Learn about the challenge of adjusting to life as a werewolf with a review of the Graphic Novel Adventure, Loup Garou.

The various tales presented in the collection of Graphic Novel Adventures cover all sorts of interesting journeys. Perhaps one of the more intriguing examples exists in Loup Garou. The character must solve the challenge of transforming into a werewolf while solving an important mystery. Read on for a spoiler-free review of this adventure!

The Overall Objective and Paths to Victory

Not surprisingly, survival through the conclusion is the way to win. It’s not necessarily about attacking creatures and enemies, though. There are hidden elements and puzzles to solve on the side. On top of it all, what starts off as a fairly straightforward adventure turns into a mystery. There may only be a single sort of ending, but reaching it is tricky!

One of the more unique aspects of gameplay comes from a skill tree. On the surface, it looks very interesting and surprisingly deep. As I leveled up my character, though, I felt like I had much less control than I expected. A top-level ability I was really excited about never even entered the equation, which was noticeably disappointing.

There are also a few main branches to follow and very few real choices. A lot of the decisions boil down to going left or right. The outcomes may be slightly different, yet the end result doesn’t necessarily feel meaningful. With that said, surviving can be difficult since combat comes down to a combination of static bonuses and die rolls.

Relevant Component Information

Here we have a gamebook… And nothing else! With 326 panels, there are all sorts of unique elements. The main branch of the storyline may be virtually the same with every play, yet there are a fair number of smaller paths.

It isn’t even that there is an ideal or optimal sequence, either. There are different ways to proceed through certain areas. Mind-boggling variety may not be present, but this isn’t a boring adventure where nothing happens. Even the opening sequence is a lot of fun! Hidden features abound and it isn’t a walk in the park. Not at all.

Part of the variety seemed like it would come from the skill tree. Maybe I lucked out with a good combination, yet it doesn’t provide the feeling of character customization that usually comes with choosing skills. The character sheet is somewhat necessary to use for experience tracking and items, but the skill tree can just be used as a quick reference.

The Reusability of a Graphic Novel Adventure

Loup Garou is a different sort of beast. I had a wonderful time working through the story during my very limited number of plays. After I reached the end, though, I didn’t feel like I wanted to return. I missed a few paths, yet the overall story would remain the same. It was an odd reaction, especially since I replay gamebooks regularly!

So what’s different? It may actually be a sign of something good. I enjoyed the story a lot. It took me only a couple of tries to make it to the end, yet there aren’t achievements to work towards. My experience was memorable, to the point that I don’t see a lot of other ways to add to my enjoyment. Perhaps I’ll prove myself wrong down the line, though!

My Rating of Loup Garou

This was a fun adventure to play through, particularly since I had the opportunity to try out plenty of different paths! With that said, I felt like I experienced the majority of the content by the end. I came, I saw, and I werewolved. Ha!

A few of the puzzles seemed a little odd. One particular word puzzle made me think for a long time, and I still didn’t get it. Yet the answer was revealed. I don’t think I’ll ever forget it, unfortunately. Still, there were other parts of the story that added a layer of enjoyment. Tracking down individuals and lost items made for a few nice challenges.

The inventory system and skill tree were my main letdowns. I didn’t feel like there were many choices. I never ran into a situation where I couldn’t pick something up. My specializations helped in certain regards, including some intense scenes that may not have been possible to survive! It might not have been my favorite adventure, yet I still enjoyed it.

Reusability

Achievement & Enjoyment

4

Variability

Distinctness & Randomness

2

+ Pros (Positives)

• Many items can be picked up along the way, yet some are hidden in the panels for a nice little challenge.
• Combat involves a combination of base bonuses and a random roll of the die to create uncertain outcomes.
• The story features many twists and turns, including a mystery that comes to light a bit further along.
• Gaining experience and leveling up is enjoyable since it leads to better statistics and more abilities.
• Most of the characters have an important role to play that extends beyond simple initial conversations.
• Even though combat can last multiple rounds, there is very little bookkeeping to track beyond a few values.
• A bit of appropriate humor is sprinkled throughout the gamebook to lighten the mood every now and then.
• Transforming into werewolf form offers up benefits in combat, but can be disastrous in the wrong situations.

– Cons (Negatives)

• The font used for the numbers is a bit misleading, particularly since a “1” looks like a “7” from the very start.
• Although the skill tree looks very robust, it’s very limited in terms of character customization and benefits.
• The main storyline branch never differs in a way that makes multiple plays feel somewhat unnecessary.
• Even though the transformation into a werewolf feels like it might have moral consequences, there are none.
• Some of the puzzles are difficult to solve, but the answers are memorable and will likely remain known.
• Since healing happens rarely for most of the story, an unexpected enemy can lead to immediate death.
• The binding is questionable in terms of quality and started to separate after about an hour of gentle use.
• A lot of decisions are based on going one way or the other without any true character decisions.

Continue the Conversation

Have you played through Loup Garou? What are your thoughts about the adventure? I certainly had a good time from the beginning to the end… Especially since my character lived with a single hit point! It fell short in a few ways for me, although I appreciate how it tries to do something different. Who knows? Maybe I’ll return for another go someday!