The Wolf Among Us

Love this game. It's such a shame more didn't come from this series, because they really could've done a lot with it. Still great over a decade later, in my opinion one of Telltales gems.

The big ((bad)) detective and wolf sheriff Bigby, in his life in Fabletown, where fairy tales and happy endings are more unusual and drastic than expected, tries to solve various incidents for the not so well-being of its citizens. In this journey he will find himself in a plot of intrigue that will bring risks to all the citizens of Fabletown.
Based on the Fable comic book saga, The Wolf Among Us is a narrative story involving choices that can affect the characters' situations. Teltalle is known for involving this practicality of consequences in actions and yet many times you see that no matter how hard you try to make the right choices, the fate of certain characters keeps going in the same direction as it was programmed (technically choices are not so relevant after all...).
With 5 episodes, it's a complementary and well-developed plot that will leave you shaking in your hands over whether you want ((or not)) the good outcome of those around you. Still, as said, certain results permeate into a single direction regardless of choices, making an elementary bubble without a metamorphosis to the outside.

This is more of a confession and cautionary tale than it is a review.

The Wolf Among Us has been sitting unplayed in my library for over 7 years. Why? No idea. I very much enjoyed Telltales' Walking Dead games, but I guess there always was something newer, something flashier waiting in my library when it came to picking the next game.

The Wolf Among Us is neither new nor flashy. Rather, it is a timeless masterpiece.
Excellent storytelling with a gripping plot. Believable characters that you get invested in and care for. A distinct and beautiful art style that holds up very well after all those years and helps transport that noir feel.

If you are deciding whether or not to buy it - by this time you know what to do by the sea of blue thumbs-up.
If the game is already sitting in your massive backlog though - don't be like me. Don't scroll past it for the umpteenth time. Break the cycle. Install it, play it, then come back, leave a review and get someone else to play this gem of a game.

Truly a Telltale masterpiece and hidden gem.
I couldn't stop playing this game since episode 1. The story, gameplay, art style—everything is perfect. I couldn't find a single flaw in this game...
Apparently, there is a flaw... there's no season 2 for this game...
My hopes for a sequel are almost dashed. But this game is a must-try for those of you who enjoy Choice Matters games that are heavy on narrative and character development

Overall: 8/10
Story:
The Wolf Among Us is an episodic narrative-driven interactive adventure game that delivers a captivating story, blending gritty noir with a dark twist on classic fairy tales, and it's genuinely one of Telltale's best titles.
The setting, a hidden corner of New York inhabited by exiled fables, immediately pulls you into its moody, immersive world. As Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown, you navigate a tense murder mystery that unravels at a perfect pace, revealing a larger conspiracy without sacrificing the rich character moments along the way. The reimagining of beloved fairy-tale characters is a highlight, as each one is presented with depth, moral ambiguity, and often tragic histories, making the story feel surprisingly human despite its fantastical backdrop. Characters like Bigby and Snow White are especially compelling, with Bigby’s constant struggle of juggling his desire for redemption while also doing what's necessary as sheriff adding weight to every choice you make.
However, while the story is gripping, it is not without its flaws. The illusion of choice (while effective) can sometimes feel limited. Certain decisions, though presented as significant, don't always impact the narrative in a meaningful way, which can leave you feeling like your agency is more superficial than real. Additionally, the game’s linear progression, while well-paced, might leave some people wanting more control over the direction of the plot. Despite these minor drawbacks, the narrative remains engaging, driven by sharp dialogue and a tension-filled atmosphere that captures the essence of noir storytelling. TWAU offers a richly woven tale that keeps you invested, even if it occasionally falls short in delivering the full weight of player-driven consequences.
Gameplay:
The gameplay here stays true to the tried-and-tested Telltale formula, for better or worse. If you've played any of their other games, you'll recognize the familiar mechanics: quick-time events, dialogue choices, and minimal physical interaction with the environment. This design keeps the focus on narrative and character development rather than complex mechanics, making it more favorable for people who prefer storytelling over action.
However, like many Telltale games, the illusion of choice looms large. While the game gives you the sense that your decisions shape the story, in reality, many key plot points remain unchanged regardless of what you do. Your choices may tweak the details, but they rarely have a significant impact on the overarching narrative. Ultimately, the gameplay serves its purpose as a vessel for an engaging noir mystery, but don’t expect too much depth from the mechanics. It's the narrative, not the gameplay, that takes center stage here.
World:
TWAU's world/level design crafts a visually striking setting through its neo-noir aesthetic, using moody lighting, dark shadows, and vibrant neon highlights to create a very atmospheric version of Fabletown that feels alive. The environments, whether it's the shadowy streets, rundown apartments, or seedy nightclubs, are intimate and richly detailed, perfectly capturing the darker, hidden lives of the fables. This attention to detail immerses you in a world that feels lived-in and dangerous, where every location enhances the noir narrative. However, the level design is highly linear, offering little opportunity for exploration beyond key story moments. While this keeps the focus on the narrative, it limits interaction with the environment, making it feel more like a beautifully crafted stage rather than a fully realized world. In addition, the investigative mechanics are simple, often reducing your engagement with the world to clicking on objects, which can feel restrictive for anyone looking for deeper interactivity. Despite this, the game’s meticulous world-building and art direction should (for the most part) succeed in drawing you into its atmospheric, tension-filled setting, helping make each location a powerful narrative tool in its own right.
Visuals:
Building off the previously mention art direction, it's one of this game's standout features. TWAU's bold, comic-book style, with its thick outlines and rich, neon colors, perfectly captures the menacing noir atmosphere of the Fables universe. This visual style doesn't just look good, it also ensures the game holds up remarkably well, even years after its release. While the technical aspects of the graphics may not push the limits, the distinctive art direction gives this game a timeless quality that many graphically superior games from the same era lack. In this way, the visuals serve as a perfect example of how strong art direction can outweigh purely technical considerations.
Music/Sound Design:
The music and sound design in TWAU also excel at setting the tone for its dark, noir-inspired world, with a synth-heavy score that perfectly complements the vibe of Fabletown that the other game elements build up to. The melancholic main theme and subtle background tracks effectively underscore emotional moments without overpowering the dialogue, creating a strong sense of immersion. The top tier voice acting also adds further weight to the narrative. Although, while the music enhances the mood, it occasionally lacks variety, with some tracks feeling slightly repetitive by the end of the game. Despite this, the overall sound design, including impactful sound effects, contributes to the game's tension and emotional depth, making it a key element of the experience.
TL;DR:
The Wolf Among Us is an episodic narrative-driven interactive adventure game with a captivating story, blending neo-noir with a dark reimagining of classic fairy tales. The narrative shines with its complex characters, especially Bigby Wolf, whose struggle for redemption is intertwined with a tense murder mystery that he has to solve. The plot unfolds at a perfect pace, though the "illusion of choice" can sometimes feel hollow, with many decisions failing to meaningfully impact the larger-scale outcomes. The familiar Telltale gameplay formula of dialogue choices and quick-time events places storytelling at the forefront, but limits mechanical depth, making the gameplay more of a vehicle for the narrative rather than a dynamic experience. Visually, the game excels with its bold, comic-book style and atmospheric world design, capturing the essence of Fabletown. Though linear, the environments are immersive and serve the noir tone well. The synth-heavy soundtrack heightens the mood, though it can become slightly repetitive towards the very end. With all things considered, despite its few drawbacks, The Wolf Among Us remains an engaging, well-crafted experience, with enough tension and style to make me highly recommended it for any fans of narrative-driven games!

Played it for the first time in 2025 and I'm impressed. Surely one of the best story-driven adventure games ever. The story is excellent, top-tier, and the visuals are very good, comic-like art. Considering these two points, this game will never be outdated. There are numerous choices that impact the story a lot, it's not too linear. Gameplay isn't quite as excellent, a bit awkward sometimes in my opinion, but still good enough. I like that there is limited time in dialogues, it creates some tension. But the original game is only in English, which makes it unplayable for those who aren't completely fluent, as the text must be read very quickly.
But the thing that completely got me was a tiny pearl at the end of the story. In the epilogue, there is a mindblowing revelation that changes the story a lot and it's not fully explained, leaving two main possible interpretations. I googled it and found numerous theories, arguments and even debates, but the story keeps both versions possible. So it was intentional to leave the ending unexplained and make players wonder which of the two explanations is correct. I think that’s very cool. 10/10.

insane game, its one of those story games that gets you hooked no matter if its an old one, graphics are clean and easy to run on a low end device which is the reason i played this game , optimization is a 10/10. W telltale