The Blood of Dawnwalker will be the debut game from Rebel Wolves, a studio founded by former CD Projekt Red developers. As you might expect, this has led to many comparisons between the two The Blood of Dawnwalker and previous CDPR games, specifically The Witcher 3. It seems Rebel Wolves welcome such comparisons, to the point of being quite transparent Blood of Dawnwalkers CDPR alumni.
It's not just lineage that links Blood of Dawnwalker and The Witcher 3. Dawn walker is a third-person action-adventure RPG set against a medieval fantasy backdrop, designed around structured quests, NPC interaction, and sword and magic combat. Even the music, art design, and user interface (based on public, pre-alpha footage) are reminiscent of The Witcher 3. But make no mistake, Blood of Dawnwalker don't just try to ride on The Witchernor does it appear to emulate that seminal RPG's basic design. Really, Blood of Dawnwalker promises to be completely unique, introducing new ideas through both gameplay and story.
The Blood of Dawnwalker's Story Explained
One of the most striking differences between The Blood of Dawnwalker and The Witcheror most high fantasy franchises for that matter, is its setting. Dawn walker takes place not in a fictional country or a theoretical civilization, but in a real 14th century Europe, in a region called Vale Sangora, which has been taken over by vampires intent on subjugating humanity. These vampires, led by one named Brencis, place a blood tax on the population of Vale Sangora, much to the displeasure of the people.
Vale Sangora itself is fictional, but it is supposed to be nestled in the very real Carpathians, which would place it somewhere in Eastern or Southern Europe. Worth noting is that much of Dawn walkers folklore, naming conventions and traditions seem inspired by Romanian culture.
Players take on the role of Coen, a farmer suffering from silver poisoning. In it Blood of Dawnwalker cinematic reveal trailer, Coen is shown fleeing from a local government, which is razing villages in search of bubonic plague, which they execute on the spot. Coen's sister Lunka has the plague, and the siblings are captured during their escape. But before Lunka is killed, a group of vampires led by Brencis intervene and brutally dispatch the would-be executioners. Brencis then cures Lunka of her illness.
But this is not altruism: Brencis uses this service as leverage against Coen and takes his family hostage. Brencis and his crew also attempt to turn Coen into a vampire, but the transformation fails, and he becomes a Dawnwalker, a rare creature that is human by day and a vampire after dark. Although the circumstances are unclear at this point, Coen will have 30 days to save his family from Brenci's ruling vampire class.
It is possible that Coen's silver poisoning is what caused his Dawnwalker transformation, although this has not been confirmed.
Is The Blood of Dawnwalker a choice driven game?
In terms of broad design pillars, such as an open world with NPCs, quest and mini-quest progression structure, dialogue options, and non-linear storytelling, compare Blood of Dawnwalker to The Witcher is quite apt. But Dawn walkers aforementioned narrative premise shakes things up.
The Blood of Dawnwalker will feature a day-and-night cycle, following the Coen's unique Dawnwalker curse. As one might expect, Coen's abilities and limitations depend on his form at any given time, and this can have both narrative and mechanical effects. In one Blood of Dawnwalker A human Coen can enter a cathedral without any problems, talk to the priest and deacon, and continue along a path. He later finds a corpse and is able to revive it with magic, an ability he would not have had access to if in vampire form.
But this mission can be approached quite differently when Coen is a vampire. At night, he can scale buildings with ease, allowing him access to the cathedral's catwalk, providing a vantage point for a secret vampire ritual. By sneaking around the cathedral's upper level at night, Coen and the player gain unique insights into the vampire opposition, eventually even fighting one of Brenci's primary allies, an undertaking Rebel Wolves describes as “possible, but hellishly difficult”.
This “narrative sandbox,” as Rebel Wolves calls it, is driven by the Coens' vampire-human duality, but this is not the only variable. Blood of DawnwalkerThe story can be affected by a number of factors, including NPC relationships, dialogue choices, and progress in other quests. All in all, The Blood of Dawnwalkers choice-based sandbox seems to be its most ambitious, affecting world, narrative and mechanical aspects.
Blood of Dawnwalkers main quest has a time limit, although time is described as more of a resource than a “ticking clock”, which decreases after completing certain tasks, as in Persona game.
The Blood of Dawnwalker's Gameplay
Vampire and human struggle
The nearest anchor points for Blood of Dawnwalkers battle would undoubtedly be the following three games:
- The Witcher 3
- Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance
As The Witcher 3players fight with a combination of blades and magic, tackling small groups of enemies at a time and choosing special abilities through a radial menu. But combat is also a little more grounded and less acrobatic, which is there Kingdom Come: Deliverance comparison applies. Like that game, The Blood of Dawnwalker has directional combat: players must choose one of four directions before attacking or defending. When you parry a blow, the enemy's stamina will decrease, which can culminate in a powerful blow that allows for a stun. As Sekirothis combat system gives the defense an offensive edge.
As in the narrative sandbox, combat will be defined by the Coen's current form. When he is human, he will have access to special hexes and spells; when he is a vampire he will grow claws and gain increased agility. Swords can still be used when Coen is in vampire form.
Coen's Vampiric Traversal
While in vampire form, Coen will have access to unique movement options. For example, he can use a skill called Shadow Step, which allows him to teleport to a location within range, and Plane Shift, which allows him to walk up walls and across ceilings. These skills, along with Coen's other vampiric abilities, are dictated by his hunger level, which must be sated by eating humans, animals, and other creatures.
The Blood of Dawnwalker release date
Rebel Wolves has yet to issue a firm release date for Blood of Dawnwalkerthough it's expected to launch sometime in 2026. Great vampire games can be few and far between, as evidenced by disappointments like this year's Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodlines 2; Hopefully, The Blood of Dawnwalker manages to offer the blood-sucking thrill that so many gamers have craved.
- Developer
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Rebel Wolves
- Engine
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Unreal Engine 5
- Number of players
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Single player
- Compatibility with Steam Deck
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Unknown
