The Wolf Among Us

Since as of the time I'm writing this the Playstation Network is still down, I've been playing The Wolf Among Us on an un-networked PS4 instead of the game I was really looking forward to since I made my Christmas list.  If you haven't heard of this game before, it's probably because it's far from your typical video game

The Wolf Among Us is by Telltale Games, a company which is practically synonymous with the genre of game they make.  It describes itself as a "graphic adventure game," but contrary to almost every other use of the word "graphic" to describe video games, what it means is that it's an incredibly immersive story-based role playing game (don't worry, it's also graphic).  There is little of what modern gamers would recognize as gameplay.  You don't run around through an environment of non-stop action and linear story.  Instead, this game focuses on bringing you an in-depth look at a pivotal series of events in the lives of its characters.  Player interaction with the game is almost entirely in the form of choosing how your character responds to others and what he notices in the environment.  By now most of you are probably thinking "that sounds boring," and you'd be right, if not for the phenomenal story the game is based around.

You play as Bigby Wolf (read Big B. Wolf) the Sheriff of a small community of Fables living in New York City.  Fables are characters from myths, legends, and especially fairy tales who live in the real world, but instead of the Disney versions you're probably used to, none of these Fables lived happily ever after.  This dark, half-familiar world is the perfect setting for a game which revolves around story and character: the way you interact with the story elements allows you to either flush out details and become a part of this unique community, or shut yourself out like a cold son of a bitch.

The amount of influence you have over the game is reminiscent of old text-based games or a choose-your-own-adventure novel.  The game allows you to choose how your character acts in the world, whether that's a by-the-books lawman, loose-cannon cop, or dozens of in-betweens, and the NPCs react accordingly.  What you say and what you do affects the development of all the characters, and good or bad, you'll have to live with the consequences for the rest of the game.  Sometimes you'll pick what you think sounds like a reasonable dialogue choice and immediately regret it when another character throws it back in your face, sometimes you'll be surprised how well things worked out for you.  More than anything you'll feel that your choices are an integral part of how the story advances.

The graphics aren't stunning, but they do fit the game by further its graphic novel style.  The same could be said about the controls. For most of the game you can hold the controller with one hand while you snack with the other, although you definitely still have to pay attention as NPCs will just assume you're giving them the silent treatment if you take too long to respond.  Overall I'd say if you're looking for a fast-paced action-packed game then this is definitely not the choice for you.  If you want a unique story with amazing scripting that feels fresh the entire way through (guaranteed no grinding) then you'll probably want to play this a few times over.