Polish studio Rebel Wolves has shared over 20 minutes’ worth of gameplay footage from The Blood of Dawnwalker, its upcoming vampire-themed open-world RPG. The newly debuted preview marks the most extensive look at The Blood of Dawnwalker to date.
Rebel Wolves first revealed The Blood of Dawnwalker in January 2025—a year after confirming the project’s existence. With its promise of an open-world RPG featuring monster hunting and morally gray, consequential choices—not to mention the fact that it’s developed by former CD Projekt Red veterans—the game has drawn frequent comparisons to The Witcher. It’s currently targeting a 2026 release for the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
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With Rebel Wolves’ marketing efforts ramping up, the Polish developer has now treated The Blood of Dawnwalker to an extensive gameplay reveal. Its newly concluded June 21 event yielded more than 21 minutes of gameplay footage, mostly captured during one mid-game quest from a pre-beta version of the ARPG. The quest follows protagonist Coen as he investigates a rumor about a mysterious weapon hidden in the crypts of an old cathedral.
The Blood of Dawnwalker Showcases Intense ARPG Combat System
Before reaching the cathedral itself, Coen is seen exploring some countryside, where he ends up fighting a group of bandits and showcasing The Blood of Dawnwalker‘s combat system. According to Rebel Wolves, the game’s swordplay is designed to make players feel like true swordmasters who observe enemies carefully and dismantle them based on their movements, particularly attack direction. In addition to basic attacks and parries, Coen can use special abilities that consume health. One such skill, Burning Blood, inflicts damage over time, while another—Artery Attack—decapitates enemies. Selecting abilities during combat pauses the game, Dragon Age-style.
Time in The Blood of Dawnwalker Is a Resource, Not a Racing Clock
Since the game’s reveal, Rebel Wolves has emphasized The Blood of Dawnwalker‘s “narrative sandbox” design that doesn’t distinguish between main quests and side stories. Instead, players are given a set amount of time to pursue any activity on their path to the ultimate goal of saving their family, a structure intended to make every playthrough feel unique. The newly released gameplay footage offered further insight into this system, including the promise that the game treats time as a resource rather than a “racing clock.” This suggests that certain actions will advance time, while simply idling or exploring the overworld will not, Persona-style.
The Blood of Dawnwalker’s Vampirism Is Both a Blessing and a Curse
Since Coen transforms into a vampire at night, he becomes more conspicuous but also gains access to expanded traversal abilities—both vertical and otherwise. His health also functions as a hunger meter, and each night begins with reduced health, making it essential to feed in order to unlock his full skill set. Players can choose to feed on NPCs to the point of killing them, draw just enough blood to render them unconscious, or avoid harming humans altogether by feeding on animals. Avoiding feeding entirely will eventually cause Coen to lose control, which is typically the least desirable outcome. Depending on whether they tackle quests as a human or vampire—and before or after allying with certain characters—players will have different options for completing them.