The Blood of Dawnwalker arrives with a pedigree you can’t ignore. Rebel Wolves developed this game. It was founded by Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The team also comprises veterans from CD Projekt Red, and this is their debut game. Therefore, the game already has expectations of being as promising as The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The game is set in a plague-ravaged, vampire-infested 14th-century Europe. The Blood of Dawnwalker is a dark fantasy RPG that emphasizes narrative choices, which are further emboldened by the game’s 30-day mechanic. The result is one of the year’s most interesting RPGs. It might not rival the industry’s best, but it is still an amazing game with fresh ideas.
Human by Day, Vampire by Night
Players step into the boots of Coen. A peasant who is stuck in a world that is ruled over by Vrakhiri, the game term for vampires. Following an unfortunate and tragic incident, Coen is turned into a Bloodwalker. An entity that allows him to retain human form during the day while turning him into a vampire at night. This allows the players to have two different combat styles and sets of abilities. By day, Coen has a directional, four-way combat that For Honor fans might recognize with Witchcraft abilities. By night, the combat is much more fast-paced and aggressive due to claw combat and other vampiric abilities. That contrast between careful daylight combat and unrestrained nocturnal power gives the game a rhythm few RPGs attempt.
There are also three different skill trees in the Blood of Dawnwalker. One is focused on Witchcraft and daytime combat. One is focused on Vampirism and nighttime combat. The last skill tree is more general and provides upgrades and buffs regardless of the time. There are different consumables and relics that work either during the day or at night. There are also general items, but they lose their potency. Armor sets also come with buffs that boost your vampiric or witchcraft abilities. Players will find a lot of buildcrafting options for both daytime and nighttime combat.
Time is the Real Currency
The most talked-about feature and the thing that makes The Blood of Dawnwalker stand apart from other RPGs is its 30-day limit. Each day is divided into 16 hours, 8 for daytime and 8 for nighttime. There will be several activities that can only be done during the day and some only possible during the night. Each activity you do (and unlocking some upgrades) costs you hours. Why this all matters is because you have to complete the game in 30 days. If you do not complete the main and final objective of the game within 30 days, there will be consequences. The final boss will grow significantly stronger, and you will not be able to do what you initially set out to do.
30-days is still ample time to explore most of the open world of The Blood of Dawnwalker. While it is not possible to do everything within 30 days, it is still more than enough to complete all of the side questlines and NPC narratives. If players do not feel like exploring, they can also complete the game well before 30 days. This time mechanic is extremely bold and innovative for the genre. It adds another layer of complexity and makes the choices feel much more consequential. This gives weight to decisions that might otherwise feel like busywork in a typical open-world RPG.
A Promising, if Imperfect, Debut
The Blood of Dawnwalker has a lot of great things going for it, but it is not without its issues. The narrative of the game is amazing and emotionally gripping, though the pacing can feel quite slow at times. Characters are well fleshed out, and the incorporation of the 30-day mechanic adds depth to each storyline. The open world is well designed, though it can feel empty at times. There is also a lack of different biomes, and the game would have benefited from a bit more variety. Quests and activities can also feel repetitive at times, which is a glaring issue with almost every other RPG.
Combat can also feel a bit clunky at times. While the directional swordplay and block and parry are satisfying, it lacks technical polish. The lock-on to enemies and moving the target lock from enemy to enemy can be extremely inconsistent. The movement abilities like the Vampiric teleportation are also buggy, and the game lacks the polish that would have made the combat one of the best in the genre. For a studio’s first release, that’s an almost enviable problem to have. The fundamentals of the game are extremely strong. The Blood of the Dawnwalker has the potential to be a franchise that might result in creating some of the best RPGs.
Final Verdict
The Blood of Dawnwalker stands as a bold, captivating first effort that largely lives up to its developer’s impressive pedigree. The innovative 30-day mechanic delivers a fresh twist on choice and consequence within open-world games, while the atmospheric worldbuilding and writing rank among the finest of the year. However, minor shortcomings like inconsistent combat polish, lingering technical bugs, and a map that occasionally feels sparse prevent it from achieving absolute perfection. Whether this debut transforms into an enduring RPG legacy or serves as a strong stepping stone remains to be seen. Ultimately, Rebel Wolves has delivered an outstanding experience well worth diving into.
