Chronicles of the Wolf review

Chronicles of the Wolf is the latest entry in the increasingly crowded metroidvania genre. But one of the game’s most remarkable divergences from its peers is the pulpy plotline, a retelling of the infamous legend of the Beast of Gévaudan.

It’s the same story that inspired the 2001 film, Brotherhood of the Wolf (if you haven’t seen it, check it out) detailing a three-year period when over a hundred people were killed by a mysterious creature. Although the genre sporadically tosses out an allusion to Bram Stoker’s text, the presence of a historical foundation provides a welcome bit of flavor.

A Bite out of History

You play as Mateo Lombardo, an apprentice of the Rose Cross Order and the sole survivor of a vicious attack by a monstrous beast. But the protagonist doesn’t have to perform all the expositional duties, with some voiced NPCs and fictionalized accounts of real individuals like Marie-Jeanne Vallet injecting believability.

Sure, Paris-based developer Migami Games could have followed gaming tradition and exercised creative license. But smartly, the historical setting is integrating into everything from the game’s sporadic puzzles to boss battles drawn from local folklore. With illustrations that could have come from a dusty old tome, Wolf’s framing is quite rich.

Gothic Grooves and Graveyard Moves

Visually, Chronicles of the Wolf channels the temperament of classic gothic platformers. A muted color palette is used for haunted graveyards, sprawling castles, and murky forests, providing a scenic tour of the haunts found in 18^th century France. Occasionally, there’s a bit of visual ambiguity, and you’ll probably assume some parts of the environment are traversable, until Mateo takes a spill. But that’s the exception rather than the rule. Meanwhile, Jeffrey Montoya’s soundtrack ranges from ambient washes to driving metal, setting the pace for exploration and combat.

Pleasingly, there’s even a title track from Castlevania: Lords of Shadow’s Oscar Araujo. Tying it all together is narration from Robert Belgrade, who performed Alucard’s English voice acting in Symphony of the Night. Undoubtedly, each member of this ensemble saw Chronicles of the Wolf’s potential and their collective contributions help elevate the experience.

Hallowed, Howling Halls

Given the game’s line-up of notable talent, it’s hardly surprising to find that the game is firmly rooted in the metroidvania tradition. Yes, comparisons to Castlevania: Symphony of the Night are inevitable and while Wolf won’t out-claw Koji Igarashi’s masterwork, it’s mostly an engaging outing.

Like the beloved PlayStation titles, you find a sprawling, labyrinthine world filled with collectibles, secrets, and several hair-pulling sequences. Naturally, exploration is encouraged and while fast-travel portals are scarce around the countryside, they’re more numerous once you’re inside the game’s sprawling castle. Yes, there’s a few snags with the pacing, like being forced to backtrack across an environment where’s there’s little change or incentive. But this is a decidedly retro Castlevania-clone, so you’ll have to deal with respawning foes.

Lupine Ambitions but Some Human Flaws

Expectedly, combat is a core focus on your trek, with Mateo wielding melee and ranged weapons against a multitude of an assortment of ghastly enemies. Beyond standard tools of the trade such as swords, daggers, and axes, you’ll have access to a variety of secondary weapons that will be invaluable against the game’s resilient bosses. While I could have appreciated being able to switch between two main weapons without having to enter the game’s menus, I eventually adjusted to the Wolf’s old-school stringency.

Like any respectable metroidvania, there’s a commendable balance across your arsenal, and learning to harness the strengths and special attacks of your armory is one of the game’s better qualities. But despite the breadth of your weaponry, Wolf’s controls are disappointingly stiff, feeling a lot like the Game Boy Advance-era ‘Vanias. Not only does this make the occasional test of platforming prowess frustrating, but it also injects a bit of sluggishness into combat.

Some attack animations last a few frames too long, making dodging inconsistent, which is exasperating across some of the late-game boss battles. Although the issues with responsiveness never completely ruin the experience, they can lead to some exasperating moments, like when you’re swarmed by enemies in constricted areas.

Hungry like the Wolf

Still, it’s difficult not to admire Migami Games’ ambition. The developer has crafted an engrossing effort that adopts a distinctively old-fashioned and refreshingly earnest approach. The game’s emphasis on historical fiction and its moody world stand in sharp contrast to the carefree spirit of many contemporary metroidvanias. Chronicles of the Wolf might not be an outright beast, but it’s got enough bite to satisfy those hungry for classical adventure.

Chronicles of the Wolf was played on PC with review code provided by the publisher.