As a possible reboot of its franchise, Fable 4 not only needs to distinguish itself from other fantasy RPGs on the market, but the previous Fable trilogy as well. Playground Games is different from Lionhead Studios and lacks any history with the Fable franchise, so Playground has to think carefully about how it can prove it's a capable developer here. In order to do so, Playground doesn't have to come up with wholly original ideas. Instead, it can examine other hits in the industry and see how it can make their mechanics into something that channels the themes of Fable 4.
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild presents a concept that could be of major value. Fable has close ties with fairy tales, occasionally taking inspiration from classic folklore and literature to inform its side quests and setting. Fable 4 could make real-world stories central as a means of distinguishing itself, but not every fairy tale is easy to integrate into a video game. Breath of the Wild offers an excellent blueprint for fairy tale quests through its Shrine Quests, which often focus on myths and tall tales told by Hyrule's citizens.
Shrine Quests and Folklore
In Breath of the Wild, Link finds a lot of Ancient Shrines standing in the wilderness, but quite a few others are hidden. In order to find them, Link typically hears rumors about them through a Shrine Quest. A lot of the time, Shrine Quests begin when Link hears a riddle, song, or local rumor that tells about the hero's hidden treasures. By reading between the lines, Link can find the clues he needs to solve a puzzle, which causes an Ancient Shrine to appear.
Shrine Quests are a great way to encourage exploration in Breath of the Wild, and the folklore at their center helps build up the complicated web of legends that citizens of Hyrule exchange over generations. With that in mind, the value of Shrine Quests in Fable is clear. If Fable has a similar system to Shrine Quests, the player could hear stories inspired by well-known stories taken from Fable 4's English inspiration, like an Arthurian tale about a legendary sword trapped in a hidden stone or a fairy tale about a beanstalk leading to a castle in the clouds. Stories like these seem like great prompts to search for mini dungeons.
Playing on Fable's RPG Mechanics
Mini dungeons styled after Breath of the Wild's Ancient Shrines could also mimic their series of unique rewards with the help of Fable's RPG design. The Spirit Orbs that Link finds can only increase his Hearts and Stamina, but Fable's fairy tale dungeons could increase any number of stats depending on what system of statistics and skills Playground conjures up. Fable's Shrine imitations could increase magic-centric stats or teach new spells when the player interacts with magical creatures, while offering powerful weapons or raw physical strength increases after the player battles special groups of themed monsters.
Fable 4 needs to draw players in with a compelling world. Its new developers need to make a name for itself, and the franchise as a whole has to reclaim its former importance among fantasy RPGs after an extended absence. In other words, Fable needs good storytelling tools. Out of all the compelling tools that other studios have presented in recent years, Nintendo's Shrine Quests seem ideal for Fable considering the franchise's potential new identity. A series of fairy tale dungeons with thematic rewards could really help Fable 4 present a unique identity to fans.
Fable 4 is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.