The Wolf Among Us Episode 3 – A Crooked Mile Review

Oh man, The Wolf Among Us has really hit its stride. Episode 3: A Crooked Mile hit this week and further proves just how good the writers at Telltale have become. The story picks up right where Smoke and Mirrors left off. Icabod Crane has gotten himself in a world of trouble and Bigby, is on the prowl, seriously. At this point, I don’t want to give any spoilers because just like any good whodunnit, any mention of what the players are up to can ruin someone’s experience. So, this review will be mostly detached from the details of what is actually happening in this hugely compelling story.

Coming off a strong climax and shocking revelation at the end of the Episode 2, A Crooked Mile starts off on a somber and slow note. A lot of exposition is used to bring in character details and explain seemingly gaping plot holes. Luckily none of these explanations feel contrived, and without them it would be easy to poke at the story for not making sense. This episode had 90% less Beauty and Beast…which is a great thing. Both of those characters got very annoying in the previous episodes and they are ushered out of the main plot lines within minutes of the episode starting.

As with most of the plot points in the game, nothing is as it seems and it was good to see characters that don’t just buy into the story beats. Bigby and his crew don’t just assume the person they are tracking is to blame for the murders, like in other media. They are justifiably skeptical and since the story twists 1-2 times per episode, the characters with realistic expectations are believable. By the time the Episode ends, the tension and action is ratcheted up so high, seeing it end is incredibly disappointing. I was able to burn through the episode in about 1:45, so if I have a complaint it’s the length. Also, in this series, the time you spend moving Bigby is so minimal its almost better described as an interactive story. The vast majority of the time spent in game is in investigative dialog scenes. That’s not a complaint, just more of a description. Keeping that in mind, and with the quality of the story being so high, I’m extremely temped to recommend this adventure to my none gaming friends and family. This seems like something my mom would really enjoy…if she could handle the 2-3 action sequences per episode.

I also want to note, that the title sequence music is so good, so good. I really need to find it and add it to Zune, because everytime I hear it I get super excited about the whole experience. If you are not playing The Wolf Among Us you just might be a fool. It’s only $25, and right now its $15 on Steam for the next day or so. I’ve said some negative things in past reviews of the first few episodes, but The Wolf Among Us has more than hit its stride now and is shaping up to be as memorable as The Walking Dead Season 1.

Verdict: I will say it again. If you are not playing The Wolf Among Us you just might be a fool.