The Blood of Dawnwalker: Hands-on Preview - The Bloodlust is Real
The idea of the Vampire is one that has captured imaginations for hundreds of years. From the classic Stoker interpretation through to the abomination of Twilight (I will die on this hill), the tale of an immortal being that survives on blood is one that has been tackled from just about every angle. Even in the realm of games, we have been treated to some fantastic interpretations of the myth. From the story of Raziel and Kain to the surprisingly excellent Buffy games. But it feels like it has been an absolute age since we have had a giant big vampire RPG to *cough* sink our teeth into (Bloodlines 2 doesn’t count; that is not an RPG). Well, that is about to change with The Blood of Dawnwalker, the first title from Rebel Wolves, and after spending about four hours with it, I can say this is the vampire game I have been looking for.
By now, you have probably seen the trailers and heard the spiel. It is a vampire game where the main protagonist is a Dawnwalker, human by day, vampire by night. You have probably heard that the game is being made by folks who worked on The Witcher. Finally, you have probably heard that it is a grand RPG that offers a massive world to explore. All of these things are true, and yet, they only tell part of the story. In fact, after four hours, the story is what sets this game apart from any comparisons I might make. This is a tale of woe, not wonder, and it makes a striking impression as a result.
The focus of the story is the main character Coen, who, through some pretty bleak events, becomes a Dawnwalker. When I say bleak, I mean it. This has a decidedly Eastern European feel to it, the same Eastern Europe that gutted us with tales from the Metro and the STALKER zone. If you have played those games, well, you know that things aren’t exactly the happiest. Here in this vampire-controlled world, that darkness is core to the story that is told and even in just the first four hours of the game, it doesn’t pull any punches.
There is one quest in the prologue that really highlights this. At one point, I ran across someone who seemed like the town bully. Pushing his way around, I took exception to that and proceeded to throw my pre-vampire fists of justice around until he succumbed. Pretty normal RPG stuff, that is, until this bully’s father turns up. He sided with me, calling his son a useless layabout. He then commanded me to thrash him with his belt. RPG dialogue choices allowed me to back out, but I had to see how far the game would go, and sure enough it went the full distance. Using the thumbsticks, I whipped that kid while his father watched on, abusing him for being a slacker and useless human. It was confronting, and honestly, I felt a little sick with myself for going through with it.
This approach seems to be at the heart of the story. As the main character, I was able to commit great evil or be benevolent, even able to ride the line in between, all in the name of rescuing my family. By leaning towards vampire behaviours, my soul was becoming imperilled, and while I can’t tell you how it is going to play out, I can say it isn’t likely to lead to a happy ending. Playing as a good human, however, is likely to be the harder path to walk. Forsaking the power of a Vampire is likely to be the tough road to victory, so it is not an easy choice to make.
So, walking the path of a human or a vampire have their own respective skill tree, but there is also a third option here: that of witchcraft. This third skill tree gives Coen the ability to dabble in the darker magiks, and frankly, as cool as the abilities are, I don’t think they are going to lead to a happy place either. This overriding sense that things are not going to end well, regardless of the path walked, makes this such a unique title to approach. The crux of it all is, if the world is such a cesspool, isn’t the soul of a hero a price worth paying to save a whole family? Only the full game will tell me for sure, but it is such an intriguing approach that I am (not literally) dying to find out.
As for the gameplay, it is clear there is some of that Witcher DNA here, but only at the base level. Two main elements make Dawnwalker stand apart from the Witcher and other RPG contemporaries, and that is the combat and the timeline. The combat system is built around an interesting two-stick combination that takes some effort to learn, but once you get the hang of it, is super satisfying. By using the left thumbstick as you attack, you can aim your weapon (or claws if it is nighttime) to attack from that direction. This allows you to avoid the enemy’s blocks. Conversely, if you block an enemy’s blow using the direction it is coming from, you don’t use any stamina. This means, if you can get the flow of it right, you can minimise your stamina use and gain a huge advantage in battle. If you find yourself struggling with this system, the game offers a more traditional combat system, something more in line with what Geralt offered, so don’t fret if it is too much for you.
Now, about time. This can be broken down into two parts. The day/night cycle and the in-game time. As for day/night, it works pretty much how you would expect, as a half human/half vampire. During the day you are just a normal bloke – well, a normal bloke who is handy with a sword – but at night you are a creature of the dark and have access to all of the abilities that entail. One of the interesting parts of this is that at night you have to feed; you can’t escape it. Animals in the forest make a guilt-free way to snack, but human enemies are often the more feasible and available option. If you don’t feed, you can become blood-crazed, at which point you may attack and feed on any NPC in the vicinity, good or bad, so it is certainly something to be aware of.
As for in-game time. Players have 30 in-game days to rescue their family. With multiple paths and multiple ways to achieve this, it is quite a daunting number to get thrown at you. Don’t worry, though; it won’t hamper exploration. Time only progresses through key events, and the game tells you how much time will pass, so players who want to just wander the world and explore are absolutely able to without worrying about a time limit. It is, quite frankly, a very cool mechanic, and I feel like it is going to be much more than just a simple gimmick.
If there is one thing I am absolutely sure of after my time with The Blood of Dawnwalker, that is that four hours isn’t nearly enough. That said, what I did play was incredibly promising, and in a year where we have already been treated to some fantastic RPGs, this one may be the best of the lot. I feel like there is so much to talk about, so many little things that this preview can’t begin to touch on, but I have to leave the rest for you to discover. If nothing else, The Blood of the Dawnwalker is going to be about discovery, dark and bleak discovery, and if I took that away from you, it would be a crime.
The Blood of the Dawnwalker is coming to PC, PS5 and Xbox Series on the Third of September.
