Fablefans may be eager to know the highly-anticipatedFablereboot’s release date following its first gameplay trailer revealed at the recent Xbox Showcase, but there’s still a lot of time between now and then. However, there is another game in the works with connections to the originalFablegame that fans may also want to keep tabs on. The upcoming asymmetric co-op gameCriminals Within,currently in development in Unreal Engine 5 at independent studio Space Rock Games, has some interesting ties withFable, plus other classic action RPGs likePath of Exileand more. InCriminals Within, players team up with a friend to play as either Jarel the thief or Helena the royal guard in a quest across a medieval fantasy universe involving dragons, a kidnapped prince, and more.
In a recent interview with Game Rant, Space Rock Games' Managing Director Zsombor Pirok spoke more about how the studio is leveraging its industry experience with theoriginalFablegameandPath of Exile.Pirok also talked about the company’s main inspirations for its upcoming medieval fantasy title.
RELATED:Avowed Beats Fable To The Punch, But That’s A Good Thing
Criminals Within’s Inspirations From Fable To It Takes Two And More
When asked what inspiredCriminals Within, Pirok citedFable: The Lost Chaptersand thetwo-player co-op gameIt Takes Twoas big inspirations, along with other action RPG games likeRemnant: From the Ashes,Sea of Thieves, and even classic DreamWorks movies. As Pirok put it,
Fable’s fantastical universe was always one of our favorites, and its light-hearted humor was something that defined that game.It Takes Twois groundbreaking in its co-op design, and co-op is a huge part ofCriminals Within.Remnantis an awesome combat-focused game where co-op is heavily emphasized, and we really liked how it played.
Additionally, Pirok saidFable: The Lost ChaptersinfluencedCriminals Within’s stylized art style, which they wanted to appear “ageless” compared to photorealistic art styles that often age much quicker. Pirok also cited games likeSea of ThievesandDisney’sHerculesas an influencefor creating this kind of classic art style.
When developing the visual style showcased in the trailer, we explored various influences, both 2D and 3D. On the gaming front, we took inspiration from both the originalFable:The Lost ChaptersandSea of Thieves. Drawing from the world of movies, we examined the art style of Disney’sHerculesand envisioned how it would translate into a 3D environment. The end result is a fusion of these different inspirations.
Criminals Within’s Experience With Games Like Fable And Path Of Exile
In addition to a wealth of developers drawing experience fromstudios like Lionhead, SEGA, Supermassive Games, and more, it’s worth noting that Space Rock Games has industry experience with games likePath of ExileandFableto draw upon forCriminals Within’s development. Pirok explained how valuable the studio’s experience with these games has been, includingFable 1and2,
We are thrilled to have some of the original creators of those games among our ranks. Caroline, our amazing technical artist, had actually worked on bothFable 1and2, while Josh, our technical lead, had been a programmer atPath of Exile. They bring various experiences that are very helpful when it comes to the design of the game, the humor, and the technical delivery of it.
Pirok said such experience “will help us tremendously in creating awesome cutscenes and deliveringCriminals Withinto multiple platforms,” plus added the team includes many other industry veterans “whose experience will add a lot to how the final game will end up playing”.
AlthoughCriminals Withinis Space Rock Games' first game as an independent developer, its wealth of industry experience combined with its utilization of the latestUnreal Engine 5 technologyputs it in a good place for producing something that looks like it could be very special. As fans eagerly await the release ofFable 4or look for other co-op games afterIt Takes Two,Criminals Withinlooks like one to watch, particularly as it plans to release a friend pass system, making its fantasy offering even more inviting.
Criminals Withinis currently in development.
MORE:Xbox Is Quickly Cementing Itself As The Home Of Fantasy RPGs
