Rebel Wolves’ debut RPG may wear its Witcher influences proudly, but The Blood of Dawnwalker is far from a copycat.
There is a particular kind of pressure that comes with playing a game where you know you cannot do everything.
Usually, when I boot up an RPG, my brain immediately switches into completionist mode. Every side quest must be completed. Every chest must be opened. Every suspicious-looking corner of the map must be investigated.
The Blood of Dawnwalker has other plans.
Set in a plague-ravaged 14th-century Europe, Rebel Wolves’ debut RPG throws players into the dark and mysterious region of Vale Sangora, where war, death and a growing vampire threat have left the land on the brink of collapse.
And somehow, things are about to get considerably worse. You play as Coen, a young man who finds himself transformed into something caught between human and vampire. As a Dawnwalker, he is human by day and embraces his vampiric side by night, giving players access to two very different approaches to combat, exploration and problem-solving.
But there is a catch. Coen has just 30 days to save his family from the vampire lord Brencis and every decision matters. And I mean literally, because your choices could be the difference in that final battle between success and failure.
A New Vampire RPG From The Minds Behind The Witcher 3
It is impossible to talk about The Blood of Dawnwalker without talking about The Witcher 3.
Rebel Wolves was founded in Warsaw by industry veterans including Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, who previously served as game director on The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. That history is immediately apparent when you step into Vale Sangora.
There are familiar DNA strands running through the experience: the dark medieval setting, morally complicated characters, monster-infested landscapes, branching conversations and a protagonist who is constantly being forced to make uncomfortable decisions.
But Dawnwalker never feels like a cheap attempt to recreate The Witcher.
And that's important.
It takes those familiar foundations and builds something considerably more vampiric on top of them.
Rather than simply giving us another monster-slaying protagonist, Rebel Wolves has created a character whose supernatural transformation fundamentally changes the way you interact with the world. And holy sh**t does it work.
Combat That Actually Makes You Think
One of the biggest surprises for me was the combat.
The Blood of Dawnwalker uses directional attacks and blocking, meaning you aren't simply mashing the attack button and hoping for the best. You need to pay attention to where attacks are coming from, react accordingly and think about your next move.
It makes combat feel much more responsive. There is a greater sense of intuition involved. Instead of simply memorising a handful of attack patterns, you're actively reading the fight in front of you.
That becomes particularly interesting when Coen's two sides come into play.
By day, you're relying more heavily on conventional weapons, witchcraft and the tools you've collected throughout your journey. At night, Coen's vampiric abilities open up an entirely different way of approaching encounters.
That duality is one of the game's biggest strengths.
The same character can feel fundamentally different depending on the time of day, and suddenly deciding whether to continue exploring during the night or retreat somewhere safe becomes an actual gameplay decision rather than simply a visual change.
Your Choices Can Be Surprisingly Difficult
The story is where The Blood of Dawnwalker really grabbed me.
There are plenty of games that tell you your choices matter.
Dawnwalker actually makes you feel like they matter.
Dialogue sequences regularly put you in situations where there isn't an obvious "correct" answer. You're left trying to work out what is morally right, what makes sense for Coen and, occasionally, what you would actually do.
Those aren't always the same thing.
There are also quick-time dialogue events that add another layer of pressure to certain conversations. Instead of sitting back and watching a scene unfold, you're occasionally forced to react in the moment.
It sounds like a small addition, but it helps keep you engaged with the conversations rather than treating them as something to simply click through.
And then there is the time limit.
You Have 30 Days. Spend Them Wisely.
The 30-day structure is one of the most interesting ideas in The Blood of Dawnwalker.
You cannot do everything.
Every quest, exploration opportunity and character interaction has the potential to eat into your limited time, meaning you are constantly deciding what is worth pursuing and what you're willing to sacrifice.
Do you spend your time upgrading Coen? Do you pursue a new questline? Do you explore that mysterious location you've just spotted? Or do you focus entirely on getting closer to your family?
For someone who normally wants to complete every single thing an RPG throws at me, this was both refreshing and slightly terrifying. The time pressure adds another layer to the role-playing experience because you're not simply deciding what Coen should do.
You're deciding what is worth his time.
Vale Sangora Is Beautifully Dark
The world of The Blood of Dawnwalker is easily one of its strongest elements.
Vale Sangora is enormous, atmospheric and absolutely dripping in gothic horror.
The game's use of lighting and colour is particularly impressive. Deep reds contrast against dark environments, creating an aesthetic that constantly reminds you that you're wandering through a world where vampires are very much in charge.
There is a beautiful visual language to the game.
Landmarks provide some genuinely spectacular views, while darker areas create a sense of unease that makes you wonder what might be waiting around the next corner.
And yes, Dawnwalker can actually be creepy. That was another unexpected surprise.
There are moments of genuine horror and some excellent jumpscares scattered throughout the experience. Considering the pedigree behind the game, I wasn't necessarily expecting it to lean quite so heavily into the eerie side of things.
I'm glad it did.
The unsettling atmosphere makes Vale Sangora feel more dangerous, rather than simply making it another enormous RPG map filled with things to collect.
Movement Isn't Perfect, But the Vampiric Traversal Is Very Cool
If I had one early criticism, it would be the movement.
The free-roaming experience initially felt a little stiff to me, and it took some time to get used to how Coen moves around the world. Thankfully, the rest of the game's presentation goes a long way towards making up for it.
More importantly, Dawnwalker introduces some genuinely interesting alternatives to traditional RPG traversal. Coen's vampiric abilities allow him to traverse the environment in ways that simply wouldn't be possible for a normal human character.
There were moments where the system felt a little buggy or wasn't quite as responsive as I'd hoped, but the concept itself is fantastic. It's something that feels genuinely different from the usual "here is your horse, now go across the map" approach.
And then there's Coen's ability to transform into a wolf, alongside the game's witchcraft-based haste ability. It's a small thing, but these systems help make movement feel connected to the character rather than simply being a means of getting from one quest marker to another.
Coen Is Easy to Root For
A great RPG needs a protagonist you actually care about. Thankfully, Coen is incredibly likeable.
He has the cool factor you'd expect from the protagonist of a dark fantasy RPG, but there is enough personality underneath the design to make him feel like his own character.
There are definitely moments where you can see the influence of Geralt, particularly in the general tone and presentation of the character. But Coen never feels like a bargain-bin Geralt. He's his own character, with his own motivations, relationships and struggles.
And because his story is so closely tied to his family, it's surprisingly easy to become emotionally invested in what happens to the people around him.
That emotional connection is a huge part of what kept me wanting to see what happened next.
And Yes, You Will Want New Weapons
If there's one universal language spoken by RPG players, it's the language of "ooh, new loot."
Thankfully, The Blood of Dawnwalker understands this.
Finding new weapons, armour and items is incredibly satisfying, particularly when you're constantly trying to work out how best to build Coen for the challenges ahead.
There is something deeply satisfying about stumbling across a new piece of equipment and immediately wondering how it might change your build.
It's the kind of progression system that makes exploration feel worthwhile.
Is The Blood of Dawnwalker Worth Playing?
Absolutely. There are some rough edges. The free-roaming movement can feel a little stiff initially, some traversal elements can occasionally be buggy, and there are moments where the game could benefit from a little more polish. But those issues never overshadow what The Blood of Dawnwalker does incredibly well. The combat is engaging, the story is compelling, the characters are easy to become attached to and the world is beautiful and atmospheric. The day-and-night mechanics give the game its own identity, while the 30-day time limit constantly reminds you that your adventure isn't going to wait around for you to finish every little thing.
For me, The Blood of Dawnwalker would comfortably sit among my top five RPGs. More importantly, I genuinely think Rebel Wolves has created the foundations of something much bigger. This feels like an IP that could become iconic, with strong characters, a world filled with potential, a distinct combat system and a story that leaves you wanting more. It's also a seriously impressive first game from a new studio, particularly considering the expectations that come with a team containing so many Witcher 3 veterans.
If Rebel Wolves can build on this foundation, I wouldn't be surprised to see The Blood of Dawnwalker become the beginning of a very exciting new RPG franchise.
Verdict: 9/10
The Blood of Dawnwalker is a dark, ambitious and genuinely immersive RPG that takes familiar Witcher-style foundations and gives them a bloody new twist. It isn't perfect, but when it gets things right, it absolutely sinks its fangs in.
Written by Damon Lih
