Big Brain Wolf Review

Big Brain Wolf is an interesting puzzle game that mixes in some adventure with an unusually large story element. You must take control of a vegetarian wolf genie-in-training and work to save your mother who has been framed for murder. You'll have to navigate various areas from your own home to a courthouse and even a jail in your quest to save her. In each area you'll come across people and objects that will help you in your efforts, but only after you've completed a challenging puzzle.

Clever Story Elements

No two areas you explore will be the same. Not only that, but they often change as the story progresses. Characters in one area may move to another, or disappear entirely.

Lots of Unique Puzzles

A plethora of unique puzzle challenges to tackle are littered throughout the game areas or discovered through interactions with other characters. Some of these puzzles will be required in the course of normal gameplay to advance the story, while others are left for you to find on your own. This encourages you to thoroughly search each area, but also makes it easy to miss a lot of puzzles as well.

The puzzles in Big Brain Wolf require thought and effort to complete correctly, and are more educational in nature than you might expect. Puzzle objectives can range from various chess-related goals like putting pieces in checkmate to answering riddles.

Some Puzzles Can Be Tough

While the puzzles are diverse and somewhat educational, they can also be extremely difficult. Some puzzles might require knowledge or information not directly related to the game (like basic Chess rules). There are hints available (up to three per puzzle) unlocked via one of six different brain training exercises. Once you've used up all your hints you'll have to work on these exercises to earn more. However, even these hints may not be enough to get you through the puzzles, which can be frustrating.

Unique Storyline

The most interesting and unique aspect of Big Brain Wolf is the storyline. You take control of a wolf and must work to save your mother who has been framed for murder. You're also a genie-in-training, which means that you have to work through puzzles to solve a lot of problems. Characters will appear and disappear from the various game areas as you progress through the story. Your interactions with them will also depend on your progress. The story even provides the background for why you are doing the puzzles you come across. For example, one puzzle is done because a bomb you must use has incorrect wiring that must be fixed. Story is a very important element from beginning to end.

A Game With a Sense of Humor

Big Brain Wolf's story, characters, and graphics all work together to contribute to a cartoon feel with a lot of humor packed in. The outlandish story and dialogues with other characters are chock full of jokes and references. You'll come across hilarious parodies of a number of familiar story characters such as Pinocchio and the Three Little Pigs. The graphics are very well done and make the game feel like the cartoon world it mocks. Unfortunately, many of the jokes and references will likely be missed by younger players (such as the Vulcan bartender).

Standard "Point and Click" Gameplay

Outside of the puzzles, Big Brain Wolf is a fairly simple “point and click” game. A short introduction in the game will familiarize you with the basics of movement and interaction. You move your character by clicking on an object or character. He will then move to that area and interact with whatever you've clicked. While this makes the controls easy to use, they are also limited as a result. The character can only move at a slow pace between these objects to set spots.

Additionally, it can be difficult top to tell what you can click on and what you've already clicked on. This makes it easy to miss puzzles or accidentally repeat dialogues and events.

Long Game, Little Reason to Replay

Big Brain Wolf isn't all that repetitive thanks to its unique areas and the wide variety of puzzles. At the same time, there isn't a whole lot of reason to replay the game either. Once you've completed all the puzzles once and been through the story, there's no incentive to go back and do it all over again. On the bright side, the game is fairly entertaining and lengthy the first run through.

Conclusion - Great for Those Looking For a Unique Puzzle Game

Big Brain Wolf is a unique mix of puzzle and adventure. Search high and low to find a multitude of different and engaging puzzles that will push you to your limit. Successfully complete the puzzles to unlock clues or help from the colorful characters you come across. The puzzles can sometimes be overwhelming and hard to find, but the positive elements of the game more than outweigh the issues.

A worthwhile game for any puzzle lover, and still a good choice for anyone else.