PERHAPS Neil Jordan would approve of this fairy-tale adventure game for grown-ups – and not for children – given its dark themes derived from something as simple as the fairy tales most of us know well.
Taking the premise that all of the characters in these tales are real, but have learned how to hide their magical natures from slow-witted Mundies (“mundanes”, or humans), and live in disharmony in a New York community, The Wolf Among Us (IOS, €4.49 per episode in a five-part series, for Ages 17+) is like a cross between CSI and Mother Hubbard Tales.
Bigby Wolf (pictured), once feared as the proverbial big, bad wolf, is now the generally disliked sheriff of Fabletown, where he keeps the magical residents safe, and out of danger from the surrounding Mundies of New York.
However, Bigby has his work cut out for him when violence breaks out, turning the game into a noir tale, with shady figures, femme fatales, and duplicitous characters, all presented in Telltales Inc’s gorgeous cel-shaded style.
Wolf… provides a quirky story for older gamers who’re looking for something different. While a happy-ever-after ending is unlikely for Bigby and co, it’s a well-made tale that’s worth following.
