The Story Timeline Order of Fable Games
Fable is a franchise of role-playing games (RPGs) in which players not only control the game main character, but also their decisions in the game and in the game storyline. These decisions can greatly affect the gameplay and overall outcomes of the story of each game. Fable games are often praised for this branching story effect caused by the different decisions of each player.
What Are Fable Games Like?
In general, Fable video games are third-person RPGs in which the player character accomplishes quests and tasks for different NPCs (non-player characters). Quite often, the player is faced with a moral decision in Fable games, and the player choice will gradually change the Fable main character's alignment, which in turn affects the overall gameplay. Perhaps, this change of alignment is one of the most well-known characteristics of Fable video games.
Fable video games are generally played in third-person camera perspective, in which the player can adventure in different locations, and feature a hack-and-slash combat gameplay, as well as different items and weapons to be collected along each game. Considering the choices made by the player character during each Fable playthrough, as well as the different quests accomplished and items collected, the Fable main character changes throughout the game, reflecting these choices. For this reason, considering that it is possible to play Fable games in different ways, these games are often praised for their replayability, also called replay value, for allowing different choices to be made during each playthrough, effectively changing various outcomes.
Quite notably, the game world of Fable games usually features dynamic weather system, which was not often found in late 2000s and early 2010s RPGs. Considering that Fable games also feature a variety of different NPCs and a game world that adapts to the player character's choices, it is reasonable to describe Fable games as an immersive and atmospheric RPG experience.
Is There an Order to Play the Fable Games?
Fable video games can be played and enjoyed in any order. While Fable games are set in the same universe, and while most of the Fable games are set in the same continuity, quite often these games are set in quite distant time periods. For this reason, in the particular case of the Fable games, it is quite possible to enjoy the story of each game without prior knowledge of other Fable games, even though playing these games in chronological story order is suggested for a more comprehensive story experience.
The Chronological Story Order of Fable Games
This is the chronological story order of the Fable video games. This is not the same as the chronological release order of these games. This is suggested order in which to play these games for the most comprehensive story experience possible, as well as having a better understanding of the backstory of each game along with the loer of the Fable games.
Fable (2004) | Fable: The Lost Chapters | Fable Anniversary
Fable II Pub Games
Fable II
Fable III
Fable: Coin Golf
Fable Heroes
Fable: The Journey
Fable Fortune
Fable: The Lost Chapters is an expanded version of Fable (2004), which while also contains the original content found in Fable (2004), also expands its storyline. While technically these are different versions, they contain the same main story (with the observation that Fable: The Lost Chapters contains additional story), and for this reason, I included them in the same entry in my chronological story order of Fable games. Likewise, Fable Anniversary is a remastered version of Fable: The Lost Chapters, and while it is technically a different version, it contains the same main storyline found in Fable: The Lost Chapters, and for this reason I included it in the same entry as Fable (2004) and Fable: The Lost Chapters in my chronological story order list.
While I did not find specific information regarding the exact time period of Fable II Pub Games, it is important to mention that this game features rewards that are given to the Fable II main game character at a certain point of Fable II. For this reason, it seems reasonable to me to consider Fable II Pub Games to be set a few moments before Fable II, or at least, during the beginning and early moments of the gameplay of Fable II.
Following a logic similar to the one I used regarding Fable II Pub Games, Fable: Coin Golf allows the player to earn rewards for the Fable III main game character. As far as I can tell, rewards of Fable: Coin Golf are not time-locked in Fable III such as in the case of Fable II Pub Games, and for this reason, it seems reasonable to me to consider that Fable: Coin Golf is set during the same time of Fable III, not before.
In the case of Fable Heroes, considering that this game features game characters from different Fable video games, and considering that Fable video games typically are set in very distant time periods (in some cases, separated by centuries), it is reasonable to consider Fable Heroes as being set in a different continuity, not the same as the other Fable games. For this reason, I placed Fable heroes separately from the other Fable games. Considering that playing Fable Heroes unlocks rewards for Fable: The Journey, it is reasonable to consider these two games as being set in the same continuity, and for this reason, I included Fable: The Journey in the same continuity as Fable Heroes.
In the specific case of Fable Fortune, I did not find specific information regarding the exact time period of this game. For this reason, I am not able to accurately place this game in the chronological story order of Fable video games list that I wrote. Thus, I included it separately.
The Story Timeline Order of Fable Games
In order to write a story timeline of Fable video games, I decided to assume the story events of the first Fable game, Fable (2004), and its other versions (Fable: The Lost Chapters and Fable Anniversary) to be set during year 0. After I make this assumption, it is possible to write a timeline for the Fable video games in chronological relation to the first Fable game, Fable (2004).
It is important to mention that these years are fictional years representing the passage of time in the universe of the Fable video games. For this reason, they could be called "years in Fable games", "years in the Fable games timeline" or "years in the Fable games universe".
0 Fable (2004) | Fable: The Lost Chapters | Fable Anniversary
4?? Fable II Pub Games
500 Fable II
550 Fable III
??? Fable Heroes
??? Fable: The Journey
??? Fable Fortune
If you are interested in the story timeline order of RPG video games, you may also be interested in checking out the story timeline orders of Dungeons & Dragons, Final Fantasy, The Elder Scrolls and The Witcher.
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