Reviews for The Blood of Dawnwalker, the debut RPG from developer Rebel Wolves, have begun to surface, with many critics suggesting it may be the long-awaited successor to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. The studio was founded by Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, director of the acclaimed 2015 title.
As of this writing, The Blood of Dawnwalker holds a Metacritic score of 83 and an OpenCritic score of 84. While not reaching Game of the Year consideration levels for some, the consensus indicates a strong RPG experience for players seeking a new fantasy adventure in the vein of The Witcher.
Innovative Systems and World Design
IGN's Travis Northup awarded the game a 9/10, stating that it successfully filled the void left by The Witcher 3. He particularly lauded the game's innovative time system, which allocates players 30 in-game days to complete quests. Northup explained that this limitation, initially perceived as restrictive, ultimately enhances the gameplay by forcing difficult choices and prioritization.
Eurogamer's Robert Purchese echoed this sentiment in his four-star review, focusing on the game's compelling day/night cycle. During the day, players operate as humans, while nighttime transforms them into a powerful vampire. This duality introduces unique gameplay opportunities, with certain quests or traversal methods only being accessible in one state or the other. Purchese noted that this mechanic significantly expands the usable game world, turning rooftops into a navigable playground at night.
Criticisms and Technical Concerns
Despite the praise, not all aspects of The Blood of Dawnwalker have been met with universal acclaim. Game Informer's 7/10 review pointed out that the game's promising ideas do not always coalesce into a fully cohesive experience. The combat system, in particular, was singled out as a weaker element. The review described combat as often devolving into repetitive sequences, especially outside of main boss encounters, despite an initial promise of engaging parry mechanics.
Technical issues were also noted by Gamespot, whose Phil Hornshaw gave the game an 8/10. Hornshaw reported shaky performance and visual glitches during his playthrough, suggesting that players sensitive to technical problems might want to wait for post-launch patches.
Polygon's Marloes Valentina Stella, while still in the process of testing different playthroughs, has been impressed by the level of player freedom offered. The game appears to be a strong contender for those who value impactful choices and deep systems in their RPGs, even with its noted imperfections.
