Lionhead Studios' latest project has been revealed. Microsoft has announced Fable Heroes, a new hack-and-slash downloadable game due out on Xbox Live. Fable Heroes is the next chapter in Lionhead's journey.

　　Fable Heroes supports four players through competitive and cooperative modes playable locally or across Xbox Live. Players will fight familiar foes of Albion together, while competing with friends to collect the most gold coins along the way.

　　These coins can be used by players to unlock upgrades like finishing moves, flourishes, and power-ups, along with characters and items for Fable Heroes, as well as the upcoming Kinect-exclusive Fable: The Journey.

　　Microsoft also noted the game's replayability factor. The company said as players work through Fable Heroes they will unlock increasingly difficult levels and minigames. Players can also choose a difficultly level from the onset and post high scores to online leaderboards.

　　Fable Heroes will be presented in a stylized, cel-shaded manner. This represents a departure from the presentation style of the most recent entry in the franchise, Fable 3.

　　No release date or price was mentioned for Fable Heroes, and as of press time, Microsoft had not responded to GameSpot's request for comment.

　　For more on Fable Heroes, check out GameSpot's just-published hands-on preview.