Fable Anniversary was, overall, a really enjoyable experience. I never played the original or The Lost Chapters, so I can’t compare it to earlier versions. This was my first time diving into the Fable series.

The game definitely shows its age, especially in the gameplay department. Visually, it looks good when you fight, but actually playing it feels dull and repetitive due to the total lack of depth. The pacing can also be a little slow at times, especially if you try to do most of th things. Side quests aren’t the worst, but they’re often not that amazing either and quite repetitive and unoriginal (save this or that person *x, escort this guy*y, go help kill those things*z etc.). The UI is really bad too and really slow, I wish then had done a better job at making it more modern in the Anniversary Edition.

Anyways for the good now : the art direction. It has a classic heroic fantasy vibe, with a whimsical, enchanted jelly on top (Well, except when you stumble into a cave and find literal human corpses hanging in blood-filled sacks. But you get the idea).

The music is excellent, with the classic Oakvale theme standing out as my favorite. What an amazing intro song. Several other tracks are also well worth a listen. The writing is however where the game really shone for me. While the main story is decent, if a bit underwhelming due to a forgettable antagonist and it's overall predictability, it’s the smaller details that carry the experience. NPC interactions, dialogues, and gravestone epitaphs of course are all witty and fun. The lore of Albion and the worldbuilding, delivered through books, cinematics, gravestones (lots of epitaphs in this game) and conversations, is also really well done and makes the world feel rich, lived-in and well crafted. It's classic but it worked for me.

One of the most impressive aspects to me was the morphing system. I loved seeing the character evolve, whether it be becoming obese after eating too much, vomiting after drinking too much, aging, physical changes tied to your stats, or even cosmetic customizations like hairstyles, beards and tattoos. You can flirt, marry, or buy and rent houses. NPCs follow daily routines, with shops opening late, guards handling lampposts, and traders traveling between towns. They also react differently depending on your scariness or alignment. These little details truly made Albion feel alive, and I doubt it had ever been done to such an extent when the game came out.

I can clearly see how Fable influenced other games. The pub games and pugilism, for instance, reminded me of similar minigames in The Witcher series, though admittedly better executed there (well, maybe not in Witcher 1, but the dice game was great and definitely better than any pub game in Fable). I know that’s a superficial comparison, but it struck me somehow.

There are also oddities that add character, like oversized treasure chests placed in the most random spots or the demon doors with their cryptic riddles. I loved the demon doors.

I wasn’t a fan of the final stretch of the main story, which I found tedious and repetitive, but it didn’t ruin the overall experience. The environments were great.

I can absolutely see why this game is such a “Madeleine de Proust” for many, and why it remains an unforgettable memory for those who played it in their formative years. It's pretty, has great music, offers loads of customization, hides little secrets that need solving, and gives the illusion of choice. Being good or evil doesn’t really matter, though, as it will only change a few dialogues here and there and the way people react to you. The game is quite manichean and strongly pushes you to play good. Evil is just... well... evil, with no subtlety whatsoever.

In the end, Fable Anniversary left me with a genuinely positive impression and I recommend it. Definitely not at full price tho. Wait for a good sale if it appeals to you or get it in a bundle if you can. Some say TLC (the original version with the added content that is still sold on steam) is great to play too and much cheaper but as I said I can't comment on wheter anniversary is better or not. No bugs in anniversary as far as I am aware and the game looked nice is all I can say!

A game of my younger years, unbeatable and literally timeless A REAL Masterpiece. Game play holds up as effortlessly as it plays on deck.

8/10