Developer: Grenaa Games
Publisher: Dear Villagers, Doyoyo Games
Platform: PC
Tested on: PC
Fabledom – Preview
Every good fairytale starts with a warehouse and a farm. Well, maybe that’s not true, but in Grenaa Games and Dear Villagers’ relaxed city-builder Fabledom that certainly seems to be the case. In this more laid-back approach to the genre, you are a monarch who sets out from your parents’ kingdom to make something of your own. And everything that happens after is up to you, of course. Today we’re going over this rather promising Early Access title.
Fabledom opens with a storybook, as you’d expect from a fairytale. In perfect rhymes, it explains the basic plot of the game. You are a prince or princess who sets out from your parents’ domain to find fortune on your own. Almost empty-handed, it’s completely up to you to turn a barren piece of land into a settlement, gradually building your way until you have a thriving city. Whether you choose to engage with other countries through diplomacy and trading or through brutal warfare is completely up to you. Additionally, there are a bunch of randomized events and decisions you’ll encounter along the way which should make your play-through feel more unique. This, combined with the fact that the map is completely randomized at the start of the game, does keep things fresh.
The visuals of Fabledom are appropriately whimsical, with things always looking more cute than realistic. Since the game isn’t set in reality and there are mythical creatures and magic all over the place, it was to be expected that the developers opted for something other than realistic graphics. The style leans into being cartoonish but in a very satisfying way and there’s still an extraordinary attention to detail. All the buildings have small features that often can be customized or changed as you see fit. So even if you build ten of the exact same homes right next to each other, they will all look just slightly different. Or your farms will actually grow different sorts of vegetables and not all look the exact same.
Similarly, the soundtrack fits the atmosphere perfectly. You really feel like you’re stepping into a fantasy land. Everything sounds adventurous and fun, with upbeat music and rustic sounds that perfectly set the mood. The music evolves with the plot, changing over time as your town grows and turns into a bustling metropolis. There’s some voice acting in the game, not a lot, but what’s there is certainly pleasing to listen to. We can appreciate a good rhyming scheme.
Fabledom is a city-builder that can be described as laid-back but not necessarily simple. The game never gets as complicated as some other titles in the genre, meaning it’s more accessible for casual gamers or people who might not have played a lot of city-builder games before. However, Fabledom does a good job at slowly introducing new gameplay elements and has a slower pace. The downside is that the pacing of the game can be very tedious. Sometimes you’ll just be sitting around waiting for new villagers to arrive or taxes to be paid so you can continue building stuff. Even when speeding up the game, it gets annoying.
Otherwise, Fabledom has the expected functions of most city-builders. You start on a map with rugged terrain and a small cart of supplies. From there, you can start planning out roads, homes, and various buildings such as farms, mills, and much more. You can mine and chop trees for more materials too. The main currency of the game is gold, which you’ll get because your citizens pay you taxes if you keep them happy and fed. As your town grows, more people show up. This is useful, not only because you’ll need to assign these people to the different jobs in your village, but also because the amount of citizens your town has will change the status of your settlement and unlock new buildings for you. Existing buildings can also be upgraded. Don’t go placing stuff at random though, since some buildings only affect others within a certain radius. For example, a well will supply water to buildings only within a specific amount of squares around it.
Later on, you can train an army with its own hero commander and send them out on quests you can find across the lands. You’ll also get in touch with the other factions on the map. It’s up to you whether you want to trade with them, use diplomacy to make friends, or start a war. What’s extra fun though is that a large focus in Fabledom is on finding your own prince or princess in another kingdom to date. You’ll actually have to build up a relationship with another faction through prolonged interactions to see if you can woo a partner to your side. The game is in Early Access and more features are yet to be added. But right now, you can play for a pretty long while before encountering any features that haven’t been put into the game yet. Aside from the normal campaign mode, there’s also a creative mode with no resources or money where you can simply build a settlement as your heart desires it.
Conclusion
Fabledom isn’t finished yet and already promises many good things to come. Its current state feels far from incomplete, though it’s certainly exciting to know more will be added. While the pacing might need some tweaks, it’s perfect for a more relaxed city-builder experience that offers a good mix of creativity and resource management. And hey, who doesn’t like a fairy tale with a happy ever after?
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