The Blood of Dawnwalker – a good RPG that still needs some time in the oven
Polish studios have become synonymous with dark fantasy RPGs over the last twenty years. CD Projekt RED remains the touchstone for the genre thanks to The Witcher trilogy, and new teams are trying to stake their claim in that tradition. One of the most prominent newcomers is Rebel Wolves, a studio founded by developers who worked on The Witcher 3. Their debut, The Blood of Dawnwalker, immediately invites comparisons to Geralt’s adventures, but Rebel Wolves set out to build something that differs in key ways. The game centers on a protagonist with a split nature, enforces a limited timeframe for finishing the campaign, and places players in a valley governed by vampires. Those concepts are compelling and quickly draw you into the world, yet several of them feel undercooked in the opening hours. Rebel Wolves deserve credit for taking risks, but it’s reasonable to wonder whether players would have preferred a more traditional RPG experience that reaches the polish of The Witcher 3—especially since ten years have passed without a clear successor.
Development team: Rebel Wolves
Publisher: Bandai Namco
Platforms: PC, PS5, XSX
Steam page: Link
Release date: September 3, 2026
Price: €69.99
VIDEO REVIEW
The Blood of Dawnwalker unfolds in Vale Sangora, a medieval valley set somewhere near the Carpathians. The region was ravaged by a lethal plague until an ancient vampire named Brencis toppled the previous authoritarian ruler and, using his blood, halted the disease. Initially seen as a savior who restored order, Brencis and his followers soon established a new hierarchy that demanded regular blood offerings and forced labor in exchange for protection. Those who resisted or supplied blood deemed unfit were swiftly and harshly punished by vampire enforcers.
Into this bleak landscape comes Coen. His family has endured personal tragedies even before Brencis’ rise: his mother suffers ongoing health problems tied to past trauma. During one ritual, that frailty draws the attention of the valley’s new masters. Events escalate rapidly—Coen’s family is seized, and a botched ritual leaves Coen transformed into an unusual kind of vampire. The game’s opening sequence is taut and well-executed; it gripped me more than The Witcher 3 did at comparable moments. Sangora feels genuinely unforgiving: villagers are generally cordial, but the ever-present threat of vampire reprisal keeps tension high, and any hint that the populace is insufficient or rebellious is met with brutal consequences.
The introductory portion of the game is rich in atmospheric touches, a quality enhanced by a strong musical score. The early plot turns Coen into a creature whose condition shifts with the day-night cycle—by night he is a full-blooded vampire, while at sunrise he returns to human form rather than perishing into ash. The game’s title, Dawnwalker, stems from this and