Summary
- Former CD Projekt Red developers at Rebel Wolves unveiled a cinematic trailer for their debut game, The Blood of Dawnwalker.
- The Blood of Dawnwalker shares similarities with The Witcher, boasting an open-world RPG setting, dark fantasy elements, morally gray choices, and an outcast protagonist.
- The game will also incorporate Persona-style time management mechanics.
The long-awaited reveal trailer for The Blood of Dawnwalker has finally arrived, showcasing stunning pre-rendered visuals alongside brief gameplay glimpses. The trailer highlights the game's previously announced similarities to The Witcher, blended with unique Persona-inspired elements.
The Blood of Dawnwalker marks the debut title from Rebel Wolves, a Polish studio founded by former CD Projekt Red developers who contributed to The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077. Initially announced as Dawnwalker in January 2024, Rebel Wolves described it as a narrative-driven open-world RPG featuring impactful choices within a dark fantasy setting.
Almost a year later, on January 13th, Rebel Wolves and publisher Bandai Namco presented a reveal stream culminating in a captivating cinematic trailer exceeding four and a half minutes. This extended preview establishes the game's world and introduces the Dawnwalkers, essentially powerful vampires within the game's lore. The trailer also features Coen, the protagonist, who is transformed into a Dawnwalker at the game's outset.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Reveal Trailer: Echoes of The Witcher
With its dark fantasy backdrop, monstrous creatures, and open-world RPG structure offering morally gray choices—further emphasized by the tagline "the world needs what it fears"—The Blood of Dawnwalker evokes a strong Witcher vibe, even independent of its development team's history. Fans who appreciated the vampires and challenging decisions in The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine expansion will likely find the premise intriguing. The game's emphasis on player choice is reflected in its morality system, allowing Coen to either embrace his Dawnwalker nature to save his family or cling to his remaining humanity.
The Blood of Dawnwalker: A Persona-Inspired Twist
While superficially similar to The Witcher, The Blood of Dawnwalker introduces innovative twists on the open-world RPG formula. Most notably, it incorporates Persona-like time management mechanics, where each quest consumes a significant amount of in-game time. As Rebel Wolves co-founder and game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz explains, "There are multiple approaches to saving Coen’s family with no clear division between main and side quests; you decide on how you spend the time." Completing every quest and storyline in a single playthrough is impossible, a design choice intended to enhance replayability and ensure unique experiences. Rebel Wolves terms this a "narrative sandbox."
Currently in development for PC and current-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles, The Blood of Dawnwalker is envisioned as the first installment in a trilogy, published by Bandai Namco. While a concrete release date remains elusive, the game's 2022 development start and AAA budget suggest a release no earlier than 2027. Rebel Wolves has promised a gameplay reveal in Summer 2025.
