Isn't Werewolf: the Forsaken built around a completely different story and cosmology, though? At that point you may as well use a generic game...

to your question, yes.

but to your conclusion, no. story and cosomology can easily be imported. but the mechanics are still designed to give you an excellent Werewolf game.

So are you saying that all the mechanics are generic enough that they don't support the Forsaken's specific story anyway?

I believe W20 uses the same base rules. But I have a ton of 2nd edition (almost everything printed). I was fine starting the game 2nd edition but we all wanted to try 5e.

if you’re not familiar with CofD, it’s not built like oWoD with a hard meta-plot and setting.

it’s much more sandbox with story seeds/elements. you make the story.

it’s designed to be a werewolf game. which it is very good at.

Just that while the setting sounds fundamentally very similar between the two Vampires with just differences in details, it sounds very different between the two Werewolf settings and the two Mage settings. Notably, from what I've heard the relationship between werewolves and spirits is fundamentally completely different between the two, to the point that I'd expect system differences.

Plus I've heard Werewolf: the Forsaken criticized as being more of a shaman game than a werewolf game.

well, if you haven’t yet, consider taking a look at WtF2e. it’s quite good actually.

CofD really came into its own with the 2e lines.

I found Forsaken’s story less than compelling. We tried it when it released.

they’re different games, so yes the setting assumptions are different and the systems aren’t exactly the same.

but if one wants to import story elements from WoD, they can.

it is shaman-y, but i wouldn’t say that overshadows the Werewolf in 2e.

worth scoping out for yourself.

From what I remember of forsaken is they removed the driving goal of werewolves, stop the apocalypse and save Gaia. And replaced it with you are a werewolf, have fun.