The Blood of Dawnwalker Gamescom Gameplay Impressions

In this video, I'm going to talk about my first impressions of The Blood of Dawnwalker, an action role-playing game developed by Rebel Wolves.

This studio is made up of former CDPR executives and staff, including the lead quest designer for The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, which is pretty exciting.

The game is being published by Bandai Namco and is expected to release sometime next year, though no exact date has been announced yet.

Gamescom 2025

I attended Gamescom about a week and a half ago and got around 45 minutes to an hour-long presentation by Rebel Wolves. Frankly, I was blown away by what I saw.

This is by far the best game I saw at Gamescom this year, maybe with Phantom Blade Zero a close second only because I had played it before.

The Blood of Dawnwalker looks incredible, and I want to share why I think this will be a fantastic action RPG next year.

The Blood of Dawnwalker Gameplay

Immediately, when you start watching gameplay, you can see the soul of The Witcher 3 in this title. The look, vibe, and polish are reminiscent of CDPR's hallmark quality.

It’s not copying The Witcher 3, but you can clearly feel the same level of passion and dedication put into this project.

Medieval Setting

The game is set in a fictional version of medieval Europe, and one of the most interesting twists is how it handles vampires. In this world, vampires are already in power, controlling regions and demanding blood tribute from villages to prevent them from preying on citizens.

This flips the usual vampire narrative on its head, humans aren’t in rebellion; they’re coping with the consequences of vampire rule.

As a Dawnwalker, the main character can traverse both daylight and nighttime, which is a unique trait. This is visually represented by two differently colored eyes, which you’ll see in promotional artwork and close-ups of Cohen.

Abilities change based on the time of day: during the day, Cohen has more human-like abilities and some spellcasting, while at night, he taps into his vampire powers, gaining strength, speed, and other abilities.

Day and Night Cycle

The day/night cycle plays a huge role. It not only affects Cohen’s abilities but also changes quest outcomes. For example, climbing a clock tower at night as a vampire might be effortless, while during the day, you’d need to sneak past guards or falsify paperwork.

Most quests seem to have different solutions depending on the time, which adds a layer of strategic decision-making.

Time as a Currency

Another fascinating mechanic is that time is a currency. Decisions you make during quests advance the clock, which is critical because Cohen’s sister has been abducted by vampires and has a limited lifespan, around 30 days.

Failing to save her doesn’t end the game, but you deal with the consequences, which might include her turning into a vampire or other story ramifications.

This mechanic creates tension and weight behind every choice, as advancing time also moves the game from day to night, affecting gameplay simultaneously.

Combat

Combat looks incredibly polished. Dawnwalker vampire powers are still somewhat under wraps, but the swordplay shown felt very Witcher 3-esque with dodging, blocking, parrying, and camera angles revolving around the character.

There’s also another camera option planned for combat. While The Witcher 3’s combat was arguably the weakest part of that game, here it looks like a potential improvement, and I’m keeping a close eye on how refined it gets.

Visuals and Presentation

The level of polish is staggering. It was the best-looking game at Gamescom, with incredible art direction, visuals, audio, and vibe. Gameplay looked fun and meaningful, with choices that clearly matter.

Among other fantastic games at Gamescom like Phantom Blade Zero, Crimson Desert, and Dawn of War 4, this one stood out as the most promising. However, the jury is still out until more gameplay is seen.

Voice Acting

The main character, Coen, is voiced by Will Durenzy Martin, known for Baldur’s Gate 3, Warhammer 40,000 Rogue Trader, Zenless Zone Zero, and more.

He’s very knowledgeable and passionate about voice acting, and getting him on board is a huge positive for the game.

My Thoughts

Overall, I’m incredibly excited for The Blood of Dawnwalker. It has the potential to be an absolutely amazing action RPG. While it’s too early to claim it reaches Witcher 3 levels, the slice I’ve seen shows a high level of polish and care.

I can’t wait to see more and watch how the time mechanic, day/night cycle, and combat play out in a full game.

Are you excited for this one? Is it flying under your radar? It’s set to release in 2026, so there’s still a lot of time, but it’s definitely one to keep an eye on.