Wolves is a semi-cooperative board game for 3-6 players. You take on the role of a community leader attempting to manage limited resources to help get your people through the winter. To survive, you need to co-operate and share through the gifting of what you've gathered and grown, which will dwindle as you head toward winter.

If any player fails to meet their community's needs, all players lose the game — but if everyone makes it through winter, the player who gained the most status will be elected chief of all of the communities and granted an additional victory.

Status is gained through efficient gifting of resources to other players and sharing excesses with your own community. Phases of each turn are played either simultaneously, or in status order, which can change from turn to turn.