The Wolf Among Us is a story game based on a series of comics called “Fables”–a noir retelling of all your favorite fairy tales.
Great Characters
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Story & Themes
The Wolf Among us is based off a series of comics called "Fables," a retelling—or perhaps a continuation—of many well-known fairy tales. Characters include Snow White, the three pigs, Blue Beard, Bloody Mary, Beauty and the Beast, and many more.
The premise of story is that the Fables have begun to leave their fairy tale homes for the real world, where they hide their true selves with magical glamours. The protagonist, Bigby, is the wolf from Little Red Riding Hood (and other tales featuring wolves) and has turned a new leaf, becoming the Fable's sheriff. Snow White is the assistant mayor, Beauty and the Beast live in a nice suite but are having money troubles, and some fables—like The Little Mermaid—have turned to jobs like sex work to make ends meet.
The story begins with a murder. Bigby and Snow (White) must unravel the mystery of a film noir-esque plot and find the murderer and—as it turns out—uncover a much bigger problem in the Fables' community. Politics, dangerous secrets, and Bigby's past all make the mystery tough to solve. Snow plays the lawful good character, and the voice of reason, to Bigby's gray area morality.
The Wolf Among Us' themes include redemption, what it means to belong somewhere, and the moral and ethical decisions that come with a position of leadership and power.
Save Points
Autosave occurs at intervals.
Difficulty
The Wolf Among Us isn't necessarily mechanically difficult, but it certainly presents ethical and moral challenges.
Heads Up!
Violence The Wolf Among Us, while extremely violent, does not treat violence lightly. Notably, the graphic novel aesthetic gives the game a slightly less realistic depiction of violence, but is still quite explicit. Players must make ethical decisions—when to use violence, when to threaten violence, etc. The use of violence often has negative outcomes. Sexual violence and domestic violence are also prevalent in the game.
Because the game is a mature murder mystery, there are also scenes of gruesome death and autopsy.
Scary Imagery The Wolf Among Us, though not a horror game specifically, is not light fare. Some players may encounter scenes that frighten them or put them at unease.
Sex & Nudity Some characters in a strip club appear topless.
Although sexual content in The Wolf Among Us isn't visually explicit, sexual themes are a common thread uniting the story. Many of the characters are prostitutes and sex workers. Sex—including sexual violence—is dealt with respectfully, though.
Strong Language Strong language is both prevalent and powerful. Gendered and/or racial slurs may be used.
Substance Use Many characters smoke cigarettes or cigars, including the protagonist, Bigby. Alcohol is also prevalent, as many scenes take place in a bar.
Consumerism Because the game is available in "chapters" (short pieces that feel somewhat complete, but end on cliffhangers), there is some amount of ongoing consumerism necessary. Five chapters make a season, and once all chapters have been released the game will be available in full.
Discrimination While not precisely discriminatory, much of the story revolves around the murder and dismemberment of women (specifically sex workers), as well as domestic abuse. Some players may wish to steer clear.
Conversation Starters
- What were some of the toughest decisions you made in the game? What did you choose, and did you have any regrets?
- Often Bigby's presence is stretched too thin—you must choose whether to send him to one place or another, and sometimes that means missing out on an important opportunity or potentially putting a friend in harm's way. What might this type of decision-making have to say about morality?
- Bigby has the potential to deal with things violently or non-violently. Which options did you take? Were there negative consequences to either? Did these actions cause you to think differently about law enforcement in any way?
- What do you think about the way sex workers are portrayed in the game? Might there be any problems with portraying sex workers as silent victims, even though the women are treated mostly with dignity?
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