It is hard not to get a little nostalgic when you think about Telltale Games’ portfolio. Its mix of brilliant choice-based narratives and rich, exploration-focused worlds is something very few developers have recaptured in the eight years since its initial closure. While games like Dispatch have come close to scratching that itch, nothing has managed to recapture the same sense of magic that I felt when playing Strong Bad’s Cool Game For Attractive People, Batman: The Telltale Series, and others. Now though, one of the studio’s best games is back, just in time for the sequel.
The Wolf Among Us Remastered resurrects arguably Telltale’s best game to date 13 years after its initial release. It keeps the original game intact while adding several visual improvements and performance adjustments to better suit it for modern platforms. Additionally, it adds new playable deleted scenes and behind-the-scenes videos to incentivize longtime fans to return to the game once more. All things considered, this should be a perfect remaster, especially considering that The Wolf Among Us 2 is set to release in 2027. The Wolf Among Us Remastered is a brilliant re-release, even if there is a part of me that wishes it added more new features.
Returning to Fabletown
For those unfamiliar with The Wolf Among Us, it focuses on Bigby, the sheriff of a fictional town in New York City known as Fabletown. Fabletown is home to all of history’s most iconic fables, from Snow White to The Little Mermaid. Bigby himself is the same “Big Bad Wolf” that blew down the houses of three little pigs, as well as the one who attempted to attack Red Riding Hood. As such, many are distrustful of his intentions and treat him as a pariah despite his position as sheriff.
However, that all comes to a head when Bigby discovers the decapitated head of a young prostitute named Faith on his doorstep. As more mysteries and dead bodies surface, he must work with Assistant Deputy Mayor Snow White to uncover the sinister plot at the heart of Fabletown. Along the way, the two will come face to face with assassins, witches, and even crime lords, all while they slowly unravel their own role in the corruption that has been allowed to fester in their home.
Even after 13 years, The Wolf Among Us‘ narrative still holds up beautifully. While DC initially created The Fables comic that the game is based on in 2002, the way Telltale blends noir storytelling with incredibly well-realized characters managed to keep me engaged from beginning to end. A lot of that comes down to the visual style. Unlike most other Telltale games, The Wolf Among Us has a cel-shaded art style that really makes it feel like a comic book brought to life. Even if this port changed nothing about the visuals, it still would have looked as new as it did back in 2013.
Beyond the visual aspects of the presentation, there is also the sound. The soundtrack by Jared Emerson-Johnson serves as the perfect backing to the dark and gritty atmosphere of Fabletown. Furthermore, every member of the game’s cast goes above and beyond in bringing their respective characters to life. In particular, I loved Erin Yvette’s performance as the stressed yet caring Snow White, as well as Molly Benson, who captures the haunted and courageous layers of Nerissa very well. Of course, Adam Harrington’s Bigby is the star of the show. He balances the character’s rage and calm perfectly, and still manages to stand out as one of the best characters in the genre after all these years.
As for the narrative itself, it still stands out as a fantastic noir-esque detective thriller. Even as someone returning to the game with full memory of all of its twists and turns, I still found myself captivated at every turn. The pacing of each episode flows seamlessly, whether you are playing them as individual chapters or as one continuous experience. Plus, the themes of corruption being formed by those in a position of power ignoring the suffering of others are incredibly poignant even now. This, in combination with the lengthy cast of characters, makes every moment of the story satisfying, right down to its very last moments.
All in all, The Wolf Among Us is a phenomenal game that has barely aged a day. Everything, whether its the narrative or presentation, is near-perfect in its execution. In fact, it is hard to think of any issues at all that hinder the overall experience. So, how does the remaster keep that experience intact? To put it simply, The Wolf Among Us Remastered is a by-the-books remaster, for better and for worse.
As Impressive as It Is, Slightly Underwhelming
The Wolf Among Us Remastered does exactly what it is supposed to as a remaster, almost to a fault. A majority of the changes revolve around visual adjustments. Now, the lighting is far better, as is the overall resolution. In addition, the frame rate is far more consistent compared to its original release on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC. As a whole, the game looks more gorgeous than ever. That said, if you are unfamiliar with the original game, you may not really notice a difference between the old and new visuals.
I went back to play the original game after playing the Remastered version, just to see how it compared to the re-release. While the frame rate does look a lot better, the resolution adjustments are far more subtle than most will notice. As for the lighting, while it does heighten the look of some scenes, it actually detracts from the tone of others. Take the first introduction to Bigby, for instance. In the original, his face is cast partly in shadow, which visually illuminates his duality between his good intentions and darker side. In the remaster, his entire body is cast in a bright light. Sure, it may look nicer on paper, but it comes at the expense of the atmosphere that defined the original’s identity.
Where the new version does excel visually is in how it handles the character models. The details of certain characters are far more prevalent compared to its predecessor. The cel-shaded detailing, for example, gives Snow White’s hair more dimension thanks to the new blue tints. The character expressions are also touched up with a lot more detail, giving Fabletown’s residents a little bit more visual personality. Above all, the textures look phenomenal.
In the aforementioned opening sequence, for instance, the original version of Faith looks just fine. In the new version, you can almost see each individual strand of her hair, alongside more detail on her skin and the wounds she has suffered. Above all, it helps to make the game feel as good as new, and while the subtle touch-ups may be disappointing in some areas, they excel in others. Of course, visual touch-ups are not the only new features included in the Remastered version. There are also plenty of new options and never-before-seen content.
The first major new addition is “Noir Mode.” The mode serves as a filter that turns the entire visual style to black-and-white, much like the classic detective films that initially inspired the game. I only used it a few times, mainly because of my preference for the original neon style, but the increased lighting goes a long way in making Noir Mode look just as good as the default. There are some great scenes that particularly shine with the mode turned on, such as the opening of Episode 4 where Nerissa meets Bigby in his office.
There is also some great behind-the-scenes content included. You can see concept art for each of the game’s characters, as well as the development process for all of it. They are interesting to look at, which can also be said for the new featurettes filmed by some of the game’s cast and developers. Easily my favorite of the new additions are the deleted scenes. These are playable sequences that provide a look at alternate versions of some of the game’s most beloved set pieces. While the lack of animation in some scenes may be jarring, it is cool to see how sequences like the ending and opening almost turned out completely different.
While these inclusions are appreciated, I could not help but want more as the credits rolled. With how long it has been since the last time we saw these characters, I would have loved to see another teaser for The Wolf Among Us 2 as a bonus. This is especially considering that you can still buy and play The Wolf Among Us today on most modern platforms like the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC. However, the fairly low price point means that new and old players alike will more than get their money’s worth from this remaster. Plus, thanks to this re-release, save data can be more easily transferred to the sequel when it eventually launches.
All things considered, The Wolf Among Us Remastered succeeds in its goal. It provides new players easier access to one of the best games of the 2010s, while giving old fans a way to re-experience it. Even if I wish there was more to it, I would be lying if I said I was not satisfied with this reimagining of one of Telltale Games’ best creations to date.
A Faithful and Exciting Return
When The Wolf Among Us Remastered was first announced, I was a little disappointed. It has now been 13 years since the game first released, and considering how long fans have had to wait for the sequel, to only get a remaster after all this time initially felt like a slap in the face. Even as the new features were announced and comparison videos released, I found myself unsure of whether this would be a worthwhile purchase. However, upon playing The Wolf Among Us Remastered for myself, I realized that none of my concerns mattered.
The goal of this re-release is not to remake the original, but rather to give newcomers and veterans a new way to experience it. Those who have never played The Wolf Among Us will find a brilliant story and gorgeous visuals within the remaster. On the other hand, players who have put dozens of hours into the 2013 classic will find enjoyment from the Noir Mode and numerous behind-the-scenes features, even if they do not click with the visual enhancements.
As for me, the best thing I can say about The Wolf Among Us Remastered is that it made me fall in love with the game all over again. The characters and story moved me just as much as they did when I first played it, while the art style and presentation had me glued to the screen from start to finish. Above all, it made me more excited than ever for The Wolf Among Us 2. So, while the anticipation for the long-awaited next installment might be unbearable now, The Wolf Among Us Remastered is a great reminder of why it deserves a sequel in the first place.
Disclaimer: Telltale Games provided a PlayStation 5 copy of The Wolf Among Us Remastered for review purposes.
