The Wolf Among Us 2 is one of, if not the most requested game by fans of Telltale Games. Its demise was temporary, and the long-awaited sequel is getting new announcements, from trailers to news about how development is going. The most exciting part of The Wolf Among Us 2 is arguably what its cast of characters will end up looking like. Considering the premise of both the game and its source material, there are hundreds of characters to pick from. Judging from a recent trailer with characters from the Wizard of Oz, the game is open to characters from the comics and Fables who have yet to show up in any meaningful role.
That being said, whether The Wolf Among Us 2 will rely more on pre-established characters or introduce “original” characters like its predecessor remains to be seen. Considering the Scarecrow and Tin Man’s presence, there is no doubt that new characters will be relevant to the plot. However, without sacrificing its interpretation of the Fables universe, The Wolf Among Us 2 should strive to include more major characters from the comics.
The Importance of Familiar Fables
The Wolf Among Us was lauded for being able to properly introducing newcomers to the Fables setting and lore without having them read the source material in advance. From the beginning, it was obvious that the game is about characters from fairy tales, public domain literature, myths, and nursery rhymes living secretly in the slumps of New York City. However, the game does not accurately portray the importance of some characters.
This makes sense, as it is an adaptation that takes place at least 15 years before the events of the Fables comics, so certain roles and dynamics were not set in stone. That being said, it may be jarring for veterans to play the game and notice that Bigby, Snow White, Bufkin, Jack Horner, Beauty, and Beast are the only characters to be just as important in the game as they are in the comics. Flycatcher has only a minor appearance despite his extensive character development in the comics, while Ichabod Crane and Mr. Toad have major roles in the game even though they are background characters in the comics.
Characters like the Woodsman, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, Johann, Nerissa, Bloody Mary, and the Jersey Devil were created specifically for the video game. Out of everyone in the cast, Colin is the outlier, being a minor character in the comics with an important role in an early arc, who is instead a vitriolic friend of Bigby’s in the game. Dorothy Gale, a surprising antagonistic figure in the comics, shows up in the trailer for The Wolf Among Us 2. This offers hopes for fans of characters like Boy Blue, Rose Red, Pinocchio, or Frau Totenkinder, who have huge roles in the comics but are nowhere to be found in the original Wolf Among Us.
As a sequel, The Wolf Among Us 2 should aim to enrich the Fables universe with its worldbuilding and provide interesting interpretations of characters that long-time fans are already familiar with. Considering Bigby’s retooled personality in the game was well-received for not being as openly ruthless as it is in the comics, and for focusing more on Bigby’s dilemma as Fabletown’s unlikely protector, Telltale's writers can certainly give a new perspective on this familiar characters.
The Wolf Among Us 2 is set to launch for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in 2023.