Hey, welcome to Polycount! How exactly was the normal map created? Was it baked from geometry, or converted from a bitmap? What software was used to make it? This looks like a tangent-space normal map, not an object-space map, so I would disregard any preview using object space. Looks like you are viewing this inside…
@TheOubliette There are a lot of great ways of doing PBR but Painter and Designer is exceptional and outstanding. Well worth it and cheap monthly payments. https://www.allegorithmic.com/buy/download
Yes, That is how normals/PBR maps work. They don't modify the model at all, they only change how the light is interpreted and "fake" the details onto the model.
Here is my latest personnal game character. Zbrush , substance designer , mari , substance painter. It was very fun . render using PBR in marmoset. www.vickz3D.com
Finally I´m done with this piece. While making it I learned a lot about modelling, baking and PBR. Comments and critics about it are greatly appreciated!:)