Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory | Game Brain

About

In "Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory," play as Samira, a refugee werewolf investigating murder, monsters, and madness amidst Poland's border crisis. Your choices along two investigative paths shape Samira's story, leading to different endings. Experience tabletop RPG mechanics in this dark fantasy thriller set in the World of Darkness universe.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Purgatory screenshot

84%

Audience ScoreBased on 110 reviews

story46 positive mentions

monetization4 negative mentions

Purgatory offers a compelling and immersive story that weaves real-world issues, such as the refugee crisis, into the Werewolf lore, providing a fresh perspective compared to its predecessor.
The game features improved RPG mechanics, allowing for more choices and character customization, which enhances the overall gameplay experience.
The art and soundtrack are exceptional, contributing to the game's atmosphere and emotional depth, making it a visually and audibly engaging experience.

The game is relatively short, with some players feeling that the story ends abruptly and lacks the depth and complexity expected from a narrative-driven game.
Character development is criticized for being shallow, with some characters feeling one-dimensional and lacking the depth seen in previous titles.
The narrative is perceived by some as overly focused on political themes, which can detract from the core Werewolf experience and may not resonate with all players.

story
138 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
65%
2%
The game's story is praised for its engagement with contemporary issues, particularly the refugee crisis in Eastern Europe, and offers a fresh perspective on werewolf lore. While many players appreciate the dual story routes and the impact of choices, some criticize the narrative for being politically biased, predictable, and lacking character depth. Overall, it is seen as a solid sequel with immersive storytelling, though opinions vary on its execution and thematic focus.
- “The game offers very actual topics with a story that acknowledges the Eastern European current situation towards wars and the refugee crisis at the borders.”
- “I love the story from the perspective of an Afghani refugee, using a lot of political situations currently relevant in today's world and teaching me a lot about their culture and religion.”
- “It's well-written, engaging, and believable (for a story about werewolves - I mean, there's some suspension of disbelief we've got to assume, right?).”
- “The story doesn't even really start and it's over already; too short for over 10€.”
- “While the story gives some insight into real-world struggles, it is very predictable with flat, cookie-cutter characters that check off stereotypical boxes with absolutely no depth.”
- “The unyielding agenda of communicating one uncompromising point of view in a game that should pride itself upon its storytelling variety is what annoys me.”
music
32 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
56%
35%
9%
The music in the game is widely praised for its beauty and ability to enhance emotional moments, with many reviewers noting its seamless integration with the atmospheric artwork. The dynamic soundtrack is considered a strong point, maintaining the quality of previous installments, although some users found it occasionally too loud. Overall, while opinions vary, the music is generally regarded as a highlight, contributing significantly to the game's immersive experience.
- “And lastly the music is beautiful, adding emotion to each scene and sticks in my head.”
- “Just like before, the dynamic soundtrack is amazing and wisely follows the path of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it.' The devs have consistently maintained the same art style and core gameplay elements that made this such a smooth and memorable experience.”
- “Great visual novel, amazing graphics, audio, and music.”
- “Music is more a miss than a hit.”
- “Also, I didn't like the soundtrack to this.”
- “The art work and music is as always work well with the setting.”
gameplay
30 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
50%
10%
The gameplay is generally well-received, with new mechanics like harano and gifts integrating smoothly into the existing system, enhancing the overall experience without adding unnecessary complexity. Players appreciate the variety in gameplay and the choice-driven narrative, particularly through the character of Samira, although some feel that character development could be improved. The game offers a solid 12 hours of exploration across different routes, maintaining the engaging art style and dynamic soundtrack that fans enjoyed in its predecessor, "Heart of the Forest."
- “The new mechanics (harano, gifts, and items) all slotted beautifully into the system that was already in place, without making it overly complex.”
- “I really felt drawn into Samira's character and enjoyed how the harano mechanic was a foil for rage/willpower and affected in-game choices, adding a layer to the gameplay mechanics first established in 'Heart of the Forest'.”
- “Just like before, the dynamic soundtrack is amazing and wisely walking the path of 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it', the devs have consistently maintained the same art style and core gameplay elements that made 'Heart of the Forest' such a smooth and memorable experience through and through.”
- “I was worried that the transition to the mechanics (and lore) of fifth edition was going to kill the game for me.”
- “Some random ratings to explain my reasoning for this: setting: 9/10, story: 7/10, gameplay: 5/10, illustrations: 9/10, music: 9.5/10.”
- “The game mechanics are all choice-based point and click, but the story drew me in and the scene transitions were great.”
graphics
14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
57%
43%
The graphics and audio in the game are consistently praised for their atmospheric quality, maintaining the same art style and dynamic soundtrack that contributed to the success of the previous installment. Users appreciate the unique and cool abstract visuals, which complement the moody soundtrack, enhancing the overall experience. While the storytelling may not reach the heights of some competitors, the combination of stunning graphics and engaging music makes for a memorable visual novel.
- “Great visual novel, amazing graphics, audio, and music.”
- “Cool abstract graphics, awesome moody soundtrack, and a neat story.”
- “The visuals and soundtrack are great, no question.”
replayability
10 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
30%
40%
30%
The game offers moderate replayability, primarily due to its two distinct storylines that encourage players to experience both. While some players may find value in replaying for character customization, others feel the overall depth and character development are lacking, limiting the incentive for multiple playthroughs. In contrast, Purgatory enhances replayability with a broader range of choices and optional storylines, making it more engaging for repeated play.
- “The game is a bit longer than 'hotf' with two main storylines to choose from, making it replayable for at least one more time if you want to see the other one.”
- “Purgatory, by contrast, provides players with a longer book to read through, and retains the replayability aspect with a full range of auspices, tribes, and optional storylines to experience in your playthroughs.”
- “And also, you choose between two main plots that seem unconnected, so the game is replayable at least once.”
- “The game took me 4 hours to complete with seemingly modest replay value. I think I will play through it once more, but not more than that.”
- “Main character Samira is a blank page the player can color with their chosen backstory/characteristics, so there comes potential replay value. Other than that, I can't say much about her, and for supporting characters, there's not enough time to make them more fleshed out, excluding maybe a couple that starred in the previous title.”
- “Purgatory, by contrast, provides players with a longer book to read through and retains the replayability aspect with a full range of auspices, tribes, and optional storylines to experience in your playthroughs.”
atmosphere
8 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
75%
12%
13%
The atmosphere of the game is highly praised for its artistic direction, music, and sound design, effectively maintaining the quality of its predecessor. While the themes and mood resonate well with players, some express disappointment over the brevity of the experience, feeling it concludes just as it begins to develop fully. Overall, the atmospheric elements are considered a strong point, despite some critiques of the writing.
- “It also maintains the atmospheric artwork, music, and sound of the previous game.”
- “I liked the atmosphere, the themes, and mood.”
- “Heart of the Forest was praised for its atmosphere, artistic direction, and sound design.”
- “Heart of the Forest was praised for its atmosphere, artistic direction, and sound design, but we were let down by the shortness of the visual novel and how it ends right as it seems to get started.”
monetization
4 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The reviews do not provide specific insights into the monetization aspect of the game, focusing instead on gameplay elements like the werewolf mechanics and thematic content. Overall, there is no clear consensus or detailed feedback regarding monetization practices.
character development
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
50%
50%
While the game offers a diverse range of gameplay mechanics and a compelling werewolf experience, reviewers consistently highlight that character development is lacking, detracting from the overall narrative depth.
- “Tldr - good game overall, great variety in gameplay and mechanics, good werewolf experience, but poor character development.”

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12h Median play time

12h Average play time

12-12h Spent by most gamers

*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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