Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood Reviews
Absolutely dated in so many ways with crusty stealth gameplay, poor visuals and uninspiring environments, yet showing glimmers of innovation that are in turn bolstered by bouts of super satisfying werewolf combat, Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood is the first proper guilty pleasure of the year.
Cyanide Studios have proven their mettle with previous games in the supernatural genre. Their previous efforts include Styx: Shards of Darkness and the Call of Cthulhu. Both games were well received. Earthblood is a solid effort that should get werewolf fans howling with glee.
So is it the perfect game? No, unfortunately, it is not. But if you like werewolves, are familiar with the original Werewolf: The Apocalypse universe, or just want to hulk around as a giant wolf throwing people around like ragdolls then it might be worth your time.
In a world where you can pick up The Last of Us Remastered for a song, there's no reason to waste your time on Earthblood. Paradox Interactive is no stranger to game development. I wonder which team lead is asleep at the wheel such that Earthblood was allowed to go out the door in its current state.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood feels old.
Fascinating for 15 minutes and boring for ten hours, you'll be howling with frustration at this missed opportunity for full moon madness in Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood.
In Werewolf The Apocalypse Earthblood, every advantage is neutralized by a disadvantage, leading to a totally mediocre experience
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood starts off on the right note, engaging players with the type of action I imagine werewolf fans will find exciting. It quickly runs out of puff, though, and what excitement there is to be had is spoiled by too much tedium in between. Ultimately, enthusiasts of the Apocalypse TRPG are unlikely to feel satiated by what is a rather shallow video game experience overall, which makes it difficult to recommend to those outside the hardcore fanbase.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood has a good premise, but suffers from poor execution. If you're looking for a game that allows you to live out the fantasy of being an overpowered werewolf and kill everyone around you in bloody fashion, Werewolf provides that, but only just. Unrewarding combat, dumber-than-a-doorknob AI, dated mechanics, and an uninspiring presentation mean that this is a tough recommendation at the launch MSRP of $49.99 US.
Despite having a really fun combat system and a good narrative, the game is weak on stealth and enemy AI.
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The gameplay throughout isn't freighted with moral urgency, which is disappointing given the game's eco-terrorist themes.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood is peak mediocrity and lacks any real meat to make it stand out from the rest of the pack.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood seemingly tries to bite off more than it can chew. As cheesy as that sentence sounds, it certainly meets that description. There are moments that stand out amongst the mediocrity of it all, that elevate the overall experience, but it’s not enough to justify playing it solely for those moments. The main “selling point” for the game being the ultra-violent combat could actually be its weakest element. So much so that the added inclusion of stealth mechanics is preferable to the main attraction. And it’s this secondary gameplay loop that is left feeling shallow and easily manipulated because of this split focus. Within the stealth systems, there is the potential of something interesting when mixed together with in-universe powers, but the current execution failed to capture the full fantasy.
Earthblood's satisfying combat can't quite make up for its constant repetition, boring characters and short run-time.
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood fails to satisfy as a stealth game or a brawler, and is let down by poor AI and shoddy presentation. At its best, it’s playable, but commits the cardinal sin of just being boring.
Playing as a Werewolf should be fun and exciting, simple as that. Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood doesn't come close to offering that. Between the dull and laborious Human and Wolf gameplay and the lackluster Werewolf gameplay, it's difficult to recommend Earthblood to anyone. Above story and visuals, gameplay for this type of game should be king. Instead, Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Earthblood ends up being too sheepish.
Werewolf : The Apocalypse Earthblood comes with teeth bared and flashing claws, but those claws are not as sharp as they could be.
Cyanide are one of the biggest players in the AA video game space. Releasing some relatively popular franchises like Blood Bowl and Styx, they have been around for quite some time now. Playing as a werewolf in video games is quite uncommon, but does the studio have enough to create an interesting gameplay loop?
Despite Earthblood's roughshot ride over opportunities to dive deep into the lore of Werewolf: the Apocalypse, the focused exploration of this end of the World Of Darkness manages to deliver a bloody good time when the claws come out. It's just a shame that some of the loftier ideas are let down by repetitive stealth gameplay and poorly developed mechanics.