Fable's co-creator has released a new roguelike inspired by the games that influenced Todd Howard's work at Bethesda - and it's free.
Moonring is the latest offering from Dene Carter, who you'll probably know as the co-creator of Xbox's Fable series. The free game is available now via Steam and is a "retro-inspired, open-world, turn-based title RPG" that takes influence from classic RPGs such as the Ultima series. You may also be interested in this one if you're a fan of Bethesda's catalog of games, as Ultima just so happens to be one of Todd Howard's favorite games.
In Carter's (aka Fluttermind's) hand-designed roguelike, players will need to travel, trade, sneak, fight, and sail the world of Caldera - a world that was plunged into endless darkness five hundred years ago. By speaking with the townsfolk, Moonring players will learn the world's secrets and challenge the Gods themselves, which doesn't sound too different from a lot of Bethesda's games.
On the game's Steam page, Carter shares a note with potential players explaining how Moonring is a "love letter to a style of gaming that has largely fallen out of fashion." In the developer note, Carter writes: "The days I spent playing these games were spent in joyful exploration and discovery, venturing into the dark unknown, a co-author of the experience, filling in the gaps left by the primitive art with my imagination."
The note continues: "For those of you who did the same, I hope Moonring recaptures some of the spirit of those days for you. For those who did not, I hope that the more modern conveniences you find in this game allow you to catch a glimpse of what we did 40 years ago."
Clearly, not everyone has forgotten about it though as in a recent interview with BAFTA, Todd Howard - aka the director of Starfield - discussed what games shaped him and his work at Bethesda, revealing: "My favorite game of all time is an old role-playing game, Ultima 7. The Ultima series was something that really inspired the work that we do at Bethesda."
Take a look at our Fable 4 guide to find out where Carter's fantasy series is heading next.
