The Wolf Among Us Is Folklore Noir

If you like fairy tales that are black and seedy, nothing else compares to the recasting of the Vertigo comic series Fables. It's an interactive episodic story that retains the intrigue of, but breaks away from zombies, last year's serial interactive game The Walking Dead.

While The Walking Dead is still very much alive with Telltale Games set to release a second season for iOS fans (console gamers are already playing), there is a new sheriff in town thanks to The Wolf Among Us. His name is Bigby Wolf and his town is the Big Apple.

He doesn't police the entire city, mind you. His jurisdiction is largely confined to the back alleys and broken down buildings where fables go about their daily lives. None of them live happily ever after.

The Wolf Among Us from Telltale is all hard boiled. 

No, these are not the fables you are told as children. Any reasonably innocent veneers that might have been sported in their original stories are stripped away. The content is more mature.

The oldest brother from the Three Little Pigs mooches bourbon. The Woodsman who saved Snow White goes on benders. One of the flying monkeys from the Wizard Of Oz would rather slug down wine than get the job done. And your perspective? You play as the infamous Big Bad Wolf.


It's his job to somehow keep the peace as fables, fairy tales, and legends eek out a living in our world. Most of them exist in Fabletown, a sizable chunk of New York City. The fables themselves blend into the backdrop, using an enchantment called Glamour to make those that aren't human look human.

The last thing they want is to draw attention to themselves. They would rather humans (a.k.a. the mundane or mundys) not know that they escaped their home worlds to live here in exile. To help keep such order, Ichabod Crane serves as Deputy Mayor. Snow White is his assistant.

And then there is Bigby. He is a natural fit as sheriff for his preternaturally powerful senses. But there were several trade offs. Not all of the fables and fairy tales trust him.

They don't always believe that Bigby has overcome his dark past — even if they all agreed to start with a clean slate. Why would they? Most of them have already mucked up their reputations, finding it is easier to be bad than good in their new and marginal lives.

The back story comes from the head of Bill Willingham.

The original series source material was published in 2002 and based on a premise crafted by Bill Willingham. His story takes place after most characters from folklore and fairy tales are ousted from their homelands by a conquering force called The Adversary. Without homes, they found refuge in our world and then attempted to blend in.

Willingham originally received his break as a graphic artist and storyteller in the late 1970s. He worked for TSR, Inc. as a staff artist. Later, he gained attention in the comic world with his series Elementals, which was published by Comico.

Another quick graph or two to cover the game play. 

While the game play is very similar to The Walking Dead, there are some differences. The most compelling includes Telltale Games' continued attempt to break away from the linear nature of storytelling games. In this case, not only does what you do make a difference, but also when you do it.

Another significant change is the underlying psychological objective of the game. Whereas The Walking Dead often presented moral challenegs, The Wolf Among Us seems to balance itself between being a loner or part of a social group as Bigby solves a murder mystery.

The Wolf Among Us Transforms 7.8 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

While the first episode might seem short in terms of the game play, Telltale Games does a phenomenal job at moving interactive game stories forward. The illustrative work, story lines, and increasing adaptability to players choices continues to be outstanding.

For portable iOS platforms, The Wolf Among Us is compatible with iPad 2, iPhone 4S, and iOS 6. You can find all of the console and software offerings on Amazon (digital codes). Most players consider it a worthy successor to The Walking Dead. Not everyone appreciates the niche, but there is no question that Telltale has found a future in adapting graphic novels.

Play The Walking Dead In Real Time

There really is a zombie invasion. Independent film, interactive gaming, and literature are all overrun with them. And why not? Zombies are fun. They provide a challenge but are easy enough to beat if you're fast on your feet.

But there is a downside that comes with popularity. Not all zombie offerings are equal. Even people who have a passion for them eventually lose patience if they try to sample everything (much like vampires). I try to be cautious despite being curious, looking for things that pay off like Call Of Duty: Zombies, World War Z, and The Walking Dead. 

It was the tie-in to the series that convinced me to give the latest interactive offering a chance. I'm glad I did. The Walking Dead game for the iPad rocks despite the price point that has some people shaking their heads. 

The Walking Dead from Telltale Games rocks.

Based on the comic book by Robert Kirkman, the Walking Dead game from Telltale is an immersive, choice-based adventure that represents an evolution from its other cinematic story lines. The art is sharper, the interface improved, the pacing more fluid, and the experience feels different.

The choices you make matter. Not all them were inset into the game just to carry the story froward. They change things. If you lie to a character or choose to save one person over another, there are consequences, nuances, and subtle changes forever. Some are more important than others.

Some choices that are more visceral than real make the game surprisingly immersive. But even those that don't change an outcome will change how various characters react to and interact with you later.

The storyline is as rich as the comic or television series. 

The story exists in the same universe as the one many people are familiar with. While this game is based on a different group of survivors, they are geographically close enough to each other to allow for cameo appearances.



The primary perspective is provided by Lee Everett. Everett, a university professor convicted of murder, is being transported out of Atlanta to prison when the epidemic starts. From the backseat of the police car, a few exchanges between the police officer and Everett provide some back story.

It also enables you to set the early tone of the experience. You, as Everett, can be reasonably regretful and cooperative or more callous and disinterested. Depending on how you act will dictate what you learn. And then, bam. 

The police officer is too engaged in chatter to notice the first zombie in the game as it ambles across the highway. The impact causes the car to veer off the road. Everett is left dazed, drifting in and out of consciousness. When he comes to, the world is a very different place. Soon, he meets survivors.

Some are new. Some are old friends. Most notably in Episode 1, Everett meets Hershel Greene and his son before Shawn becomes one of the walking dead. He also runs into the always resourceful and likable Glenn, who is traveling to Atlanta in this timeline. Glenn has yet to meet up with what will become the Rick Grimes group.

The Walking Dead game is more story and less kinetic.

If you are familiar with other games by Telltale, like Back To The Future or Jurassic Park, you'll have some sense of the Quick Time event (QTE) environment. The Walking Dead is better, and delivers what seems to be the right amount of length for each episode. Expect about two hours of playtime each.

The story itself is strong enough for anyone feeling starved for the series between season breaks. It has stood on its own as a digital comic. Anyone who plays, however, will be glad there is more. The sense of controlling some character's destiny is entertaining, even if it is limited.

There are a smattering of forgivable setbacks. For instance, if you see a dead police officer, you really want the ability to search for his side arm. You can't unless it's in the script. Weapons and useful items are relatively constricted.

The next most common critique is how the game is being released. Across all platforms, players are anxiously awaiting installments. Episode 2 was just recently released (but not for the iPhone or iPad). Episode 3 might arrive by mid-August.

More troublesome for many iPad and iPhone owners is pricing. The Walking Dead doesn't distinguish between platforms, charging $4.99 for Episode 1 and $14.99 for the bundled preorder, Episodes 2-5. I don't personally have a problem with it given this isn't a stripped down game, but iOS customers are becoming increasingly frustrated by price creep. This one nearly eliminates portable platform savings.

The Walking Dead Game By Telltale Survives 7.2 On The Liquid Hip Richter Scale. 

The most fascinating aspect of the Walking Dead is it is among early entrants in the evolving cinematic game concept. This kind of gaming — balancing an interactive comic, light action, easy puzzles, and psychological depth — seems like this would be a natural fit for the future. It could be especially be great for games based around James Bond or Star Trek.

For portable iOS, The Walking Dead is only compatible with iPad 2 and up or iPhone 3 and up from iTunes. It is also available for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PC/MAC platforms. The Walking Dead [Online Game Codes] can be found on Amazon. My review is based exclusively on the iPhone and iPad experience where it feels natural despite being the last platform.