The Blood of Dawnwalker, the debut title from Rebel Wolves—a studio featuring former CD Projekt Red talent behind The Witcher 3—has launched to a range of opinions from critics. The third-person action-RPG, which casts players as a good vampire fighting corrupted brethren, is currently met with a Metacritic score of 83 and sits in the 91st percentile on OpenCritic. Reviews are split, with some praising its dark narrative and unique vampire abilities, while others point to repetitive gameplay and technical issues.
Players assume the role of Coen, a villager transformed into a vampire tasked with rescuing his family. The game mechanics incorporate a day/night cycle, where Coen functions as a sword-wielding warrior by day and a supernatural hunter by night. This duality has been highlighted as a strong point by some reviewers. For instance, Eurogamer's Robert Purchese noted the distinct contrast between these two phases, particularly in the city of Svartrau, where night-time exploration allows for rooftop traversal and hunting, a stark difference from Coen's grounded daytime movement. Purchese described this aspect as a highlight of the game.
However, this innovative approach has not resonated with all critics. GameRant's Josh Cotts found the quest structure to be a significant detractor, describing the gameplay loop as repetitive. Cotts outlined a typical quest as involving talking to characters, traveling, investigating, and engaging in combat, a cycle that he found led to predictable and tedious progression despite engaging dialogue.
Despite these criticisms, many reviewers found compelling elements within The Blood of Dawnwalker. Travis Northup lauded it as a favorite vampire game and a top-tier story-driven RPG, specifically praising the day/night cycle for creating a sense of urgency and stress. He also commended the combat's learning curve and the narrative's memorable characters and impactful decisions, concluding that it is a must-play for RPG fans.
Phil Hornshaw noted the game's structure, which presents a multitude of quests that may initially seem disjointed. However, he found the quests themselves to be well-written, encompassing intricate stories of rebellion and shadowy vampire agendas. The sheer volume of content and the inability to complete everything contribute to its compelling nature, according to Hornshaw.
Marloes Valentina Stella highlighted the game's immersive prologue, which effectively introduces the core mechanics and narrative freedom. Stella appreciated the ability to explore, pursue objectives in various ways, and influence the story through dialogue and actions, noting that some choices have harrowing consequences.
Conversely, Oscar Taylor-Kent felt that while the concept was ambitious, the implementation was too straightforward and simplistic. Comparing it to titles like Gothic 1 Remake or Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Taylor-Kent found Dawnwalker to lack the memorable 'weirdness' and unfriendliness that make other RPGs stand out. He felt the skill trees and map icons were rudimentary, and the overall experience was predictable.
Ken Allsop found the game's time-limited structure, where players have 30 in-game days to save their family, to be a powerful motivator. Allsop admitted to 'wasting time' on personal interactions and side stories, finding that the game challenges his natural instincts and encourages introspection on morals and trust, making it one of his favorite recent games.
Robert Purchese also praised Rebel Wolves' execution, particularly in small details like upgradable blacksmith gear and the dual-aspect hero Coen. He argued that the time-limited and seemingly structureless world encourages player presence and attention to their actions, even if not all elements are perfectly harmonized. Purchese called it a "hell of a debut."
Jordan Middler pointed out the lack of filler content as a significant positive in the current RPG landscape. However, he noted performance issues, including a choppy frame rate and numerous bugs, which marred his playthrough despite the generous save system.
Diego Nicolás Argüello found that the standout features of The Blood of Dawnwalker did not fully coalesce. While the combat shows initial promise with its riposte mechanics, enemy variety is lacking, leading to repetitive encounters outside of boss fights. Argüello was, however, captivated by the gritty world and the thematic exploration of the vampire court's corrupting influence on the townsfolk.
Josh Cotts concluded that The Blood of Dawnwalker suffers from repetition, inconsistency, and general jank, which prevent its occasionally brilliant moments from making the game feel truly special. Despite enjoying aspects like the time pressure, choice-driven narrative, and glimpses of excellent combat and abilities, these positive elements are overshadowed by the game's more frustrating flaws.