The Blood of Dawnwalker: A Cinematic Reveal and New Gameplay Mechanics
Rebel Wolves, a studio formed by former CD Projekt Red developers, has unveiled the long-awaited reveal trailer for their debut game, The Blood of Dawnwalker. The trailer, which combines pre-rendered footage with brief glimpses of gameplay, was showcased during a reveal stream hosted by Rebel Wolves and publisher Bandai Namco on January 13. This cinematic trailer, lasting over four and a half minutes, introduces the game's dark fantasy setting and the titular Dawnwalkers—enhanced vampires in the game's lore—and features the protagonist, Coen, who transforms into a Dawnwalker at the game's outset.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Echoes The Witcher
The similarities between The Blood of Dawnwalker and The Witcher series are unmistakable. The game is an open-world RPG set in a dark fantasy world, complete with morally gray choices and an outcast protagonist. The tagline "the world needs what it fears" further solidifies its connection to The Witcher's thematic elements. Fans of The Witcher 3's Blood and Wine expansion, with its vampires and challenging decisions, will find The Blood of Dawnwalker's premise particularly intriguing. The game also incorporates a morality system, allowing players to decide whether Coen should embrace his Dawnwalker nature to save his family or hold onto his humanity.
Incorporating Persona-like Time Management
While The Blood of Dawnwalker draws heavily from The Witcher, it also introduces innovative gameplay mechanics inspired by the Persona series. The game features a time management system where every quest consumes time, and players must choose how to allocate their time to save Coen's family. There is no clear distinction between main and side quests, encouraging players to strategize their approach. This "narrative sandbox" design means that completing all quests and story arcs in one playthrough is impossible, promoting replayability and ensuring each playthrough feels unique.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is currently in development for PC and next-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles. Envisioned as the first installment in a trilogy, the game is being published by Bandai Namco. Although a specific release date has not been announced, given its 2022 start and triple-A budget, a launch is not expected before 2027. Rebel Wolves plans to reveal more gameplay details in the summer of 2025.
