Title: The Wolf Among Us
Developer: Telltale Games
Publisher: Telltale Games
Released: October 11, 2013
Platforms Available: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3, Xbox One, PC Game, Mac Game, Android, IOS
Platform Reviewed: PlayStation 4, PlayStation 3
Article Reading Time: 6 minutes
Introducing the Fables
Telltale Games hit the nail on the head more than a decade ago and filled a gaping hole in the market with their hugely successful Walking Dead based on a legendary TV Series. It’s no wonder they didn’t want to just let go of the golden vein they found, even two years later, and therefore served us practically the same thing, only in a different setting. Which is definitely not a complaint. On the contrary, great storytelling is not to be so despised.
From Zombies to Fables is Fresh
Wolf Among Us is thus once again an interactive film/game that relies more on the fluidity and intensity of the story, which you can partially influence with your decisions, than on puzzle solving or quick reactions. On the one hand, we have minimalistic gameplay that makes almost no demands on you, and on the other hand, a breathtaking scenario that is practically unrivaled in computer games. Similarly, the distribution method has remained the same, where the entire story has been divided into five separate episodes, released one month apart. With this format, the game is more akin to a classic TV series, and we can only give our final verdict now that we have the whole series together (almost 10 years after its release).
A Dark, Twisted Tale
Telltale has picked up another comic, this time it’s Bill Willingham’s Fables, about the troubles of fairy tale characters in the real world among us, where they have been forced to flee from the evil plaguing their home world. The humanoid ones live an almost everyday life in disguise in their neighborhood in New York City, while the others (dragons, giants, talking animals, etc.) are down on their luck and unfortunately relocated to a farm far away from civilization. The main character is Bigby, a reformed werewolf who represents the law in Fabletown. He is a classic noir detective with a cigarette perpetually in his mouth who doesn’t go far for a fist bump.
A Detective Mysterious Story Unfolds
As it happens, during the initial investigation of an “ordinary” murder, a lot of dirt comes to the surface that shakes up the entire community. The story is undoubtedly brilliant and sophisticated, but paradoxically, it is the one I have the biggest reservations about. Because you need to know your way around the world of Fables to understand where your head stands. Navigating the complex social relationships takes work, and while the game offers a clear encyclopedia of all the characters, I highly recommend getting at least a few volumes of the comic. Splitting it into episodes didn’t help much either, especially when the gap between episodes was nearly three months at one point. While that may not bother new players at this point, getting to grips with the fake disguises, betrayals, lies, and completely unknown fairy tale characters is a little tricky even now.
Visual and Audio Excellence
Where Wolf Among Us excels, however, is in its production style. Whereas with The Walking Dead, the graphics tended to mask technical obsolescence and had nothing to do with the original comic, this time around, every fan’s heart will cry out for joy. Right from the opening credits, the visuals maintain a clear atmospheric line, and the pastel colors combined with bold contours create a unique look. The soundtrack, of course, stays caught up, and I have to single out the traditionally great dubbing – what would a film be without proper actors. Wolf Among Us is definitely a good piece of work, but in competition with most Walking Dead seasons, it loses out, in my opinion.
Comparisons and Contrasts
This is probably because the adventures among the reanimated dead are much more straightforward more suspenseful, and one finds it much easier to navigate the characters introduced. Fabletown, on the other hand, is such an alien and different setting that it simply needs to stand out in the minimal space the writers had available, and the whole season feels more like a pilot. Which, given the quality of the game, wouldn’t be a bad thing at all. However, I don’t want to give away more about the story and the game as, as I said, the story plays the most crucial role here, and you have to experience and feel this aspect of the game for yourself. To me, the only thing left to do is to highly recommend it if you like the comics mentioned above or at least Noir detective stories.
Conclusion: A Must-Play for Noir and Comic Fans
For me personally, The Wolf Among Us earns a warm recommendation and the satisfaction of not having wasted my weekend on a subpar game. It’s a game that I can confidently say is worth your time and attention.
Where to Buy The Wolf Among Us
- Steam (PC, Mac): Available for $14.99, currently on sale for $7.49. You can purchase it directly from Steam
- Epic Games Store (PC): Priced at $14.99. Find it on the Epic Games Store
- GOG (PC, Mac): Available for $14.99, currently on sale for $7.49. Purchase it from GOG
- PlayStation Store (PS4): The game is priced at $14.99. Check it out on the PlayStation Store
- Xbox Store (Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S): Available for $14.99, currently on sale for $5.99. You can buy it from the Xbox Store
- Or get for your Wolf Among us for your Android or IOS device