Throwback Thursday - The Wolf Among Us

Welcome to another Throwback Thursday, our weekly look into my Top 100 games and general nostalgia.  While my blog is rated E for everyone's safe and enjoyable viewing, I should mention this week's throwback is rated M for Mature.  Parental discretion is advised for playing this game.

Speaking of which, in the magic mirror this week: The mature fairy tale graphic adventure that is The Wolf Among Us.

This episodic series first released worldwide on October 11th, 2013 as part of five episodes for its first season, the second season still pending to resolve its cliff hanger of a finale.  Based off Bill Willingham's Fables comic book series, players take control of the sheriff / detective Bigby Wolf (aka the Big Bad Wolf) who investigates the murders and crimes of Fabletown, a community of "Fables" set in New York.  These Fables are able to blend in and live normal lives through the use of a magical substance called "glamour".  However, the plot thickens after the murder of a fellow Fable, and the seeds of corruption are revealed to be spread much deeper in this fantastical and twisted town.

For those unfamiliar with recent Telltale Game series, they have developed their own unique take and style on the point-and-click genre.  These games offer light puzzles and exploration contained to small sets and locations, similar to that of most point-and-click games.  However, the Telltale touch adds a greater focus on choice and story development.  Characters will react and remember your choices in conversations.  Quick timed events will determine different outcomes in bouts and chases.  Even cooler, a certain amount of mistakes are allowed and flow naturally in the cinematography of these action-packed scenes, adding a realistic sense of struggle and/or triumph.  The story will branch out in various directions, all of which is dependent on your choices and interactions.

This unique design for interactive storytelling is a perfect fit for this particular series being an investigative noir drama.  From searching for clues and interrogating witnesses / suspects, the gameplay never feels out of place from the storytelling.  Coupled with the graphic and sharp art direction this game displays, The Wolf Among Us is a game brimming with an air of mystery and intrigue.  One can only hope that Season 2 will come someday soon to see how these choices carry over and continue this fantastical world.

Fun Fact: In the first episode of The Wolf Among Us, the music played in the Trip Trap bar is a rendition of the Office theme from the Sam & Max series, another game series also developed by Telltale Games.