The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 – Smoke & Mirrors Review

The Wolf Among Us got off to a strong start with its first episode, Faith, but we then faced a lengthy wait of a few months for the second episode to arrive, even though it picks up in the same long night that the first concluded. Bigby Wolf sits inside a ‘Mundy’ (that’s their term for normal people) police interview room, with the case now being investigated by the regular police as well as these twisted fairytale characters.

Smoke & Mirrors is an apt title for this episode as, despite the premise and plot threads set up in the first episode, everything is not what it seems – there’s fake-outs and faux-reveals aplenty, which seems to be something that Telltale are aiming for with this series.

But they all make sense within the context of magical fairytale creatures, for the most part. If you’re unaware of the game’s premise, it essentially features all of your favourite characters from folklore and fables, with a bleak and dark setting, as they try to survive in a modern noire world, disguised as human beings. Take Bigby Wolf as an example – the protagonist. He’s smart, if at times angry, and can sniff out the greatest criminals despite smoking an overabundance of Huff ‘n’ Puff cigarettes.

As well as the cast from the first game, you’ll meet new characters, such as an angry, Kratos-inspired version of Bluebeard, or George Porgie, owner of the Pudding and Pie strip club and star of a Mundy nursery rhyme. It’s these characters, juxtaposed with the seedy noire setting that really sets the game apart from Telltale’s other work in The Walking Dead, not to mention so many other games.

It makes for quite a sinister tale, which sees Bigby trying to figure out who this serial killer stalking women of Fabletown could be.

Unfortunately, it’s the choices that you make at key moments – or more accurately the lack of them – that really let the episode down. There aren’t really any noticeable choices, while there were just a few in the first episode. Despite being an interactive story, the game persists in forcing you into situations that you might not have chosen to face. For example, when questioning George Porgie, the game cycles you around the room, threatening him, until you finally give up and just break something in the environment.

“George will remember this” pops up in the top left corner and you’re not phased. Of course he’ll remember that, but will it really mean anything other than a few dialogue or mood changes? Granted, it’s only the second episode, but now seems the prime time to go all-out with choice in a style of narrative such as this.

Similarly, the voice acting – another main draw of the game – disappoints. There are some lazy performances that don’t really sell the characters, alongside re-used voice actors from The Walking Dead, which give jarring performances as you listen to a frog speak and think to yourself, “Clementine, is that you in there?”.

Still, the writing is core here and the overarching plot blossoms, despite some odd dialogue to match the mixed voice acting. It sets up some really interesting plot threads throughout, while developing on relationships created in the first. It isn’t quite as impactful as the previous episode, and the world certainly feels less mysterious and less intriguing as a consequence, but it’s another great slice of storytelling.

The presentation is truly The Wolf Among Us’ greatest asset, and it feels even more pronounced in this episode, with noire tones and bold, bright colours marking the dark world of Fabletown. There’s some extreme details in notes on the walls – either bleak or funny – and while the textures are quite blocky, it’s an art style that really works once again. It’s ultimately very stylish, and the music and sounds of the city help to set the tone perfectly.

So, The Wolf Among Us has another strong episode under its belt, though one which doesn’t feature any particular stand-out moments. The lack of choices really lets it down, but the plot might necessitate this at this stage in the season. While the story is great, don’t expect it to blow you away as much as the first episode. Let’s hope the next episodes pay off.

Score: 7/10