The Wolf Among Us: A Crooked Mile
Overview -
After the first two 'The Wolf Among Us' episodes, 'Faith' and 'Smoke and Mirrors,' established the special Telltale version of 'Fabletown' and an entire set of good, bad, and ugly fables, the third episode, 'A Crooked Mile,' arrives with some dire expectations. In contrast with the second episode, the wait between episodes has only been a reasonable two months, but also arrives as some Telltale are expressing a wish for longer episodes. 'A Crooked Mile' has the quite the tall task.
Video Review
While several settings were recycled from the prior episodes, it no longer feels like an issue. The Trip Trap for example was put to excellent use with a very economic amount of new environment added in. Though lacking the dynamite ultimate scene of 'Smoke & Mirrors,' it just seems evident that each area is given more personality. No yards or living rooms to wander around pointlessly in. (There actually is a living room, but it doesn't feel pointless.) Not unlike certain plot points, there are few things visually (areas, characters, etc.) that seem extraneous and inordinate now, but likely will come into play in latter episodes. (Not unlike watching 'The Winter Soldier')
Audio Review
I love the soundtrack as it cooks the mood perfectly. And yet, could we maybe get a new audio track or two? At one point I thought, "Wait, is this music all there is for the next two episodes?" The sense of recycled Telltale voice actors returns but is nowhere near as big an issue as it was in 'Smoke & Mirrors.'
In general, the audio feels less dynamic than it should be. The scene with the answering machine is just one example how overly quiet the sound design is. Presumably, Telltale wants dialogue to always be paramount, but the lack of ambient sound hurts an otherwise strong and stylish audio presentation.
Final Thoughts
Detractors of the second episode are likely to get even more chirpy after playing 'A Crooked Mile,' but I completely welcome the well-focused story, investigative avenues, and the excising of the less compelling, enter a room and click things formula. Bigby and Fabletown have grown into vivid characters worth playing while the series seems to be subtly approaching a critical mass. While it would be luxurious if Telltale would spring for more music tracks and some achievement-worthy objectives, the hope has to be that the final two episodes of the series can maintain the high quality achieved in the second and third episodes.