Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

The Wolf Among Us: Episode 3 A Crooked Mile

Rocky Apr 10, 2014

  1. Ro

    Rocky Guest

    And so we arrive at the hump episode of The Wolf Among Us; the third of five planned instalments in this current story arc which sets itself up as a nail-biting race to catch a killer, but ultimately ends up being a chase of the wild goose variety.

    As we delve further into the mysteries of The Wolf Among Us, it's becoming decidedly harder to review without fear of ruining any surprises, so I'll keep this brief and as spoiler-free as I possibly can. Be warned that the trailer below also contains major spoilers if you aren't up to date with episodes one and two.

    The longer I stay in Fabletown, the more I recognise it for the cesspool of broken lives and broken hearts that it really is. Forget your happily ever afters, this episode starts with a funeral and ends with a bang. In between, the clock is ticking as you're given a 2am deadline and a number of leads to follow up in order to find out where your suspect is likely to be caught.


    It would have given the episode a greater sense of urgency if you could actually see the clock persistently ticking down, rather than feel safe in the knowledge that the whole concept of the deadline is a scripted contrivance. And if you've been paying attention to the Telltale games and episodes that have come before this one, you'll also be aware that no matter what order you choose to proceed in the investigation, the outcomes are likely to be the same, or at least they'll eventually align, no matter what you decide to do first.

    It's worse because my Bigby has been remarkably level-headed throughout all three episodes so far, and yet everyone still treats him like the Incredible Hulk after he's gotten crunk on caffeine. I'm well aware of the Big Bad Wolf's history and why they'd be inclined to stay wary around him, but as far as the game is concerned it doesn't really do much to convince me that my choices are having any kind of meaningful impact.

    That said, this episode was the first where I've really regretted my actions and second-guessed my own motivations. There were a couple of moments where I'd been put under pressure and forced to choose between following orders and doing things a little more diplomatically, only to have my decision thrown back in my face a little later on. That's one thing you have to admire about this series: it relishes in its own viciousness, and often its the words thrown around that hit you harder than the punches. Even your closest allies couldn't rightfully be called your friends.

    Whilst the larger scenes can still be a little hit or miss, the game is strongest in its quieter moments, when it wants you to consider another poor unfortunate's pain before charging ahead and making a situation worse off than it has to be. And, behind the blood and cigarette smoke, there's still time for a few moments of light-hearted humour. One stand-out example is a wonderful little in-joke regarding Telltale's trademark "...will remember that" metadata.

    I'm still enjoying The Wolf Among Us, but the longer I spend with it the less I'm convinced that my presence is truly making a difference. Here's hoping that as things ramp up for the finale, all my huffing and puffing won't have been for naught.

    Source - OXM
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.

Share This Page

Close