Review: The Blood of Dawnwalker (PS5) – A Fang-Tastic Vampire RPG Held Back by Toothless Combat
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Pushsquare's review of The Blood of Dawnwalker, the debut RPG from Rebel Wolves, a studio founded by former Witcher 3 developers, finds a promising vampire-themed story hampered by weaker combat. The game opens strongly with an intriguing premise: players control Coen, a young villager whose family and community live under the rule of Brencis, an ancient vampire paradoxically revered as a saviour for curing a plague, in exchange for regular blood tribute. The review notes the game sustains its early promise for its first five hours or so but never quite maintains that momentum, ultimately falling short of greatness, though it remains a solid, emotionally engaging story-driven experience worth playing for fans of vampire fiction.
A central mechanic is time management, with Coen given 30 in-game days and nights to save his family and fellow villagers; the game largely avoids traditional side quests, instead letting every lead tie back into the main goal, giving players freedom to forge their own path through Vale Sangora. The reviewer completed the game in around 40 hours and still had nearly a week of in-game time left over, suggesting the time-limit structure is more of a pacing illusion than a genuine constraint. Strong character writing and voice acting are highlighted as standout strengths, while the review's title signals that combat is the game's weakest element, ultimately holding back an otherwise fang-tastic RPG.
- Pushsquare reviews The Blood of Dawnwalker, Rebel Wolves' vampire RPG debut.
- Strong story and characters let down by underwhelming combat.
- 30-day time system offers freedom but proves less restrictive than intended.
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The Blood of Dawnwalker is a new role-playing video game for PS5, developed by Rebel Wolves, a studio set up by former members of the team behind The Witcher 3. It casts players as Coen, a young man in a village controlled by Brencis, an ancient vampire who is both feared and respected: he once cured a deadly plague, but in return demands regular offerings of blood from the community.
The game centres on a time-limited story, giving players 30 in-game days to try to save Coen's family and neighbours, with most quests tied directly to that central goal rather than offering unrelated side missions. It has drawn attention as a high-profile debut project for a studio built on pedigree from one of gaming's most acclaimed RPG series, making comparisons to that earlier work inevitable.
Reviews of the game, including one from gaming outlet Pushsquare, are now assessing how it holds up on release, weighing its narrative and character work against other elements of the gameplay experience.
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