WEREWOLF: THE APOCALYPSE – EARTHBLOOD

RELEASED OUT NOW! Reviewed on Playstation 5

Also available on

Playstation 4, PC,

Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S Publisher Nacon

Whether you’re here for the World Of Darkness connection or because you just love the idea of wolfing-out and chewing on humans, you’ll be disappointed on both counts.

As Cahal, a werewolf outcast fighting against the evil Endron oil corporation, you’re on a mission to save the planet one refinery at a time. This aim weaves into a plot to save your daughter from the CEO, who may be more than he seems.

With characters to chat to, a series of open-ish maps to explore for lore, and stats to level up, Earthblood has the veneer of an RPG without ever fully committing. As Cahal you can prowl unseen into Endron’s refineries before baring your teeth and slaughtering everyone, but it lacks depth. Stealth is bad and plays like a PS2 game. Combat is solid if unadventurous; the game’s upgrade paths rarely excite.

The controls are janky, enemy AI is woefully dumb, and there are too few choices to make. In a story that revolves around Cahal’s family drama it’s unfortunate that we never get to affect events in important ways. Eyebrows are raised less by narrative twists and more by the tone – we’ve not seen this many denim vests since Adrian Paul was the One. Poor in many ways, it’s a werewolf game that lacks bite. Ian Dean