Telltale Games is no longer making adventure titles. There is no sequence of puzzles hidden around a sprawling environment for you to explore. The inventory tends to stay hidden off to the side. A forgotten relic of the past is rarely brought back into relevance. For a studio founded on honoring a once-dead genre, Telltale is severing ties with its heritage. As it turns out, stripping away genre conventions has made Telltale the most relevant storyteller in the industry right now.
“The Wolf Among Us” follows in the footsteps of Telltale’s 2012 breakout success, “The Walking Dead.” Based on Bill Willingham’s beloved “Fables” comic franchise, you control the sheriff of Fabletown, Bigby Wolf. “Fables”’ premise revolves around fairy tale characters living in modern day New York City, trying to remain hidden from humanity.
As my favorite comic series, I can still recall the day Telltale acquired the “Fables” license while hundreds of teachers flocked to protest Gov. Scott Walker at the Capitol. In the midst of a political snow day, my mind ran wild with possibilities. Over three years ago now, “The Wolf Among Us” represents the epitome of everything I hoped for on that chilly morning.
From the opening shots, it’s pretty clear Telltale’s tact for capturing a specific tone has improved even from “The Walking Dead.” Neon lights flood the streets. Brightened, purple text contrasts the blackness of New York City. It’s one of the better approaches to noir I’ve seen, complemented by Wolf’s role as the rough sheriff dealing with internal issues. “Fables” doesn’t shy away from depression, hopelessness and gore. Justice is served with an axe to the head, something Fables can typically walk away from with their life intact.
The comic book aesthetics still make Telltale games look like the most faithful transition of comic to game out there. I appreciate the faithfulness, but there’s still something about the stiffened qualities of textures and movements that make it feel inauthentic. It’s a small slight against the overall art direction though, because the neon-soaked user interface perfectly captures the old-fashioned regal art style of Willingham’s creation.
Action sequences are a bit more prominent this time around. Wolf’s a violent man, and you’ll find yourself up against a number of scummy types walking around Fabletown. Button prompts appear onscreen, requiring rapid inputs in order to avoid replaying it. The forgiving checkpoints during these times make failure a fairly low stakes affair.
Blood-addled escapades might provide a jolt of adrenaline, but the true stars of “The Wolf Among Us” are still the characters and world exploration. Choice and Consequence is plastered on the front of Telltale’s products now. It’s an overt nod to industry buzzwords everyone likes to bandy about but few actually implement well. Telltale knows it’s one of the few that can get away with such a blatant marketing strategy because its products back it up.
Clear A/B storyline choices are still irksome in their obviousness, but “The Wolf Among Us” makes it clear that there will be obvious repercussions from these choices. However, there are some subtle elements—such as the inability to pay for something after innocently forking over your money earlier—that keep the tale grounded in some semblance of reality.
As a sheriff investigating the murder of a Fable, Wolf’’s story immediately works as a slower-paced detective tale. Casually strolling around crime scenes to ensure you’ve discovered every hidden shred of evidence before announcing your suspicions is so satisfying. Few games do detective stories well, so the balancing act of contemplation versus intimidation always makes you ponder how best to approach the scenario.
Seeing my favorite characters come to life onscreen is an utter joy. Spilling neon noir into this disastrous world of ruffians makes the entire experience much more engaging. Episodic releases are sometimes a gambling act, but this first episode delivered even more than I thought “The Walking Dead” did. Telltale honed its skills at crafting thoughtful, interactive dramas last year and “The Wolf Among Us” is a perfect launching pad for another tragic arc.
Rating: B+
