It’s hard to remember the last time a developer’s debut videogame has had this much hype. But Rebel Wolves’ The Blood of Dawnwalker has had a lot of industry veterans working on it. So, it should live up to the hype, right? Well, we’ve seen many a game fail to do so over the years. Will The Blood of Dawnwalker be any different?
The Blood of Dawnwalker is out now, and is available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Made Me Afraid of Vampires Again
I won’t be getting into any spoilers in this review, as The Blood of Dawnwalker is a narrative-heavy title. An incredibly dark one at that! You play as Coen, a young man that lives in a village ruled by vampires. Said vampires (known as Vrakhiri in game) are led by the ruthless, unjust Brencis. Each month, Brencis demands that each adult of the village attend mass and willingly supply him and his peons with blood. It doesn’t take long for the player to see first-hand the cruelty of the Vrakhiri, which leads to Coen becoming a Dawnwalker.
Human by day and vampire by night, Coen must battle not only the forces of darkness, but also time itself. With only 30 in-game days to rescue his family and slay Brencis, The Blood of Dawnwalker is a tense, often frantic, tale of revenge. And honestly? It’s one of the best stories I’ve seen in a videogame in a long, long time. The writing is gripping right from the opening scene, and Coen is a fantastic protagonist who struggles to come to terms with his newfound powers. This is a dark, oppressive world, sure, but one that I could not get enough of.
Gameplay
The Blood of Dawnwalker is split into day and night segments. During the day, Coen is his normal, human self, exploring the world, taking on quests and fighting enemies with his trusty sword and knowledge of witchcraft. At night, the claws come out, and he is able to use his Vrakhir skills. This transformation extends to more than just Coen’s combat prowess, too. Towns lower their gates after dusk, meaning you’ll be zipping around rooftops and keep walls using the Shadowstep ability. It’s a fun traversal system that really showcases just how much Coen changes when the sun goes down.
Combat feels somewhat similar to Kingdom Come: Deliverance, albeit simpler. The left analogue stick is used to choose which direction you want to attack or block. The heads-up display makes it clear which direction the enemy is going to strike or defend (at least on lower difficulties) as well as a quick flash of colour to show the perfect button input timing in order to parry. It’s a little monotonous at first, but vastly improves once you start learning new skills to mix things up. The two different combat styles aren’t so different that the game feels disjointed, though. During the daytime Coen relies on potions and food to heal. Whilst at night, he can have a quick chomp on an enemy’s neck in order to recover some lost health.
The world reacts constantly to Coen’s actions, which in turn will increase his infamy. The more your infamy level increases, the more Brencis takes notice of your deeds and reacts accordingly. Cause him too much of a headache? You’ll see increased patrols that are the “stab first, ask questions later” kind of guards. Infamy never completely changes the game, but I did appreciate seeing some subtle changes here and there.
Time After Time
Early on in the prologue, it becomes clear that time will be your biggest obstacle on your way to toppling Brencis. Practically everything you do in The Blood of Dawnwalker advances the clock. Focus on one quest whilst neglecting another, and you’ll miss your chance to complete said quest. NPCs can also die due to poor time management, so it really is a constant juggling act in order to keep as many people safe and happy. Talking to people whilst in your Vrakhir form may also mean your blood lust gets the best of you. Truly no one is safe, not even from Coen…
I wasn’t sure I’d like this mechanic at first. This is an open world RPG, I want to explore and pick up tonnes of side quests! Fortunately, I quickly grew to love how well it all works. I had to plan carefully; certain quests would be easier at night when I had Coen’s Vrakhir abilities readily available, for example. It also keeps the main questline perfectly paced, something very rare indeed for the genre. Progression is rather open-ended, allowing you to pick and choose which quests to tackle and when. Just be aware that you won’t be able to see and do everything.
A timeline consisting of sixteen segments (eight each for day and night) combined with the game stating clearly how much each action will cost. It’s a remarkably well-thought-out mechanic that adds to the already incredibly tense atmosphere. Throw in numerous player choices that shape both the story and the world, and you’ve got an RPG that practically begs for multiple playthroughs!
Graphics & Audio
Considering the relatively small size of the team at Rebel Wolves, The Blood of Dawnwalker looks fantastic. Both environments and character models are highly detailed, although I did notice some textures that were a bit muddy. It suffers from a bit of the usual open world jank; doors swinging wildly when you barely touch them, geometry that doesn’t look quite right, etc. There were some very slight frame dips during combat encounters with larger groups of enemies, but nothing too distracting. Overall, though, it is a very polished experience, and incredibly atmospheric.
Voice acting is spectacular across the board. Coen’s voice actor in particular is a standout, putting real emphasis on the more emotional scenes. The Vrakhiri sound so utterly creepy and evil; it’s actually quite refreshing to have villains that both look and sound like they pose a real threat. Well, they do pose a very serious threat, but you get what I mean.
Finally, the soundtrack, whilst very reminiscent of The Witcher 3, is a real treat. Haunting scores during the nighttime contrast with the livelier tracks heard during the day. The music really puts into perspective just how much the tone of the game changes depending on the time of day. If I didn’t have a family to save, I’d probably have Coen boarding up his windows and doors and hiding under the covers…
Longevity
Due to the time mechanics, The Blood of Dawnwalker‘s main story can last anywhere from 20 to 50 hours. You won’t be able to experience everything the game has to offer in a single playthrough. I’m already planning on a repeat run through to see how differently things can play out. Plus, with plenty of optional quests and just general exploration, this is a hefty RPG packed with content.
Final Thoughts
The Blood of Dawnwalker is gripping right from the get-go. A well-paced, emotionally charged story, a unique and fleshed out time mechanic, and a dark, fascinating world all combine to make something genuinely brilliant. If you have any interest in RPGs, you absolutely must check this one out. Arguably one of the best games I’ve played this gen.
Therefore, The Blood of Dawnwalker earns a rare, well-deserved Thumb Culture Platinum Award!
Disclaimer: A code was received in order to write this review.
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