14 DAY TRIAL // 
After The Walking Dead season 1 adventure game, developer Telltale experienced a new wave of popularity amongst gamers, and it put that to good use by releasing a brand new series called The Wolf Among Us.
The new saga is based on the Fables comic book series and it has already piqued the interest of quite a lot of gamers with the really impressive first episode called Faith.
Now, Episode 2: Smoke and Mirrors has been released, and it goes deeper into the Fables universe while continuing the adventure begun with the first chapter.
Does Smoke and Mirrors manage to keep the action going or is it all just a cheap trick? Let's find out.
In case you forgot after playing the first episode, The Wolf Among Us follows the adventures of various characters from different fables and stories, including the Big Bad Wolf, Snow White, or Beauty and the Beast.
After establishing the main characters and the core premise of the universe, the new episode now continues the actual plot, in which Bigby Wolf, the sheriff of Fabletown, is investigating two horrifying murders.
Depending on the choices made by players in the first game, there are different suspects to question and Bigby will meet other famous Fables, including Jack, from Jack and the Beanstalk, or Bluebeard, both of them playing much bigger roles in the comic book series.
The investigation also takes Bigby to more seedy establishments in Fabletown, including an underground club called Pudding & Pie, filled with all sorts of Fables who haven't exactly had much success in the real world.
Gameplay-wise, there are plenty of new decisions that must be taken by players and their effects become even more vital in the new story. There's also the same big emphasis on dialog battles, as Bigby can use words and arguments to convince other Fables to see things his way, but he can also let the beast loose and use force, if that's your style.
The quick time events are still pretty well done, but there are very few actual conflicts this time around, so don't expect to see that much of the big bad wolf.
Combing through different environments for clues is also present but, just like with the brawls, it's not heavily featured. You do get to find out plenty of new things about other Fables, either by uncovering entries in the special Book of Fables section of the game or by taking an interest in them.
Visually, Smoke and Mirrors retains the lush and vibrant tone of the first part but subdues some of the colors in certain moments to give the whole game a crime drama look. Animations are quite well done and Telltale's stylized design is as emblematic as always.
Voice acting is rather good, especially when it comes to Bigby, and it's great to see voices appear for famous Fables such as Jack or Bluebeard. The soundtrack is also pretty decent, basing itself on jazz during regular gameplay and on orchestral music during the intense confrontations.
Conclusion
The Wolf Among Us Episode 2: Smoke and Mirrors is a good follow-up to the impressive first part in Telltale's adventure series. There aren't that many changes in terms of the gameplay, for better or worse, but the new story elements certainly make up for that, introducing new characters and keeping things going into intriguing directions. Unfortunately, it's a bit short and there aren't enough big moments in this second part.
