I Turned a Skeleton Into a Roast Chicken in Fable, and I’d Do It Again | gamescom 2026
We finally played Fable, and there's a surprising amount of depth to be found in its spell-slinging combat. Our hands-on preview:
Yesterday, the author had the opportunity to witness a live demonstration of Fable, a game that primarily focused on the city of Bowerstone, notable characters, and decision-making within missions. While the game featured combat, the author preferred to reserve judgment on it until getting personal hands-on experience. After playing the game, the author was pleasantly surprised, particularly by the harmonious integration of magic spells with the core melee systems.
Of course, the game's charm and significance stemmed from its story, characters, and world, but combat would still play a major role. Fable's game director, Ralph Fulton, emphasized that heroes in the game are superior to ordinary people, possessing exceptional strength, charisma, and abilities. Combat provides a unique platform for players to demonstrate their differences and express their heroism.
Unlike rigid RPGs, Fable allows players to freely experiment with various combat options, including magic abilities, to create their ideal loadout based on their preferred playstyle. During the demo, the author played through a mid-game mission called Mud and Death twice, each time using the same two-handed hammer and ranged bow, but with different spell selections.
The mission consisted of reanimated skeletons attacking the player, who could perform various actions like knocking down their skulls, sending them flying, or performing a unique croquet-style beheading. By combining spells and attacks, players can create synergistic effects, such as lifting multiple enemies into the air, then striking them with a lightning spell to break their brittle bones.
Written by urgent.news from IGN's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
