Fable: The Journey is about "freedom"

Peter Molyneux has reiterated that Fable: The Journey, once suspected of being an on-rails shooter, is actually all about player choice.

"The first word that we wrote on the wall when we were designing this game was 'freedom,'" the famous designer explained to Gamespot.

"The freedom to go wherever you like, the freedom to stop where you like. The freedom to take your horse and carriage across the plains where there are no tracks."

"It's not only the freedom of where you go - it's how you go. You can play the game in the way you want to."

Molyneux said Lionhead felt it was really important that players be able to play the way they liked - sitting, standing or "doing whatever bizarre thing you choose to do while you're playing a computer game".

Players also have a choice bout how to treat their faithful steed.

"The main way you navigate is by using your hands to snap the reins on the back of your horse. This is a very analog control. You can be very gentle with that, you can be aggressive with that.

"Just remember your horse has feelings - if you push your horse to the point of collapse you're going to feel pretty guilty about that."

Molyneux said some characters in The Journey may choose not to join the player on his or her travels if the horse is in poor condition due to overwork. Players will thereby miss out on various special effects these passengers would otherwise have granted; he didn't say whether the reverse is true. Could some insalubrious types will be attracted by an unhappy equine? That's a PETA campaign waiting to happen.

Fable: The Journey will release exclusively for Xbox 360 and Kinect in 2012.