Rebel Wolves Unveils The Blood of Dawnwalker: A Vampire-Themed Open-World RPG with Dragon Age-Style Combat and Persona-Inspired Time Management
Polish studio Rebel Wolves has shared over 20 minutes of gameplay footage from its upcoming vampire-themed open-world RPG, The Blood of Dawnwalker. The newly debuted preview marks the most extensive look at the game to date, showcasing its combat system, narrative sandbox design, and unique vampirism mechanics.
Rebel Wolves first revealed The Blood of Dawnwalker in January 2025, a year after confirming the project's existence. With its promise of an open-world RPG featuring monster hunting and morally gray, consequential choices, the game has drawn frequent comparisons to The Witcher. It's currently targeting a 2026 release for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The newly released gameplay footage offers a glimpse into the game's combat system, which is designed to make players feel like true swordmasters. Coen, the game's protagonist, is seen exploring some countryside and fighting a group of bandits, showcasing the game's swordplay. The combat system is based on careful observation of enemies and dismantling them based on their movements, particularly attack direction. In addition to basic attacks and parries, Coen can use special abilities that consume health, such as Burning Blood for damage over time and Artery Attack for decapitating enemies. Selecting abilities during combat pauses the game, similar to Dragon Age.
The game's "narrative sandbox" design emphasizes that there is no distinction between main quests and side stories. Players are given a set amount of time to pursue any activity on their path to the ultimate goal of saving their family. This structure is intended to make every playthrough feel unique, as certain actions will advance time while simply idling or exploring the overworld will not. This Persona-style approach to time as a resource rather than a "racing clock" further emphasizes the game's focus on player choice and exploration.
The vampirism mechanics in The Blood of Dawnwalker are also unique. Since Coen transforms into a vampire at night, he becomes more conspicuous but gains access to expanded traversal abilities—both vertical and otherwise. His health functions as a hunger meter, and each night begins with reduced health, making it essential to feed in order to unlock his full skill set. Players can choose to feed on NPCs to the point of killing them, draw just enough blood to render them unconscious, or avoid harming humans altogether by feeding on animals. Avoiding feeding entirely will eventually cause Coen to lose control, which is typically the least desirable outcome. Depending on whether they tackle quests as a human or vampire—and before or after allying with certain characters—players will have different options for completing them.
Overall, The Blood of Dawnwalker offers a fresh take on vampires in an open-world RPG setting with an emphasis on player choice and exploration. With its unique combat system, narrative sandbox design, and vampirism mechanics, it promises to be an engaging and immersive experience for fans of the genre.
