Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood

During the Playstation 2 era, a large amount of games were released that left me with many fond memories. Games like God of War and Shadow of the Colossus are just some titles that brought joy to so many players during that time. With all the advancements in gaming today, you think that something in the same vein would not hold up. However, I have found a game that I think falls into this category but still is still a rocking good time. Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is a new game from the developers at Cyanide Studio. If you like action games, I believe it’s a game that you need to check out. Let’s sit down and take a look at why.

HERE THERE BE MONSTERS

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is an offshoot from the Werewolf: The Apocalypse tabletop RPG game. A few games like this have been done in the past but have fallen flat. In this game you play as the protagonist Cahal who is, as strange as it sounds, an eco-terrorist werewolf. You begin the game fighting back against a large company called Endron, who is trying to strip resources from the planet slowly killing it. A series of events take place leading you on a revenge mission against Endron. At the same time, you’re trying to protect your family and other pack members. I can openly attest to the fact that the story is one of the best things that stands out from this game, and I enjoyed it greatly.

A Lost Artform

Some people who play this game may be a little lost with some of the lore due to the fact that Werewolf: The Apocalypse is a pen-and-paper RPG. However, I think the developers have done a good job on translating that into the game. Enough so that there may be some crossover introducing someone who plays Earthblood to try out the tabletop game. With this knowledge, it is also fun to note that the main character of the game is the lead developer’s actual character as well.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood does a fairly good job in the looks department. While it doesn’t come across as the best looking game, it is still very pretty to look at the environments around you. The character models are well detailed, but do feel a little lacking for the current console generation. Yet, the ambiance that is portrayed in these environments pulls through and really does present a unique feel well suited for the game.

Taking A Bite

The gameplay overall is fairly straightforward: you are tasked with a mission and sent to the next area of the map to complete a set of objectives. Cahal has three different forms you can take; a human form, a wolf form, and werewolf form. Each form has its own perks like sneaking around as a wolf or just full-on assault in the werewolf form. Being the type of player I am, I found myself not really using the wolf form to sneak unless I was forced to for certain areas. I prefered playing the werewolf and just smashing the crap out of everything, which was a really good time.

A great addition to this game is the very simple skill tree which is small and essentially only adds some new skills as the game progresses. After some of the giant openworld games that have come out recently this was a very welcome addition. Also, like simple action games from the Playstation 2 era this game has some fun boss fights to break up the annoying fodder of basic enemies that are littered around every level. A few of the final bosses in the game triggered some memories of older games that left me in a very nostalgic mood.

Loss of Humanity

With every game there are flaws and Earthblood’s shine through like a full moon. First, there is the voice acting for the game which unfortunately falls flat. Almost every line of dialogue feels forced and monotone in its delivery. Next, some of the character animations seem odd and unnatural, as if during cutscenes the character models are being moved around like marionettes. However, both of these add kind of a funny aesthetic to the game for gamers who can remember older games like Shenmue. The issue I really take with the game is the power ramp. I felt way too powerful early on in the game. Which, overtime, made the game repetitive and boring. When the challenge is removed, the game loses fun for me.

One Last Glance

Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood is a solid game and doesn’t overstay its welcome. It is a fun action game that comes in around the 8-10 hour mark to complete. With some DLC, I would be tempted to revisit it and see how the story progresses after the main act. There is also a small amount of replayability with two different endings. The game does provide a fun simulation of being a big monster and just smashing everything in sight. If you are looking for a fun and slightly strange title to check out that feels like an incredibly polished Playstation 2 era game with modern graphics and controls, I would recommend it.

This review is based on an Xbox Series X copy of Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood provided by Homerun PR for coverage purposes. It is also available on PlayStation 4/5 and Microsoft Windows.