With only a vague teaser trailer to go on and not much else, fans don't know what Playground Games' Fable reboot will be like. Without a release date or too many concrete updates, the next chapter in the Fable franchise is still pretty much a blank page, although that hasn't stopped fans from speculating. From returning characters to new features, players have been busy imagining what a reboot means for the beloved Xbox series, especially now that it's in the hands of a new developer.
Although Playground Games may be keen to leave a lot of the elements of the older games behind, particularly those that haven't aged that well, fans will be expecting the newest entry to still feel like a Fable game. The setting, timeline, and story might be new, but there are a few characters from the previous Fable games that could seamlessly cross over, like the prophetic Theresa or the memorable pirate-turned-hero-turned-businessman Reaver - even if they do need a few updates and changes.
The Reaver Of Games Past
The hero might have changed in every Fable game, and the world of Albion might have undergone some significant upheavals in the time between each entry, but there were some figures who stayed the same. Each game presented players with a new cast of characters, but the returning faces like Theresa and Reaver helped to link each installment and provide some familiarity in the evolving world the heroes found themselves in. With the help of magic or some dastardly dealings, these characters were able to gain near-immortality, which not only explained their presence in more than one title despite the time jumps but could also be a legitimate reason for their inclusion in the next Fable.
Reaver was definitely a character that stuck out in players' minds with his tragic backstory, amoral personality, and flamboyant persona. First appearing in Fable 2 as the Hero of Skill that gamers needed to recruit in order to complete the Hero Triumvirate, Reaver proved himself to be a tricksy ally from the start. He's undoubtedly an interesting character due to his impressive skill with firearms and connection to the Shadow Court, and he made a colorful addition to the cast.
Reaver's return in Fable 3 helps to define a whole new era for Albion. His steampunk aesthetic and penchant for industry encapsulate the modernity that Fable 3 embraces as it moves further away from the classic fantasy fairy tale setting of its predecessors. The game also reiterates Reaver's casual depravity, hedonistic lifestyle, and thoughtless cruelty as he drives an industrial revolution through exploitation and ambition. Players can't help but like him, however, and given his origin story it's easy to see why he's abandoned hope and instead chosen to dedicate himself to a life of debauchery.
A Reaver Reimagined
Reaver already goes through a pretty profound transformation between Fable 2 and Fable 3, and this helps him fit in with the cultural shifts in Albion over the course of both games and the years in between. Reaver acts as an entertaining anti-hero and a foil for the protagonist, particularly if players are pursuing a more altruistic path. However, if Reaver was to reappear in the upcoming Fable, he'd potentially need a new backstory, but this could be used as a way to introduce new elements and lore.
The Shadow Court might not be a feature of the new Fable, but something similar that allows characters like Reaver to gain everlasting youth through questionable bargains could be a cool element to introduce the game's morality as well as the concept of immortality. It remains to be seen if there will be guns in the next Fable, or if it will keep things simple with traditional fantasy weapons like swords and bows, so Reaver may need a revised skill set to show off his marksman abilities.
Whatever form he could take, Reaver is a compelling character that embodies the darker side of Fable's morality system while still showing that there can be shades of gray and ambiguous aspects to being bad. The ex-pirate industrialist perhaps won't be able to dominate the main town or city the way he did in Fable 3, but he could be a new form of reluctant ally or destructive influence on the player to balance out other characters.
Fable is in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.