Hi there!
I’m Piotr from Walkabout Games. Today is the day! We are finally revealing Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest.
The first preview by GamesRadar should be online by now. In a couple of hours, more media will publish their first impressions from our press demo.
However, I thought that first, we should inform the people who deserve it the most: the Werewolf fans like yourself!
Why not start by watching the trailer?
Did you like it? I hope so! The art used to create it will also appear in the game.
You can already wishlist the game right now on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1342620/Werewolf_The_Apocalypse__Heart_of_the_Forest/
So what is Heart of the Forest about?
Werewolf: The Apocalypse - Heart of the Forest throws you deep into a primeval wilderness in the center of modern Europe. It’s where the protectors of nature wage their ancient, neverending war against the forces of destruction.
You play as Maia, who comes to Poland hoping to trace her family roots. Trying to learn more about her ancestry, she will discover her family’s dark secrets and reveal hidden truths about the last wilderness of Central Europe.
We decided to show real-world places of mystery and power into the game. We will also show you local legends, traditions, and the history of Polish-Belarusian borderlands.
When playing through the game, you will need to mind your statistics as they determine your available choices and influence the overall presentation of every scene.
Rage is your main resource. The higher your Rage, the more go-getting and aggressive you become. However, this makes your perception quite binary, and you become unable to see all the shades of grey. Low Rage brings empathy and openness but also makes you fearful and less willing to act.
Willpower is the resource you need to control yourself, and also to not get carried by your Rage. If you let it drop to zero, you won’t be able to deal with many problems and situations. You gain Willpower by exploring the world, becoming better acquainted with it, and understanding it.
Personality describes the kind of person you are in the game world. There are 5 auspices available, which determine the ways you can approach any character, obstacle, or situation. Early in the game, your personality will be shaped by your natural choices. Later on, you will have to choose your auspice and determine your true nature.
Why did we choose Puszcza Bialowieska as the setting?
The Bialowieza Forest, also known as the Puszcza or Puszcza Białowieska, is one of the last primeval forests in Europe, located in Poland. It’s a special place where nature exists in its most primal form right next to the big industry.
The Puszcza is a vast area full of myths and legends, which you will also find in our game. The first people settled here 2,000 years ago, but their presence remained relatively limited. This makes it a perfect setting for a World of Darkness story.
The forest is where the wild survive in large part because of human influences, as, in the light of the changing climate, care and protection are absolutely crucial for the ecosystem. In recent years, large protests were held in the Puszcza against deforestation. This lets us ask questions that have always been relevant to Werewolf: The Apocalypse.
Where should our interference in nature end?
Aren’t we morally bound to interfere?
How far would you go for a good cause?
And last but not least, the word from Artur Ganszyniec, co-founder of Different Tales
Who could’ve foreseen that one day I’d be making a Werewolf: The Apocalypse game? And to think it all started with me being bit by a dog. Really!
It was in the ‘90s. I was walking back home from somewhere when a German shepherd grabbed me and tore my jeans. Its owner gave me money for a new pair. My mom stitched the pants together and I used the money to buy my first Werewolf: The Apocalypse rulebook.
I’m not the only World of Darkness fan here, by the way. Everyone at Different Tales and Walkabout Games are avid players. Piotrek, Jacek, and I used to run sessions and write scenarios (Jacek, a fan of everything dark, also dabbling with Call of Cthulhu and Kult RPG ). Our writers Joanna and Marta were Werewolf players, both tabletop and LARP.
To us, creating this game is like a 20-year-old dream come true.
We’re excited that we got this chance to tell you a story set in the world of Werewolf: the Apocalypse, and set in Poland. We believe that we have more than enough incredible stories and legends worth showcasing in our beloved universe.
I’d like to also stress out that your opinion matters. Piotr is waiting for your feedback, and he’ll be glad to talk with you. Or to send you a funny gif.
Thanks for reading!
Artur
We would love to hear more from you.
- Talk to us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/differenttales
- Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/differenttales/
- Join the official World of Darkness Discord: https://discord.gg/jUsPSw
Follow our game on Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1342620/Werewolf_The_Apocalypse__Heart_of_the_Forest/
That’s all for now. See you at the GDC! :)
All the Best,
Piotr Gnyp
Walkabout Games