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The Wolf Among Us Episode 3: A Crooked Mile Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

The Wolf Among Us Episode 3: A Crooked Mile Review for PlayStation 3 (PS3)

How Will You Solve The Mystery

The Wolf Among Us Episode 3 is out, and once again Telltale changed up the way we play the game. While Episode 1 was about interpersonal relationships, a lot like The Walking Dead was, and Episode 2 was about stretching your morals and seeing how far you would go to solve a case, Episode 3 is all about active detective work. You are given multiple ways to approach solving the case here, and it’s up to you to decide how you go about doing it. Once again, Telltale perfectly shows how your choices matter, except this time it’s not because saying the wrong thing might piss someone off or make a witness clam up; it’s because your choices determine whether or not your prime suspect gets away.

Episode 3 kicks off right where Episode 2 ends… literally. No time has passed since the end of Episode 2 and the beginning of Episode 3 . In fact, if you weren’t expecting this instant transition, you might get a little whiplash. Bigby has just found evidence leading him to the prime suspect in a series of Fabletown murders, and he is pissed, partially because the suspect was right under his nose this whole time, and partially because the suspect has some sort of sick perverted obsession with Snow White. Right off the bat, you are asked how you are going to handle this info by putting you in a situation where you have to tell Snow White that the murderer has been having sex with prostitutes that look like her. Unfortunately, Snow White is speaking at the funeral of one of the victims. Do you crash it? Do you let it proceed?

While this is a pretty tense scene, it does more than just put you in a hard situation. In Episode 3 , Telltale does a lot to make you second guess every choice you make. Later in the game you are given the option of sifting through the victims belongings, after the funeral. Depending on what you did at the funeral, you may feel guilty for disturbing her final rites and may not do it, and so you’d miss any possible evidence. Of course, her loved ones have to be willing to let you do it as well.

The Wolf Among Us Episode 3: A Crooked Mile Screenshot

Perhaps the coolest point of choice in the game comes around the middle of the episode. There, you are given a time-limit before the suspect flees Fabletown. You have three places to investigate, but only have time to hit up two. At the same time, Bluebeard will be “investigating”, and you are a little wary about whether or not he will tamper with a crime scene. So you know that only the first area you visit will be completely untouched, while the second will have to be examined after someone had already been there.

This is a simple choice that has got me to play through the episode dozens of times. There is no “wrong” choice, spoiler spoiler, as you’ll find evidence at each locale. However, the evidence you find, where you find it, and how it leads you to the suspect vary greatly. If there was any Wolf Among Us episode that I would suggest playing multiple times, it would be this one.

The Wolf Among Us Episode 3: A Crooked Mile Screenshot

Episode 3 also does a great job making you doubt everything you know up until this point. When you start the episode, you are almost 100% confident that you know who the murderer is. However, as you get closer and closer to your suspect, you realize that he is a pretty horrible scumbag, but he may not be the murderer after all. Then you have to ask yourself whether or not you are willing to follow the evidence or your gut, and that’s not an easy decision to make as lives are on the line.

Episode 3 introduces some new fables that haven’t shown up in the comics. For example, the Crooked Man shows up, which you can probably surmise from the episode’s subtitle “ A Crooked Mile .” He’s a shadowy figure, and we never see his face, only a hand wave from the window of a limo. The episode also introduces us to Bloody Mary, and it’s perhaps the coolest interpretation of the myth that I could have possibly thought of.

There are a lot of other fables from the comic that show up as well. This episode marks the first appearance of Dr. Swineheart, who heals fables from serious wounds, though to be fair he is a lot less surly in the game than I expected him to be. We also get to see Flycatcher for the first time, whose personality was absolutely spot on. Also, though this is a bit of a throwaway in terms of the larger plot, we get to figure out how Flycatcher ended up as a Janitor at the woodlands.

There is one very peculiar thing about this episode, however. Prior to its release, the splash screen showed Detective Branigan, the police officer that was questioning you at the beginning of Episode 2 , chasing you. However, while I did receive a very small bit of info about the detective, she did not show up even once in the episode. Perhaps the big fable/mundy conflict is being saved for Episode 4 ? If so, hopefully it doesn’t come out of nowhere due to its lack of involvement in Episode 3 .

The Wolf Among Us Episode 3: A Crooked Mile Screenshot

It’s also worth noting the graphics of Episode 3 which felt slightly less on par with the rest of the series. Characters are a bit rough around the edges, and at times I felt like their lips didn’t quite synch up with their speech (though don’t get me wrong, the voice acting is phenomenal as always.) In addition, you mostly visit the same environments that you visited in previous episodes. You’ll hit up the trip trap, the office in the woodlands, the sleezy motel, the Puddin ‘n Pie, and the same alleyway that I swear Bigby has walked down a million times at this point. It makes sense in terms of the story, and it makes the new environments we visit that much cooler, but sometimes the old environments felt like filler, especially the office which always seems to just be a stop gap between more important points in the story.

However, the episode really all comes together in the end. The climax is so incredible it left my mouth open. Here, the tone switches wildly to one of danger and suspense. Fables might die, and the suspect might get away. More questions are brought up than are answered. Also, you know how we kept getting teased that Bigby would sometimes go full werewolf out of sheer rage. Well just you wait, because controlling rage Bigby is probably one of the most thrilling points in the series so far.

The Wolf Among Us Episode 3 is once again another fantastic adventure game from Telltale games. No, there aren’t many puzzles to be solved, so if you are looking for a more traditional adventure experience you should probably look elsewhere. However, if you want perfect narrative, wonderful characters and a plot that will keep you guessing, then this is the game for you. If you have already stuck through The Wolf Among Us Episode 1 and 2 , you should certainly continue with 3 , and if you haven’t played any episodes of The Wolf Among Us yet, seriously consider picking up a season pass just to try this episode out.

RATING OUT OF 5 RATING DESCRIPTION 4.0 Graphics
I don’t know why the characters looked a bit rough this time around, but they still did the job. 4.0 Control
Same old point and click controls, different day. 4.5 Music / Sound FX / Voice Acting
Great voice acting all around, especially considering the large range of emotions the characters are dealing with. 5.0 Play Value
You haven’t played this series yet? What’s the matter with you? 4.6 Overall Rating – Must Buy
Not an average. See Rating legend below for a final score breakdown.

Review Rating Legend
0.1 – 1.9 = Avoid 2.5 – 2.9 = Average 3.5 – 3.9 = Good 4.5 – 4.9 = Must Buy
2.0 – 2.4 = Poor 3.0 – 3.4 = Fair 4.0 – 4.4 = Great 5.0 = The Best

Game Features:

  • Meet new original fables.
  • Play out the episode differently each time.
  • Phenomenal voice acting from the entire Fables crew.

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