Video games and wolves are really a match made in heaven. Whether it’s transforming into a twilit beast in The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, the loyal, loveable, and incorrectly named companion D-Dog in Metal Gear Solid V, or the majestic goddess Amaterasu in Okami, there really is an incredible track record for the ferocious canine in gaming. The Wolf: Online RPG Simulator (Free) looks to keep up this astonishing trend, and in a similar vein to the Goat Simulator series, puts you in control of the titular wolf in an open world environment, as you look to hunt sheep, fight deer bosses, and eventually become the alpha of the pack. While the game was slightly delayed from its original January release date, anyone looking to live on the wild side of life will be delighted to hear that The Wolf is finally available on the App Store to download for free.

If I’m honest, when I first read about The Wolf, my expectations were generally quite low. The Goat Simulator series, genre satirisation aside, only really works because of its novelty and intentional glitches that make the games enjoyable but eventually tedious experiences in the long run. However, the game’s website coupled with some truly stunning screenshots and admirably ambitious RPG elements emphasise that The Wolf is a serious effort that has had a lot of time and care put into it. If the online elements can work seamlessly, and if the environment is dynamic and varied, The Wolf has a lot of potential to provide a truly immersive simulation for arguably the best mammal in the world. The Wolf: Online RPG Simulator is available for free now (with various in-app purchases) on the App Store; if you’re a wherewolf and want to find fellow enthusiasts, be sure to head down to our forum thread for more discussion.