Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco Entertainment have released a new deep dive into The Blood of Dawnwalker, a new fantasy RPG that’s giving serious Vampyr and The Witcher vibes. Over the last few years, modern media has sorely lacked a strong new vampire story, with the genre feeling well in need of a refresh (particularly following a string of loveable duds like Morbius).
Based on the new look at The Blood of Dawnwalker, it could certainly satisfy our cravings for more. In this RPG adventure, you play as Coen, a half-vampire who can walk in daylight (think Blade for your nearest cultural reference). When the sun’s out, Coen wanders towns in search of danger, protecting townsfolk from the encroachment of evil-minded vampires.
He can interact with various townsfolk as a friend, wielding his special daywalking abilities to travel amongst them, and even enter churches. As described by Rebel Wolves, Coen is functionally a human during the day, so he can indulge in activities that all humans enjoy.
The change happens at night, when Coen unwillingly transforms into a vampire. In this form, he unlocks a new powerset, and can using abilities like vampiric claw swipes and shadowstepping. He can also climb on walls, in defiance of gravity. This power comes with a price, however, as Coen suffers a ‘relentless bloodlust’ thanks to this transformation, and humans will fear him.
Despite being human by day, he is tempted to spill blood by his nature, and players must choose how to satisfy these urges.
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This system feels a lot like that of Vampyr, in which a human doctor is also transformed into a vampire, and must grapple with his new needs to turn against his compatriots, to the detriment of the world. With The Blood of Dawnwalker described as a ‘narrative sandbox’ we expect players will have a similar freedom of choice, deciding whether to use Coen’s powers for good or evil.
The Blood of Dawnwalker – Gameplay Overview
Given the history of Rebel Wolves – it’s a studio comprised of many former CD Projekt Red developers, with credits including The Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 – we expect big things from The Blood of Dawnwalker. In this latest vertical slice, the game looks fantastic, certainly displaying plenty of Witcher shades, while introducing novel RPG features in its dual human and vampire gameplay.
Whether you’re a fan of the vampire genre or not, The Blood of Dawnwalker looks like it has plenty to offer. It’s certainly on our list of the most anticipated games of 2026.
We look forward to seeing much more from this project in future.
