The 2004 masterpiece of a fantasy RPG, Fable is arguably Lionhead Studios’ greatest gift to the world of gaming. Fable is one of those games that get you addicted to the vibe and immersed in the world.
This game is famed for its innovative storytelling techniques, nostalgic visuals, and humor-filled moments that warm the heart every time you remember them.
If you miss playing this game and would like a similar experience we present you with a list of games that give you that very same vibe as the original Fable game. Fellow fantasy RPG lovers, These are our top 15 games like Fable.
Fable Game Features
 Release Date: |
14 September 2004 |
 Developer: |
Playground Games |
 Publisher: |
Xbox Game Studios |
 Platforms: |
Xbox, Microsoft Windows, macOS, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S |
 Genre: |
Action role-playing |
 Setting: |
Fanatsy World |
 Game Modes: |
MultiPlayer |
1. Risen (2009)
If you played Fable, then you’re most likely well-aware of Risen. The Risen franchise is almost always compared to the Fable franchise because of their close similarities. Especially, if we’re comparing the first entries in these franchises.
They are both action RPGs and they both put you in a fantasy world where you bring yourself up from lowly beginnings to grand accomplishments.
In fact, these two games are so alike that they only have a few minor differences. Fable, for example, has an aging system that factors into your protagonist’s character development.
Plus, even though you make most of the decisions that matter and affect your character in Risen, you don’t create him yourself.
Combat is also harder in Risen because the game pits you against some difficult enemies right from the beginning and if you don’t learn the ropes quickly, you will struggle. It’s basically an amped-up Fable.
- Release Date: October 2, 2009
- Platforms: PC, Xbox 360
- Developer: Piranha Bytes
- Publisher: Deep Silver
- Genre: Action RPG
2. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)
A couple of years after Fable came out in 2006, Oblivion took over the fantasy RPG world. This game is still, to this day, considered one of the greatest of its genre.
The story of Oblivion takes place six years after the events of its predecessor, Morrowind. It’s not, however, a direct sequel.
An emperor and his sons are assassinated and a fanatic cult is trying to spread open gates to an evil realm called Oblivion throughout the empire. In the midst of it all, you get freed from your prison cell and tasked by the emperor himself to “shut down the gates of Oblivion”.
This game has quite the narrative to it but it does not end there. The province of Cyrodiil is a vast open-world setting full of so many quests to accomplish, locations to discover, and mysteries to uncover.
Oblivion also does not shy from showcasing the signature RPG elements that The Elder Scrolls franchise is famous for.
In short, if you liked Fable, you’re going to love Oblivion.
- Release Date: March 20, 2006
- Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Genre: Action RPG
3. Fallout 3 (2008)
We can’t talk about innovative RPG worlds filled with an array of entertaining content like Fable without having Fallout in the conversation. And chief among the Fallout games for this matter would be Fallout 3.
Fallout 3 has one of the greatest protagonist introductions in history because it puts you in his boots since before he could wear any. You literally experience the most important moments of your playable character’s early life from birth to being a Vault Dweller and then, you get to roam the post-apocalyptic wasteland of Southern California.
Moving onto the wasteland, you will find that Fallout 3 does an exceptional job at delivering a contrast of humor and misery. Throughout the grim world of Fallout 3, you will stumble upon many characters whose misfortune will touch your heart and immerse you into the bleak consequence of nuclear warfare.
But there will always be an occurrence that lightens your mood and reminds you that this remains to be a video game and it will nevertheless be a fun and not-so-humorless experience.
Environmental storytelling, innovative RPG dynamics, and immersion. These are all some of the most important aspects that made Fable awesome. You will find that Fallout 3 has them all and – dare I say – executes them better.
- Release Date: October 28, 2008
- Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Genre: Action RPG
4. Dragon Age: Origins (2009)
If we’re making a list that includes old-school fantasy RPGs that are fun and unforgettable then, Dragon Age: Origins should definitely be in it. The first and most iconic game in the Dragon Age series is not similar to Fable just because of those qualities though.
Fable is famed for delivering very entertaining NPC interactions that decide the outcomes for their quests and sometimes, even have a part in your critical path.
Dragon Age: Origins has great depth in its storytelling and how it factors into how the game plays. A prime example of this is the fact that you can choose from six origin stories, three base classes, and three races to play as. This variety of character background choices not only exists to employ replayability, but to also limit your actions and employ a sense of realism to your story.
Dragon Age: Origins was so special when it came out because it’s one of the first RPGs that not only told a great story, but also allowed you to have a true part in telling that story and gave you some sort of accountability for how you chose your character to be.
- Release Date: November 3, 2009
- Platforms: PC, Xbox 360, PS3
- Developer: BioWare
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Genre: Action RPG
5. Kingdoms of Amalur: Re-Reckoning (2020)
Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is an awesome game that so many people fell in love with when it was released by co-developers 38 Studios and Big Huge Games in 2012.
You can imagine everyone’s excitement when its remaster, Re-Reckoning was released in 2020. THQ Nordic did an astonishing job at upgrading the game’s visuals and performance.
But they didn’t stop at that. They’ve added so many new features including a new storyline, new areas and quests; and even a new and refreshing gameplay mechanic.
However, what makes Re-Reckoning so special is that it has all of those shiny new features and upgrades while still maintaining its 2000s RPG vibe and keeping the core game the same as the original. So regardless of its modern improvements, it will definitely feel as vintage and old-school as Fable.
- Release Date: September 8, 2020 (Re-Reckoning edition)
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
- Developer: Big Huge Games, 38 Studios (Original), Kaiko, Virtuos (Re-Reckoning)
- Publisher: THQ Nordic
- Genre: Action RPG
6. Gothic II (2002)
Simply put, there is no video game franchise that feels as close to Fable as Gothic does. Especially, in the case of Gothic II and the original Fable.
Aside from a couple of different dynamics in terms of combat, everything is comparable between these two games. And needless to say that they are both indeed two fantasy RPGs filled with humor, convincing characters, and a ton of things that immerse you in their worlds. Gothic II even allows you to forge your path completely on your own.
Gothic II’s immersion, however, is its main attraction. The inhabitants of the capital of Khorinis and the characters that live and roam its surroundings are alive and have their own routines in this large, dynamic world.
Plus, gameplay only adds to how much you can get lost in this world. It’s quite fascinating that in order to roam the world efficiently and keep up with your in-game progress in Gothic II, you’ll have to purchase maps and use them to navigate the environments.
- Release Date: November 29, 2002
- Platforms: PC
- Developer: Piranha Bytes
- Publisher: JoWooD Productions, Atari
- Genre: Action RPG
7. Red Dead Redemption 2 (2018)
To many people, Red Dead Redemption 2 wouldn’t be the first to come to mind when they’re thinking about similar games to Fable because of its late 1890s fictionalized wild west setting and its action-adventure roots. But this Rockstar game that charmed the world when it came out in 2018 has more similarities to Fable than most fantasy RPGs out there.
Red Dead Redemption 2’s open-world setting is so vast that the shortest trip between two towns takes at least 5-8 minutes, and this is if you were to have your horse sprint the whole way without stopping for anything. Also, you almost never know what could happen in the wilderness of this world.
One time, a bunch of bandits stopped me in the middle of nowhere and told me to get off my horse and walk the rest of the way out of the forest. My horse immediately defecated itself when they started cocking their guns.
Red Dead Redemption 2 has by far one of the most serious and immersive worlds and narratives out there. Still, its well-written characters and NPCs tend to catch you off-guard with the funniest one-liners that make the menacing Arthur Morgan the most inconceivably charming outlaw.
There is literally a dedicated button for antagonizing NPCs by roasting them.
- Release Date: October 26, 2018
- Platforms: PS4, Xbox One, PC, Stadia
- Developer: Rockstar Games
- Publisher: Rockstar Games
- Genre: Action-Adventure
8. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)
If you became a Fable fan because of its different approaches to combat and its living world where anything could happen, then this is a no-brainer. It goes without saying that Skyrim has been dominating the fantasy RPG genre since Bethesda initially released it back in 2011.
The fact that they’ve also maintained a series of releases in its name on every major new gen platform goes to show that Skyrim’s replayability makes it a once-in-a-lifetime video game.
Although its open-world setting revolves around gloomier narratives and events, you have to admit that playing as a savior-sort of a protagonist who has the ability to pick-pocket, backstab, and launch annoying enemies in the air by shouting at them evokes quite the humor.
Plus, the chosen one is one of the most iconic protagonists in the history of video games simply because you, the player, decide his looks, ways of life, and combat strategies. This is the beauty of an open-world RPG game that lives to its potential. You get to choose your own take on every single side-quest.
- Release Date: November 11, 2011
- Platforms: PC, PS3, Xbox 360, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Developer: Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
- Genre: Action RPG
9. The Outer Worlds (2019)
Fable and The Outer Worlds don’t exactly have similar settings or stories. But since you’re looking for something that could give you the same vibes as Fable, you’ll have to look beyond those.
The Outer Worlds is by far the game with the most convincing humor on our list. This gem of a game takes place in the distant future of the year 2355, in the Halcyon System.
You find yourself in hibernation, aboard a lost colonist ship at the edge of the galaxy. You awake after however many decades in the face of a world that lives and breathes beneath the feet of corporatism, capitalism, and conspiracies.
But don’t let its dystopian setting fool you! The Outer Worlds’s humor lives in the hearts of its characters. The NPCs of this world are always ready to have you giggle in the midst of their conversations. The bits of sarcasm and irony are actually very inspiring because of the circumstances that these characters live in and the way they choose to spread joy as opposed to their oppressors.
Check out The Outer Worlds if you’re looking for a game like Fable. This first-person RPG’s world is full of humor, plotting, refreshing combat, and quite the player-driven narrative.
- Release Date: October 25, 2019
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Developer: Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher: Private Division
- Genre: Action RPG
10. The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt (2015)
CD Project Red’s The Witcher 3 has won more than 250 Game of the Year awards for a reason. Not only did it further elevate the beloved franchise but has also reset the standards for how ambitious fantasy RPG games should be.
If you enjoyed Fable’s diverse decision-based approach to narrative, The Witcher 3 will wow you with how deeply-written and emotional its endings are.
It has 3 main endings to its story and there are up to 36 outcomes that can occur to Geralt of Rivia, Ciri, and the different characters they meet throughout the game. All of this will eventually come to your choices of dialogue and action.
The fantasy open-world setting of The Witcher 3’s is also full of numerous side-quests, treasures, and characters that are rich in storytelling in their own right.
Some are sad, some are scary, and others are hilarious. But one thing they have in common is that they will all factor into making The Witcher 3 a core memory for you.
- Release Date: May 19, 2015
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch
- Developer: CD Projekt Red
- Publisher: CD Projekt
- Genre: Action RPG
11. Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor (2014)
Shadow of Mordor’s Nemesis System is the perfect reminder of the innovational fantasy RPG games that paved the way like Fable. One of Fable’s most attractive features is its action/consequence system that made almost every choice you make in the game matter.
Every time you kill or execute an orc of a high rank in Shadow of Mordor, the orc with the rank just below it picks up his position. Sometimes the orc you killed will be brought back from the dead and he will remember what you’ve done to him.
If you get killed by an orc, he will gain a higher rank. It’s basically a highly-organized hierarchy system that maintains replayability in the game.
The Nemesis System is one of the most attractive features in Shadow of Mordor, but that’s not for its lack of satisfying skill-based combat, variety of world content, and spectacular storytelling.
It has one of the most dramatic stories of the past decade. Your character, Talion’s story is one of loss, retribution, and redemption. Plus, it’s set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-Earth, so who wouldn’t want to experience that?!
- Release Date: September 30, 2014
- Platforms: PC, PS3, PS4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Linux, macOS
- Developer: Monolith Productions
- Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Genre: Action RPG, Open World
12. Mass Effect (2007)
You can’t have a list full of RPGs with player-driven stories, immersive worlds, and convincing characters without mentioning the Mass Effect series, much less the original game in the franchise.
Mass Effect is on top with the greatest sci-fi video games of all time. This game, nay, this franchise wouldn’t have its furiously loyal fanbase without it simply being that epic.
Your protagonist, Commander Shepard – who is fully customizable, dare I say – is the leader of an elite squad on an adventure to save the civilization.
This game is full of interplanetary exploration, character customization, and visually-spectacular locations and missions.
Of course, like Fable, not all decisions matter in Mass Effect. But the beauty of it is that at most times, you won’t be able to tell which from which until you’ve finished the game.
And don’t get me started on the replayability aspect of Mass Effect. You can truly feel like you’re “living” in its immersive world, and impressive storylines that you take part in creating on each play through.
- Release Date: November 20, 2007
- Platforms: Xbox 360, PC, PS3
- Developer: BioWare
- Publisher: Electronic Arts
- Genre: Action RPG, Third-Person Shooter
13. Mount and Blade: Bannerlord (2020)
Bannerlord is TaleWorlds Entertainment’s prequel to Warband, the standalone expansion to 2008’s Mount and Blade. I can promise you that Mount and Blade are highly likely to be the greatest RPG games you’ll ever experience, and chief among them is Bannerlord.
Bannerlord takes place in the fictional continent of Calradia. You can virtually choose every aspect of your character’s background that is crucial to the game from the initial character creation screen.
It doesn’t stop there, though. This one uses the RPG term to the fullest. You have attributes, skills, family, settlements, alliances, enemy factions, and businesses that you are free to handle and tackle however you please.
You can even have your own heirs in Bannerlord. Yes, you get to marry, have children, and even die in Bannerlord. Whether you die of old age or in combat, you get to choose one of your children as your successor, which you will play as.
Among the things that are most attractive in Bannerlord is the amount of freedom it provides. You can really do whatever you want in this game’s world.
You can wander it alone, be a merchant, enlist in noble’s party to fight in their battles, and even compete in tournaments.
If you choose to follow one of the two main paths in the game’s narrative, you will either spark a civil war with the goal to destroy Calradia’s dominant empire, or you will try to prevent that from happening.
Either way, you get to choose to join an already-existing faction, or create an original faction under your leadership. You may even choose not to follow any of the two paths in Bannerlord’s main story.
This is truly a great open-world RPG that gives you the freedom to do whatever you want. Oh! And have I mentioned that its combat mechanic has both a strategy dynamic and real-time third-person/first-person fighting?
- Release Date: March 30, 2020 (Early Access)
- Platforms: PC
- Developer: TaleWorlds Entertainment
- Publisher: TaleWorlds Entertainment
- Genre: Action RPG, Simulation
14. Middle Earth: Shadow of War (2017)
Shadow of War is the direct follow-up to Monolith Productions’ Shadow of Mordor. Needless to say, it’s also the perfect conclusion to Talion and Celebrimbor’s story as they try to restore Middle-Earth from Sauron and his armies.
You get to experience a more advanced Nemesis System that exists so that the open-world Middle-Earth has fully Dynamic regions, enemies, and Overlords.
For those of you who don’t know what an Overlord is in Shadow of War, an Overlord is an Uruk that rules an entire region and shapes it to his liking. They are stationed inside Fortresses, surrounded by their own Warchiefs and armies of orcs to command. All of this plays out thanks to the Nemesis System.
One thing I’ve personally loved about Shadow of War is that you get to control and mount fire-breathing Drakes and gigantic Graugs to help you in combat and siege battles.
One more cool addition in Shadow of Mordor is the ability to recruit orcs into your own army. You didn’t think you were going to have to fight Sauron’s armies with one of your own, did you?
- Release Date: October 10, 2017
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One
- Developer: Monolith Productions
- Publisher: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
- Genre: Action RPG, Open World
15. Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018)
Fable is good not only because of its humor, mechanics, or setting. Fable is the game it is because of its innovation and fluidity. This is why it makes sense to have it in the same conversation as Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an excellent personal iteration of life in the early 15th century Holy Roman Empire. The quality character development that this game offers is phenomenal. This game has one of the best revenge stories I’ve ever witnessed, much less played.
Its beauty also lies in its combat and RPG mechanics. What Kingdom Come: Deliverance lacks in magic, trolls, and dragons makes up for with its impressively-immersive action sequences, captivating world, and instant-classic story.
- Release Date: February 13, 2018
- Platforms: PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch (announced)
- Developer: Warhorse Studios
- Publisher: Deep Silver
- Genre: Action RPG
Conclusion
There you go, people! This is our list for the top 15 games like Fable. They all have aspects that would be familiar to you if you’ve played Fable, but each game is special and earns its place on the top fantasy RPG lists in its own right. The only thing you’ll have to do is enjoy these games and let them immerse you in their worlds.
