Xbox finally gave us a look at Fable 4 in action during its Summer Game Fest showcase, but fans were sceptical that what we saw was the real deal. It just looked 'too good', with many believing gameplay portions to be in-engine cinematic footage rather than actual gameplay. According to Playground Games' lead lighting artist Lukas Koelz, that isn't the case - what we saw is what it'll look like on launch.

"People not believing this is 'real' or that the game will look like this is one of the best compliments," Koelz tweeted with four screenshots attached (thanks, GamesRadar).

The four he included can be seen below, one of which features the giant Richard Ayoade chasing our Hero. That means that yes, he does look that good in-game, a far cry from the days of the original Fable trilogy with its comical faces. We also see our Hero wandering about in the woods, talking to a passerby and hurling fireballs at enemies. It's stunning, with a beautiful silhouette of a castle looming on the hills in the sunset, and according to Kuelz, that's what it'll look like when we finally get to play it.

People not believing this is 'real' or that the game will look like this is one of the best compliments. #Fable pic.twitter.com/Id80HfTdXj

— Lukas Koelz (@LukasKoelz) June 14, 2023

Xbox also said before the showcase that there would be no CGI trailers, meaning that everything is in-engine. That backs up what Koelz is saying, so it really does look like this is what Fable 4 will look like when we get to play it.

While fans were quick to praise the visuals to the point of disbelief, a subset were of course upset that the Hero shown was a woman. Many complained that she isn't 'hot' enough, which is unsurprisingly enough of a reason for many to swear off the game. Fable, where you famously have a predetermined character and absolutely no choice. This wave of backlash proved so bad that the Fable trailer saw a huge dislike ratio, with 10,000 downvotes to 8,000 upvotes. If you're one of the detractors saying she isn't hot enough, go outside, touch some grass, and maybe spend less time online. I promise it'll do you a world of good.

We don't know what Fable's customisation will look like, but previous games let you pick the gender of your Hero. You could be a man or a woman, each looking different, with minor cosmetic tweaks available. It could be that Fable 4 has a character creator or a wider variety of faces to choose from - we simply don't know. Of course, that hasn't stopped gamers from jumping to conclusions and believing that they can only play as this woman who they oh-so hate.

Posted: Jun 18, 2023 7:42 pm
Related Forum: Xbox Forum

Source: https://www.thegamer.com/fable-4-summer-game-fest-trailer-lead-graphics-launch/