Once upon a time, we were all children tucked beneath the covers, losing ourselves in tales of enchanted forests. Or perhaps we just watched the Disney animated versions? Either way, nearly everyone in this realm of reality has a memory of falling under a fairy tale’s spell. Even if you’ve never cracked open the Brothers Grimm or Hans Christian Andersen collections, their stories are woven into the fabric of our imaginations.
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Perhaps that’s why so many artists, long after leaving childhood behind, have returned to these magical worlds to explore the darkest corners of the human psyche. Of course, the original fairy tales were hardly all happily-ever-after. (Have you heard what really happened to the Little Mermaid?) But in the hands of modern storytellers, the familiar spells, curses, and creatures of folklore have taken on even more sinister forms. Across movies, TV, and video games, the old rules have been rewritten, the monsters have grown teeth, and happily-ever-after is no longer guaranteed.
Inspired by Telltale Jogos’ The Wolf Among Us Remastered, out Oct. 29, Polygon is venturing into the woods in the days leading up to Halloween to explore dark fairy tales made explicitly for grown-ups. Expect wicked reinventions and twisted fantasies. Check back all week as we turn the pages on new tales.
And remember: Stay on the path. Not every story has a happy ending.
Wishlist The Wolf Among Us Remastered Today
- 7 reasons FF7 is the ultimate video game fairy tale
- Wildwood channels The Decemberists’ folk fairy tale legacy
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