable series, particularly Fable 2, the pinnacle of the franchise. Released in 2008 by Lionhead Studios, this game offers a unique and quirky RPG experience that stands the test of time.

Fable 2 is the RPG for people who have never played RPGs before. When Oblivion's vast Cyrodiil might have overwhelmed newcomers with its open-world freedom, Fable 2's Albion presents a more digestible series of small, easy-to-navigate maps. With your loyal dog by your side, you can explore beyond the main paths to uncover secrets like hidden treasures, submerged caves, and intriguing Demon Doors. This design gives Albion a sense of grand adventure within a manageable space. Though less expansive than the worlds of BioWare's Infinity Engine games or Bethesda's Morrowind, Albion's focus is on a vibrant, bustling society.

The town of Bowerstone is brimming with authentic, simulated life. | Image credit: Lionhead Studios / Xbox Albion functions like a living, breathing organism. Each day, its citizens rise with the sun, embarking on their routines while town criers announce shop openings and the late hours. Similar to The Sims, every NPC in Albion has a personal life shaped by their roles and preferences. Through a variety of gestures, you can interact with them—delighting, insulting, impressing, or even seducing them. A well-timed fart can send pub patrons into fits of laughter, while mocking children might send them running to their parents. These interactions make Albion's world feel truly alive and responsive.

As a Hero, your adventures involve battling bandits and seeking treasures, but Fable 2 truly shines when you immerse yourself in its society. You can buy almost any building, work various jobs, and even become a landlord or homeowner. With the right gestures, you can woo NPCs, leading to humorous romantic encounters and eventually, starting a family. These elements, while seemingly artificial, create a genuine sense of life.

A well-executed fart may have the patrons of a pub howling into their beers. Few RPGs have replicated Fable's unique approach to societal simulation. Even games like Baldur's Gate 3 lack the organic romances and property management that Fable offers. However, Red Dead Redemption 2 echoes some of Albion's lively interactions, where NPCs react realistically to your actions. If Playground Games aims to stay true to Fable's roots, they should look to Rockstar's living world as a modern benchmark rather than the current trend of tabletop-inspired RPGs.

Playground will need to preserve other essential elements as well. Fable's quintessentially British humor, with its witty satire and cheeky jokes, must remain intact. The game should feature a cast of beloved actors, as seen with Richard Ayoade and Matt King in trailers. Most crucially, Lionhead's distinctive approach to morality, focusing on clear-cut choices between good and evil, must be upheld.

Fable 2's combat may be simple, but its enemy designs are stunning reinterpretations of fantasy classics. | Image credit: Lionhead Studios / Xbox Peter Molyneux, the founder of Lionhead and lead designer of the Fable series, has always been fascinated by the dichotomy of good and evil. This theme was central to Lionhead's first game, Black & White, and has persisted throughout Molyneux's career. In Fable 2, the moral choices are starkly binary, often humorous in their extremes. Early quests might see you choosing between clearing pests or destroying a trader's stock, while later ones could involve tormenting an ex-lover or marrying them.

Recent RPG trends have leaned towards nuanced moral choices, but Fable thrives on its black-and-white morality. The first game introduced physical changes like devil horns for evil choices, but Fable 2 expanded on this with richer, more creative quest branching. This binary approach allows for a more impactful experience, where your choices genuinely shape your character and the world around you.

With a year until Fable's release, now is the perfect time to revisit or discover Fable 2. Its charm and uniqueness will remind you why it's so beloved and why Playground must preserve its quirks. We don't need Fable to become another Witcher or Dragon Age clone; we need it to stay true to itself, farts and all.