The Blood of Dawnwalker presents players with a unique challenge: balancing human needs with vampiric urges, all while racing against a ticking clock. This open-world RPG, developed by former contributors to The Witcher 3, plunges players into a dark fantasy setting filled with macabre creatures and novel mechanics.
You assume the role of Coen, a commoner from Laslea Glen who becomes a Dawnwalker after his family is kidnapped by vrakhiri, powerful vampire lords. This dual existence dictates gameplay: by day, Coen functions as a human, healing through food, interacting with villagers, and wielding Witchcraft spells or communing with spirits. By night, however, he transforms into a vampire, driven by bloodthirst. This nocturnal form offers potent abilities such as enhanced combat with serrated claws, short-range teleportation, and the ability to traverse vertical surfaces. Managing this bloodlust is crucial; failure to do so can lead to Coen losing control and draining victims dry.
A critical mechanic in The Blood of Dawnwalker is Time Progression. Coen's family is held captive with a 30-day deadline before they are sacrificed. While simply exploring the world doesn't advance time, specific actions, quest completions, and skill upgrades consume "Time Segments." These segments are visually represented, and performing multiple actions can rapidly shift the game from day to night and vice versa. Players must be mindful of this system to avoid squandering precious days.
The game emphasizes careful planning, particularly during the prologue. Initial tasks involve helping villagers, but players must be aware of the impending Blood Mass, which signifies the transition to night. Failing to complete crucial objectives before this event can result in lost rewards and even the inability to save certain characters, such as Coen's mother.
Exploration is facilitated by over a hundred Shrines scattered throughout Vale Sangora. Some Shrines are already active and serve as fast travel points, time skips, leveling hubs, and item storage. Others require repair, involving locating a hidden figurine before activating them permanently. Scouting Towers also play a vital role in exploration. These structures can only be scaled at night using vampiric abilities, and reaching their summits reveals points of interest on the world map, marked initially as question marks.
Once points of interest are revealed, players can investigate landmarks like Sacred Stones, Ancient Circles, and Haunted Sites. These locations often present challenges or rituals that yield valuable rewards such as equipment and training manuals.
To counter the influence of the vampiric boyars, players must undertake various tasks that sabotage their operations. The game's "Court" tab details activities related to the three lieutenants: Ambrus, Xanthe, and Bakir. These missions might involve sabotaging facilities or ambushing patrols. Assisting commoners in distress can also be beneficial, potentially leading to vendors reopening their shops.
Combat requires precise, directional input. Enemies attack from four directions, and players can block or deflect attacks by matching the input. Attacks marked with a red skull cannot be blocked and must be dodged. Successful blocks and attacks build activation charges, which can be used for special abilities. A directional block system allows for ripostes, rewarding well-timed defensive maneuvers.
Coen's progression involves three skill trees: Swordsmanship, Witchcraft, and Vampirism. While some basic perks are available from the start, most must be acquired through skill manuals or by increasing Coen's Corruption through blood consumption. Skill upgrades and unlocks consume Time Segments, making judicious choices about which abilities to pursue essential.
Instead of discarding favored equipment, players can upgrade weapons and armor at blacksmiths and armorers. Upgrades enhance base stats, and secondary attributes receive boosts every five levels. Legendary items can remain viable throughout the game if properly maintained. For those seeking additional funds, collecting and selling silver contraband is a viable strategy, as a specific vendor purchases these items.
Players will encounter a cast of supporting characters, some of whom offer opportunities for romance. Exploration of Vale Sangora's varied environments, from hills and forests to settlements, may uncover hidden quests, powerful loot, and even secret endings.
While Brencis, the primary antagonist, sets a 30-day deadline for the final confrontation, players can choose to rush the endgame. It is possible to attack Brencis' citadel shortly after completing the prologue, though this path leads directly into a challenging gauntlet of soldiers and remaining boyars.