Game Pass latest AAA freebie is a must-play open-world adventure for Fable gamers

'No Fable, no problem,' is the message Xbox has served this week, as in the midst of one fantastical realm being delayed, another is dropping in as a day-one Game Pass freebie.

You could throw a stone at the Game Pass market right now, and the likelihood is that you would bounce off at least one fantasy franchise.

Even with a Fable-shaped hole and The Witcher gearing up for a sad departure, replacements are coming thick and fast.

Yet few have had us quite as excited as the return of RuneScape.

RuneScape is back with Dragonwilds day-one release on Game Pass

It's a legendary franchise that was the first introduction to fantasy realms for many gamers - just a few years back, the OG 2007 smashed its concurrent player count, showing the strength of a two-decade-old game.

This prompted the spin-off RuneScape: Dragonwilds, which arrived as an open-world survival spin-off, mixing Skyrim-like fantastical elements with Valheim-esque gameplay, and boasting a free Early Access period.

Admittedly, this was worthwhile, as we labelled it 'very good' in an initial review, but there was room for improvement for such a stellar series.

"RuneScape: Dragonwilds is a perfectly fine entry to the survival genre as it has all the hallmarks of what makes these types of games so enjoyable," our review read.

"However, due to its lack of originality and some frustrating features, Dragonwilds struggles to stand amongst the greats and, as a result, could easily be cast aside by fans of the genre."

Yet time has passed, and the full release is upon us, with developers Jagex promising bigger and better things, which can only propel the 7/10 score into the higher ranks.

What is best is that it will land on Xbox Game Pass as a day-one title.

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Confirmed by the developers in a blog post, RuneScape: Dragonwilds' full release will arrive on Xbox Game Pass on September 15th.

It's certainly a new experience for regulars to the RuneScape franchise, though, changing lanes from an MMORPG to an open-world survival title.

"You’re no fabled hero or sacred champion – just an ordinary adventurer," the description reads.

"But keep at it, and one day you might just have what it takes to conquer Queen Kuldra. You’ve got potential, but if you want to go from zero to Dragon-Slaying hero, you’ll need to learn the ways of the wilds. Master crafts, martial, magical, and mundane as you climb from level 1 all the way to 99 and carve your path across Ashenfall."

For Xbox Game Pass users, it might be the perfect pivot after you've poured your heart and soul into the latest AAA title to arrive: A Plague Tale: Legacy.