The Wolf Among Us

Pretty much the quintessential peak Telltale game, right alongside TWD season 1, that's a must play for anyone into narrative driven experiences. A captivating unique setting with a decent story and the charming solid art direction of older Telltale games.

One of telltale's greatest. I used to watch youtubers play this back then, and fell in love with the game immediately. Now after i played it myself, that feeling of awe is still the same as it was. I mean, playing as a badass detective who is also a menacing wolf? if that doesn't scream peak coolness then i don't know what is. Overall i'm happy i get to experience the story, i just hope there's a continuation to this series.

Actually so peak, best game I've ever played, the characters were so well written.

These lips are sealed. but seriously if you look for a detective game with all your childhoods fable characters end up in one city while have fallen from grace and without the money to hide it, well, this is it, there isn't any other game with that formula. If you know telltale games then you are familiar with there interaction gameplay.. if not, think QTE.

---tags---

-great writing
-decent story
-choices, choices, choices
-meh soundtrack
-good performance, only had one bug that had to restart chapter
-replay value, around 10h with 100% achievements

an amazing story with great detail. holds your attention very well and keeps you wanting to learn more about the characters.
10/10, wish i was better at describing how much i love this game

I consider the purpose of a review to inform, which is why I’m deliberately giving The Wolf Among Us a negative one, forever left to bob at the surface of an overwhelmingly positive sea.

Not because the game is bad (it’s not), but because its problems run deep beneath the surface.

Stylistically, The Wolf Among Us is very pleasing, probably Telltale’s best. If you compare it to the graphic novel it’s based on, Fables, the transition of the characters into game form was not only successful but a genuine triumph. Everyone looks better, and everything in this game from the intro music to the atmosphere it evokes is damn near perfect.

Where I would disagree with the general consensus is that this is Telltale's best work. I really don’t think so. The way The Wolf Among Us handles its themes feels very heavy-handed compared to the other games. The narrative has some twists and turns, but it draws to a conclusion so forced by creative constraints that I found it remarkably unsatisfying. Total emotional flatline.

Bigby might be the best protagonist from any Telltale game, and his characterization shows a lot of love. The supporting cast, though, is close to unbearable—there’s no other character I even came close to liking. Imagine Batman without the ensemble cast that is the lifeblood of that character, because that’s how this feels.

Most of what doesn’t work in The Wolf Among Us comes down to the fact that this was made to serve as a backstory to Fables, and… that’s it. To give you a sense of what I mean, the ending screen is an ad directing you to go read Fables if you want to continue.

That itself is almost a false advertisement, aided by a manipulative ending… Because you see, the last scene features major revelation about a character that the player no doubt wants to meet again—a character that functionally doesn’t exist in Fables. It tries to bait you into reading Fables, but the emotional hook it uses doesn’t have anything to do with it—at all. Dishonest? I’d say so.

The worst part is that Telltale set up elements they never planned to deliver on. I’ll give you an example: Bigby x Snow White is a crucial narrative thread, both here and the comics—just so you understand, this isn’t a spoiler of any kind, the romance is telegraphed from the first second. Every interaction between Bigby and Snow has a relationshipy undertone, with them growing closer over the course of events.

At least, until the final act…

The way they set it up, the only necessary way their arc can conclude is with confessions of love and a kiss to seal the deal after saving the day—this isn’t my fanfic fantasy, it’s just the only natural endpoint.

But the happy ending can’t happen. The reason is that the two aren’t together in Fables—not at the start. The simmering tension felt between Bigby and Snow in The Wolf Among Us is the starting point of their relationship in Fables too. In other words, to be comics accurate, the prequel can only end with a hard reset and a return to the status quo. Otherwise, their dynamic in Fables would have to be that of a loving husband and wife instead of the will-they-won’t-they.

It was out of Telltale’s hands.

Or was it?

Almost everyone knows what to expect from their titles. If a player chose to go all-in on the romance and fulfilled the promise they themselves set up, what harm could that do? It just wouldn’t be canon. I reference the romance to avoid spoilers, but this goes for every choice in the game, and far more consequential ones.

Telltale just chose to prioritize the lead-up into Fables over the satisfaction of the players themselves. It’s a crappy way to treat people that may have gotten emotionally invested in the story, and far more likely to disappoint and alienate than it is to hook them into reading the source material.

What I want to make clear is that this is not the same as the eternal my-choices-don’t-matter complaint targeted at other Telltale games. It’s not just that your choices don’t matter. It’s that nothing matters.

It’s not that there’s path A that feels right, and path B that feels wrong because it ends up at A anyway. It’s that the ending here has nothing to do with either path A or path B. The ending is the beginning status quo in Fables. Which negates not only your choices, but the narrative itself.

A prequel should deepen your understanding of the mainline story that follows; this is just vibes.

As for why they did things this way, I’m going to have to assume it has to do with DC and the Fables creator. Maybe they were boxed in. But then, why go for the project at all? The irony is that Willingham, the creator, no longer considers the game canon anyway, and has no involvement with the sequel. In other words, butchering the ending and holding back the story to make it tie in with the graphic novel was all for nothing. Willingham and DC are in dispute as well, so the whole IP and its future is in limbo.

I don’t actually blame Willingham for the way he feels because, in spite of all the praise, this is no good prequel, and I don’t say that as a Fables fan. Going back to the Bigby x Snow thing: if the intention is to set up their relationship for the source material, why would you start game off with them knowing each other, already in love?

THE ENTIRE POINT OF A PREQUEL IS TO SHOW WHY AND HOW THAT HAPPENS.

You would think that explaining how characters met and developed feelings for one another would be exact sort of thing a prequel would do. But Telltale made a prequel that needs its own prequel—assuming it needed any to begin with. This is like starting the Star Wars prequels not to cover the fall of Anakin, but to show him as Darth Vader going on a random mission for the Emperor that has no bearing on the events of the trilogy. What the hell kind of prequel is that?

Because what happens in Fables is directly related to the worldbuilding, Telltale couldn’t do much there either. It’s downright terrible. Sure, I understand that Fables live in modern times, that they disguise themselves as humans using Glamours, and that Mondys (normies) aren’t allowed to see them. But that’s it. That’s all I got out of 10h+ of what was supposed to be a prequel introducing a newcomer to this setting!

Where are the Mondys? We never come across one. Where did the Fables leave their world? Why are they here when many seem so unhappy? Just how far apart is Fable society from human society? Do they have the same values and consume the same news and media, or is it true parallel world with its own everything? All these things that should be covered get zero attention. The world feels empty and small, with no real sense of what drives it.

Even very basic things like what kills Fables is just unknowable. You’ll see characters get axed in the skull but walk away without a care. Other times, a Fable gets a scratch and welp, it’s over. I understand it’s a magical setting, but come on, how about a little consistency? Things can’t just happen just because.

The feeling I get playing this is that Telltale just wanted to adapt Fables. That’s it. But they were told they can’t touch the source material. So the “prequel” they made is just a poorly disguised adaptation that takes everything from it: the murder mystery, the unknown big bad, the will-they-won’t-they romance, etc. What it doesn’t have is a good story or a satisfying conclusion.

The worst thing you can say about this game is that it has no reason to exist. The best is that it’s probably worth your time in spite of that.

This game beautifully mixes fairy-tales with realism. The choices felt like they had serious weight to them. The moment the mystery is solved at the end of the game is so incredible! Highly recommend this! Expect some brief nudity, strong language, and mid-range gore.

The Wolf Among Us is a solid story with some questionable game design choices with it's QTE system, and a surprising amount of game-breaking bugs - but clearly has a good heart, and genuinely made me consider if I was making the right choice.

It's rare that a game's story actually makes me stop and pause, to consider which choice is the right one (though the timer doesn't help with that, and while i understand it's for flow reasons, i don't think it really lands all that well), but thankfully there is a non-obscuring pause button so you can ruminate. Chapter 3's story was the point where I found myself dissatisfied with my own choices, and almost restarted and tried again, but then decided that ultimately, the point is to live with your choices, and the consequences. If i had played again, i would've chosen differently at several points, but that speaks to the strength of the story design - it does feel like my choices mattered, though not as many as I had hoped.

There were a few moments that I felt should have changed more, such as the various points you can give out money. In fact, the inventory system as a whole was almost never utilised well - for example, why did the Ring from chapter 1 not stay in our inventory, since it seemed like the one used in chapter 3? The real one, even? Sometimes I feel as if they didn't have as much time to cook as they should have done. I was also surprised to run into chapter loading errors several times, considering that this game is very light on mechanics, I didn't expect to have any such issues.

Overall, though, in spite of my minor misgivings when it comes down to how certain beats were handled, I feel satisfied with the overall experience. It was a game that made me genuinely stop and think about what I wanted to do at times, and it did seem to sometimes follow through with them mattering. I can see where the flaws in this formula lie, though, and as my friend told me once I'd finished "This is one of the only good telltale games". I can certainly see that. Overall, I'd say it was worth the effort, and I'm glad I took the time to play it all.

it's decent, had to tweak the controls a bit to use a gamepad/controller and not have the buttons all mixed up/swapped around. coming from TWD where controller worked flawlessly it's the only issue i've had so far

EDIT: having now completed the game, I have come across the "trial/sentencing" scene bug. showed the business office with undefined choices for a bit, clicked through those and ended up back at the CM lair/hideout scene. invisible characters etc. exited play and reloaded, ended up at the final section/scene of game as if nothing had happened. pretty major bug, though an exit/save reload for whatever reason resolves it

Wanted to play this game for years, and finally playing it, I'm not disappointed. It's absolutely dripping in its own style, and I am all here for it. 9/10. I'll keep my fingers crossed for the sequel whenever that hopefully drops.

This game is peak. The artstyle is stunning and genuinely beautiful and so unique to this game. The film noir aesthetic is awesome and the dialogue is really well written.

The worldbuilding is really believable. As you play you can really feel the frustration of the characters in this corrupt and hostile world. Characters are all fleshed out and I love how each of their respective fairy tales fit in to the modern setting. I also love the fact that they incorporated a lot of lesser known fables instead of just showing off famous ones. Information of the world is revealed to you in bits and pieces without any exposition which sadly isn't the standard in storytelling.

Can't wait for the sequel that will hopefully come this decade. Telltale better be cooking us something good that lives up to this classic.

!!!!! just finished the second episode and - just... !!!!!!!
the plot is good! and the character designs, the... backgrounds, everything!

Damn good game/story. Choices somewhat matter. Excited for 2 to come out in the near future.

I know that this game is supposed to be a prequel to the DC Vertigo label series "Fables," but... I hope this game and the sequel, THE WOLF AMONG US 2, aren't afraid to go in their own direction moving forward with how Telltale has written these characters.
I genuinely believe that the way the world building is developed and the way these characters are developed is LEAGUES ABOVE the comic books that DC Vertigo has published.

In any case, I highly recommend this game. That's just how good it is. It outshines its own source material.

(For reference, I bought this game 3 times. 1 time for each system I wanted to play the game on.)

This isn’t just a game — it’s a noir fairytale dipped in neon and mystery.

No other title has ever matched the atmosphere of The Wolf Among Us. From the first moments in Fabletown to the last haunting decision, I was completely hooked. The art style, the soundtrack, the voice acting — everything works together to create a world that feels dark, raw, and strangely beautiful.

You play as Bigby Wolf, the sheriff trying to keep order in a world where fairy tales live gritty, desperate lives. The choices are tough, the dialogue is razor sharp, and the story? One of the best I’ve ever experienced in a game. It pulls you in and doesn’t let go.

Telltale made great games — but this? This is their masterpiece.

Lots of fun to explore all the possible routes and options. Going through it again and seeing the different spins if you were at different places at different times, and how that affects the story is great. I just hope when the second game sees the light of day.

This is still my favorite Telltale game of all time. A game way before it's time. If you enjoy story based games and game studio drama then this is for you! RELEASE THE FUCKING SECOND GAME FFS ITS BEEN 12 years. I could die at any time!!! I care more about this than GTA 6 and its jiggle physics. I want it. Telltale come back. We fucking need you, you goddamn POOSIES! Learn how to manage your money. Get a financial advisor. I love you.

I replay this with new friends every few years and it holds up every single time.

Very unique story. It was an enjoyable ride all the way through. Seeing how my actions brought about the best or worst in the other characters was very satisfying. Whatever you end up doing, commit to the bit. Either be the dad of the town or resident jerk. You won't be disappointed.

A great detective and immersive story about fable characters but who live in dark world. Definitely recommended everyone to play.

great game, good art, and an interesting story

While the premise might seem a bit cheesy at first glance, I encourage you to give it a shot if you enjoy narrative adventure games. This is one of Telltale's best titles, and a great entry point into the wider Fables comic series if you're inclined to read them.

No worries if you're not familiar with it, though, Telltale writers are/were more than competent at organically explaining all of the little nuances and lore tidbits necessary to fully understand the full story here. Being familiar with the comics is a bonus, but little more.

The best game Telltale ever made, the story, the characters, the choices, the music, the artstyle, just wow.

10/10, If i could erase all my memories of this game and replay it i would.

A choices-matter-story game that is also basically a tv miniseries that is so, so good. The animation! The art style! The voice-acting! The writing! It's a masterpiece.

when i first got into this and played the first couple chapters i felt like i was just gonna log off soon and never touch the game again since its not normally my style. damn im glad i kept playin tho ts was a 10/10 story based game

this is, in my personal opinion the best telltale game. not many people got the opportunity to play it and we may or may not ever get a sequel. but it is a very fun and original story that adapts fables.

the story is very fun, lots of mystery, detective work, and I feel like the talking/decision making process of the telltale games fits very well with a police narrative.

the biggest thing with this game is it feels original, yes it is adapted on the fables comic series (also recommend) but it is the most unfamiliar story, and for that it just feels great.

I do recommend.

Technical note: if you ever get to a point in the story where all of your dialogue choices say "this option is blank!" go back to the main menu and reload your game.

It has everything I like in a good detective story. A compelling mystery within an interesting world with interesting characters. My favourite part of such games is to piece together not just the mystery, but how the world as a whole is structured. And this game did not disappoint.

The combat is perhaps a bit dated, but this is absolutely Telltale's best work. One that earns its Overwhelmingly Positive reviews.

Jogo magnifico narrativamente, 8,5/10. Embora tenha zerado há alguns meses, só agora eu peguei as conquistas que faltavam e estou fazendo uma review positiva. Eu tenho uma regra pra mim mesmo, só faço uma review, quando zero e pego todas as conquistas. Exceções para jogos ruins e podres.

This is one of the most unique stories i've ever played in a game.
(i know its an adaptation but still.) 10/10

Decent game, at the close of the end I felt bored a little and I don't know why but overall the game is definitely worth playing

This game is horribly self-serious in a humorless way. It fails to successfully reconcile the dissonance between the fairy tale characters and the gritty setting they've been imported into, nor does it address this in any entertaining manner. The ending was very anticlimactic--the game really follows a downward trajectory starting from the first chapter.

Second best Telltale game just behind, Tales from the Borderlands
As long a u get it for under 10 dollars, then its totally worth it

---{ Graphics }---
☐ You forget what reality is
☐ Beautiful
☑ Good
☐ Decent
☐ Bad
☐ Don‘t look too long at it
☐ MS-DOS

---{ Gameplay }---
☐ Very good
☐ Good
☑ It's just gameplay
☐ Mehh
☐ Watch paint dry instead
☐ Just don't

---{ Audio }---
☐ Eargasm
☐ Very good
☐ Good
☑ Not too bad
☐ Bad
☐ I'm now deaf

---{ Audience }---
☐ Kids
☑ Teens
☑ Adults
☐ Grandma

---{ PC Requirements }---
☐ Check if you can run paint
☑ Potato
☐ Decent
☐ Fast
☐ Rich boi
☐ Ask NASA if they have a spare computer

---{ Game Size }---
☐ Floppy Disk
☑ Old Fashioned
☐ Workable
☐ Big
☐ Will eat 15% of your 1TB hard drive
☐ You will want an entire hard drive to hold it
☐ You will need to invest in a black hole to hold all the data

---{ Difficulty }---
☑ Just press 'W'
☐ Easy
☐ Easy to learn / Hard to master
☐ Significant brain usage
☐ Difficult
☐ Dark Souls

---{ Grind }---
☑ Nothing to grind
☐ Only if u care about leaderboards/ranks
☐ Isn't necessary to progress
☐ Average grind level
☐ Too much grind
☐ You'll need a second life for grinding

---{ Story }---
☐ No Story
☐ Some lore
☑ Average
☐ Good
☐ Lovely
☐ It'll replace your life

---{ Game Time }---
☐ Long enough for a cup of coffee
☐ Short
☐ Average
☐ Long
☐ To infinity and beyond

---{ Price }---
☐ It's free!
☐ Worth the price
☑ If it's on sale
☐ If u have some spare money left
☐ Not recommended
☐ You could also just burn your money

---{ Bugs }---
☑ Never heard of
☐ Minor bugs
☐ Can get annoying
☐ ARK: Survival Evolved
☐ The game itself is a big terrarium for bugs

---{ ? / 10 }---
☐ 1
☐ 2
☐ 3
☐ 4
☐ 5
☐ 6
☑ 7
☐ 8
☐ 9
☐ 10

The Wolf Among Us is a masterclass in mystery noir storytelling.
It offers unique dark world with an interesting main character who finds himself in what seems to be a singular case of murder, that throughout the story turns into a deeply intertwined mystery involving a huge number of the town's residents, holding you captive in front of the screen in anticipation of what revalation comes next.
The visual presentation plays its part in the overall experience going for the comics look, which definitely was the right choice.
OST does its part fairly well and has some standout compositions.
In conclusion, the game is a must-have for every fan of the detective genre.

Good art style, good characters, like the detective work, overall a great game and I hope I get to play the sequel. Only problems I had was a game breaking bug and the game crashing. Both happened on the final chapter towards the end and in the same area.

The animation design was great as well as the storyline. Waiting for season 2

This is such an underrated game. If you're a fan of detective stories as well as beautiful art-styles, and choice-based game-play, this is the game for you. I also love that it has such a modern twist to classic fairy-tale characters.

a great game and an interesting story, but one thing i cant get my head around




why would a bunch of characters from European fairy tales be in... America??

TWAU is one of my favorite games of all time, music and story are 10/10. This game got me into comics, it´s just phenomenal and it has passed the test of time. I hope one day we are able to get the sequel.

i love the story, the characters r fun. ngl gameplay is a little wonky. soundtrack is a banger

Bigby Wolf is my favourite character out of all I encountered since I started gaming. Amazing story, fun, good dialogues, good characterization, one of the best endings I ever witnessed.
Highly recommended.
Where is our promised sequel?? We need it! I need more of Bigby Wolf, PLEASE!

This TellTales game is really well done. I loved all of the easter eggs and revisiting what Fables would be like in the modern world. The art work and the voice acting are impeccable. Grab this game. You know you want to!

Wow, I just saw the release date after finishing the game. 12 years ago? This was a masterpiece by then!
One of the best stories in a long time. Meaningful, twists and non-obvious characters.
Sure, the gameplay is limited and it is more a visual novel, but the conversation options felt like real choices. The end leaves things kind of open, though I kind of doubt that after 12 years we`ll see a follow up?

I love most telltale games but was always somehow reluctant to start this one, also because I have a 21:9 screen but luckily now Flawless Widescreen has a patch and I could finally enjoy this master piece.

Amazing story and characters, it's worth playing for sure especially if you like somewhat good old adventure games with a bit of a bite!

The Wolf Among Us was my first introduction to the Telltale universe, and it completely blew me away. From the moment I started playing, I was hooked. where fairy-tale characters live among us in a gritty, noir-inspired setting. The story is gripping, and the characters are wonderfully complex, drawing you in with every twist and turn. The writing is sharp, engaging, and full of surprising emotional depth that kept me invested throughout the entire game.

The art style is another standout feature. It’s visually striking, with a unique comic-book-like aesthetic that perfectly complements the tone of the game. The decision-making aspect is what really sets Telltale games apart, and The Wolf Among Us was no exception. Your choices feel impactful, affecting both the narrative and your relationships with the characters.

After completing The Wolf Among Us, I was so blown away by the experience that I immediately went out and purchased both of the Batman: The Telltale Series Games and The Walking Dead Telltale Game in one purchase. The story-driven, choice-based gameplay has now become one of my favourite ways to experience a game, and Telltale has truly mastered the art of interactive storytelling.

Overall, The Wolf Among Us is a must-play for anyone who loves a compelling narrative, complex characters, and a unique world. It’s a game that stays with you long after you’ve finished it, and it’s made me a huge fan of Telltale’s entire catalog.

Such a nice game. Really joined to play it for few evenings and didn't want to stop but unfortunately it's over. Waiting for The Wolf Among Us 2

Very nice experience, played it co-op, crazy thing but it was cool.

Absolutely worth the money. The art, the plot, the execution--Fantastic. I'd been shown this game by my boyfriend, who had played it years earlier, and all it took was watching some gameplay from the opening scenes to sell me. Bought it the next day off Steam. Apparently, I took me 25 hours to play through it, but I definitely left the game running on the menu screen a couple times, so it may be closer to 20 hours of play. While short, I loved every minute of playing it. With this game's amazingly thought out plot, it makes you want to burn through the game in a couple days, so really, take your time with it. My only wish is that it was longer, or had a part two. I mean, after that last dialogue choice, and that ending--Please? LOL! <3

i was quite skeptical about this game at first due to the old graphic. But turned out to be a mistake of being judgmental. This game is fantastic!! 10/10-overwhelming positive for story telling . Good job telltale. (review for game play 2021)

I am looking forward WAU 2 in epic store. When will steam have it? Hmm..

The game is a masterpiece, they took everything from the walking dead series and polished it to perfection.