The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 - Smoke and Mirrors

With a game like The Walking Dead under their belt, it's no surprise that Telltale Games would rebound with yet another spectacular series. Based off the graphic novel, Fables, The Wolf Among Us follows the ruggedly handsome, chain smoking, sheriff Bigby - also known as, The Big Bad Wolf. His blatant personality is honest, protective and easily likeable, and players will continue to see his character grow in The Wolf Among Us: Episode 2 - Smoke and Mirrors.

Like Telltale's The Walking Dead, The Wolf Among Us is an episodic game, releasing in five installments. The second episode, Smoke and Mirrors, takes off after the first episode's shocking conclusion. Bigby and others of Fabletown have tasked themselves with finding a murderer, one who is taking out Fables in a very violent way.

Smoke and Mirrors introduces players to a few new characters including Bluebeard, Jack Horner, Giorgie Porgie and a handful of others. Many of these characters are suspected of theft, murder and even creating some barely legal magical spells. As Telltale Games does best, players will continue to question their initial thoughts and decisions regarding these crimes.

After starting the series, players likely caught on that The Wolf Among Us is not your typical childhood fairytale. The adult nature discovered in episode one rolls over to Smoke and Mirrors with a little more oomph. A scene where you have the option to torture a Fable suspected of murder, a choice to be a Big Bad Wolf or a softy towards an innocent child and how to break the news of death are all decisions players will encounter in Smoke and Mirrors.

Smoke and Mirrors does an excellent job at developing the series' characters even further, broadening relationships between them and exposing new angles on what players may have initially thought of a particular Fable. An example of such is the relationship between Beauty and the Beast. In completing episode one, players knew something was up between the two as Beauty was clearly keeping secrets from her husband. Episode two confirms players' initial thoughts with an argument exploding between the two and Beauty's secrets coming to the surface.    

Having to quickly decide choice A, B, or C and reacting without a thought to Bigby's violent tendencies makes for a more interesting story, whereas those choices that one can think about too long seem less important in the long run. Those choices that one ponders on seem to be more prevalent in episode two; there seems to be less reacting and more thinking.

All the familiar things that fans love about Telltale Games' work remain in episode two of The Wolf Among Us. Fantastic graphics and a emotional soundtrack move the story along, building to yet another pivotal conclusion. Yet again, players will be shocked, with their initial thoughts about the story and its characters possibly being proven wrong.

With the first two episodes already hits, the next episode is a guaranteed to continue the record, answering our questions and exposing more of the truth. For fans of the Fables graphic novels, or of Telltales previous work, The Wolf Among Us is a must play, and Smoke and Mirrors will confirm you've made a solid choice.

Check out NoobFeed's review of The Wolf Among Us: Episode 1 - Faith

Megan Bethke (@XboxBetty), NoobFeed.