First Impressions: The Blood of Dawnwalker Blends Witcher-Like RPG with Vampire Lore

The Blood of Dawnwalker Unveils Gameplay in Closed Gamescom Demo

Polish studio Rebel Wolves, comprised of key developers behind The Witcher 3, recently offered a closed demonstration of their debut action RPG, The Blood of Dawnwalker, during gamescom 2025. Journalists present at the event shared their initial impressions, painting a picture of a game that draws heavily from its creators' previous work while forging its own identity in the vampire genre.

A Glimpse, Not a Hands-On

It's important to note that attending media did not get to play the game themselves. Instead, they viewed developer-recorded gameplay footage accompanied by commentary from Tomasz Tinc, Head of Publishing and co-founder of Rebel Wolves. These presentations offered a detailed look into the game's mechanics, world, and narrative philosophy.

Key Takeaways from the Preview:

• A Familiar Core: Given Rebel Wolves' roots, it's no surprise that The Blood of Dawnwalker’s gameplay most closely resembles that of The Witcher series, particularly The Witcher 3. This connection promises a deep, character-driven experience.
• Compact Open World with Rich Detail: The game's open world is set in a fictional region called the Sangor Valley, inspired by 14th-century Europe and nestled within the Carpathian Mountains. Developers state that the area is comparable in size and density to Toussaint from The Witcher 3's “Blood and Wine” expansion, emphasizing quality over sheer scale.
• A True Narrative Sandbox: Rebel Wolves aims for The Blood of Dawnwalker to be a “narrative sandbox,” offering players more freedom in role-playing choices than seen in previous CD Projekt RED titles. This focus on player agency is a core design pillar.
• A Race Against Time (with a Twist): The protagonist, a half-vampire named Coen, has 30 in-game days to rescue his kidnapped family. Players have full autonomy over their approach—whether to seek allies, employ stealth against the vampires, or even attempt a difficult, early solo assault on the final boss's castle. Critically, the in-game timer only advances upon quest completion, not during general exploration, with a clear on-screen indicator showing the time cost of each task. This flexible system allows players to pause or even abandon quests mid-way without constant pressure.
• Embracing Your Inner Vampire: Coen's abilities shift dramatically between day and night. By day, he's akin to a normal human (with some basic spells), but under the moonlight, his full vampiric powers awaken. Players can choose their combat style: discreetly avoiding bloodshed or embracing the brutality, tearing limbs and openly confronting foes.
• Dynamic Gameplay Through Forms: Quests can unfold differently depending on Coen's current form. As a vampire, he can scale walls, transform into mist, and glide between rooftops, significantly easing exploration. However, certain tasks might only be accessible during specific times of day.
• Freedom of Playstyle: Players aren't forced to combine Coen's human and vampire abilities. The game is designed to be completable even if players choose to focus solely on one aspect of the protagonist. Rafał Jankowski, Lead Quest Designer, elaborated, “We focus a lot on player agency and their choice, and if they want, they can completely focus on the human or vampire part of Coen. By default, we expect gamers to combine and mix these forms, but I think some will want to complete the game only from a human perspective, to then share their experience online.”
• Replayability and Non-linearity: A key emphasis is placed on replayability and non-linearity. Many seemingly critical plotlines can be ignored. For example, the demo showed Coen investigating a blood cult, leading to a quest for a powerful, lost sword—a quest players are free to skip entirely.
• Classic RPG Inspirations: Beyond The Witcher, Rebel Wolves cites classic RPGs like Fallout 1 and 2 as inspirations, particularly for the main story structure, which can be completed quickly if players know the optimal path. The tabletop RPG Vampire: The Masquerade also serves as a clear influence, informing the diverse origins, abilities, and human relations of the game's vampires.

The Blood of Dawnwalker is set to release in 2026 for PC (via Steam), PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. With its unique blend of familiar RPG depth and innovative vampiric mechanics, it aims to deliver a highly replayable and choice-driven experience for players worldwide.