how not to sell a game to me

[meganbmoore]

So, I'm sitting here catching up on my Captain America comics, and I turn to a 2 page spread advertising Fable II.  Normally I'd just skip past it, but there was what appeared to be a pouty nobleman with a vampire lurking behind him, and I was curious.

So, I know nothing about Fable, really.  Either one.  But this ad  features what looks to be a bar full of men from all walks of life.  And no women.  Not even a barmaid.  There could be a plot reason for this.  A good one.  I don't know.  But from the image and description, it seems to be a normal medievaloid fantasy adventure.  Mind you, 27-year-old women aren't exactly the target audience for Captain America in the first place, but my reaction to what appears to be a large, exclusively male, ensemble, is "no thanks," even if a few of them a quite good looking.  Hi there, Mr. Strategically Posed Swordsman and Mr. Hooded Man.

See, if I see one or two men and no one else, or vague background characters, my mind will go "ok, main characters."  If I see a full room, I'm going to take that room as representative of the entire world in the game.  (And yes, even a buxom barmaid in the corner would influence that impression.)

I suppose it's the flipside of things titled Male's Daughter and Male's Wife. (If the title of the work is defining the female by her relation to a male, there better be a pretty good reason.)

Comments

[kakkobean.livejournal.com]

Havoc lied to you. My roommate has been playing the game as a woman the entire time--complete with images of her in a bra and underwear for when you're putting clothes on her.

[havocthecat]

I was told that Fable has no female option. I hadn't heard anything about Fable II. (Also, please don't tell me my husband lied to me. It's neither true, nor amusing.)

[kakkobean.livejournal.com]

Oh, sorry, I thought you were referring to a game advisory >.>

Yes, Fable II has a female option. The first game doesn't.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

Do we see the men in their underwear, too? Otherwise, the slowly rising opinion just dropped.

[kakkobean.livejournal.com]

I would guess so--in the manner of a Ken doll kind of dress-up *nods*