The Blood of Dawnwalker opens with a deceptively peaceful depiction of 14th-century peasant life before plunging players into a dark fantasy world. Protagonist Coen's idyllic existence in Vale Sangora is shattered by the arrival of Brencis, a ruthless vampire who usurms control, transforms Coen, and threatens his family. This setup immediately thrusts players into a narrative-driven action RPG where choices carry significant weight.
Comparisons to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are inevitable, given the game's medieval fantasy setting, monster-ravaged world, and the development team's pedigree, which includes former CD Projekt Red talent. However, The Blood of Dawnwalker carves out its own identity, with the reviewer finding that in some aspects, it even surpasses its acclaimed predecessor.
Early hours of gameplay reveal a game that prioritizes player freedom. After an initial introduction to Coen's predicament and a confined open-world area, players are given ample opportunity to explore, pursue objectives in various ways, build relationships, and influence the narrative through dialogue and actions. The game allows for a significant degree of non-linear progression, with the primary goal being the rescue of Coen's family. How and when players choose to achieve this is entirely up to them; attempting to confront Brencis immediately after the prologue, for instance, is a viable but ill-advised option.
This freedom extends to the game's quest design. Instead of a rigid main questline, The Blood of Dawnwalker presents a singular objective, allowing players to approach it from any direction. Quests are intricately interconnected, often with the same objective being achievable through different tasks or appearing in altered states depending on prior player actions. This interconnectedness creates a rewarding experience, where stumbling upon characters or situations previously encountered in unrelated missions feels organic and impactful.
Even smaller activities are imbued with narrative depth. Sabotaging Brencis's reign through seemingly minor quests, such as intercepting a prisoner transport or clearing a bandit camp, can lead to unexpected narrative developments. Rescued prisoners might offer combat training, or a lone survivor might reveal plans for resistance, enriching the world and encouraging engagement with even the most humble tasks.
The game's standout feature is its time management system. Unlike many open-world RPGs where time progresses passively, The Blood of Dawnwalker uses a segmented day/night cycle. Key actions like combat, dialogue, or skill upgrades advance time by one or more segments. This mechanic, rather than feeling restrictive, enhances immersion by forcing players to consider the value of each action against the ticking clock of Coen's family's impending doom. This prevents players from becoming sidetracked indefinitely by side activities, ensuring the main narrative remains a constant, pressing concern.
While the time system requires careful consideration, it does not feel oppressive. Players can explore freely without advancing the in-game clock, and all time costs are displayed upfront, allowing for deliberate choices. The generous allocation of time segments per cycle—16 per cycle, totaling 480 before the family's deadline—provides ample room for exploration and other pursuits. Even the cost of spending skill points, initially a point of concern, is framed as a natural consequence for becoming more powerful.
Coen's unique nature as a "Dawnwalker," a vampire by night and human (or witch) by day, adds another layer to the gameplay. While Coen is strongest in his vampiric form, utilizing daytime for conversations and skill upgrades while reserving nighttime for dangerous missions is a viable strategy. However, the game also offers non-violent solutions during the day, providing distinct experiences for quests tackled in different time periods and preventing daytime activities from becoming rote.
The combat system, built around directional blocking and counter-attacks, is functional but can become repetitive. While vampiric, witchcraft, and sword skills add variety, the core block-attack-block loop lacks strategic depth, allowing players to overcome most challenges through proficient directional blocking alone.
Despite the combat system's shortcomings, The Blood of Dawnwalker excels in its storytelling, choices, and atmosphere. The game's innovative approach to questing and time management sets it apart, offering a freeing and deeply engaging RPG experience that, while reminiscent of The Witcher 3, stands firmly on its own merits.