In a new RPG, you'll defeat the main boss when you want to. The Blood of Dawnwalker devs call it a „narrative sandbox”
The creative director of The Blood of Dawnalker gave an overview of the key aspects of the game, among which the narrative sandbox stands out the most. This is an introduction to the gameplay preview.
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The Blood of Dawnwalker. Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz, the director at Rebel Wolves studio, shared some key insights about the game on the Microsoft website. This is just a taste of the game showcase.
Narrative sandbox
The game tells the story of Coen, a young man transformed into a dawnwalker - a man by day, a vampire by night. Balancing between two worlds, Coen tries to save those he loves, even if it means using a power he once feared.
Both forms of the protagonist are supposed to be equally engaging, fun, and important in the gameplay. Each will offer unique abilities and will influence the world and the plot in a different way. The devs want to give players as much control over the story as possible, creating something they call a "narrative sandbox." This means nothing else but a clear goal, but many ways to achieve it.
In other words, how we save the Coen family will depend solely on us. After the prologue, the game will open up its world to us, not just for exploring, but also for storytelling.
Some players may focus more on the vampire side of the character, while others will stick to humanity. The game lets you team up with the human resistance movement, but you might never encounter it, for example, if you go straight for the main boss, Brencis. Nothing will stop us from doing it right at the beginning, although it might not be easy to do at that time.
This open, player-driven approach is what we call the narrative sandbox. It's the philosophy at the core of our storytelling.
Combat
Tomaszkiewicz also told a bit about the combat in The Blood of Dawnwalker. Coen has been training in swordsmanship with his father for years, so when we start the game, we won't be playing as a novice. The developers, while deg the combat, studied medieval styles, and they have trained fencers in their team. Therefore, they are sure that the fight seems authentic, yet accessible and satisfying.
As for magic, it will be dark and earthy, associated with "blood, warmth, and air, which seems to pulsate and breathe." To cast a spell, Coen must literally open his body to occultism, carving runes and becoming a living conduit of magic. However, using them comes at a cost, which is humanity.
Here comes into play the system of vampire hunger - when Coen loses health, he risks losing control over his vampire nature. This may lead to the unintended draining of life from independent characters, even those crucial to the entire plot.
We will receive more details about the game on June 21 at 12:00 pm PT, when a special stream will take place. The whole thing will take about 45 minutes, and most importantly, we will see fragments of actual gameplay during it.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is heading to PC, PS5, and XSX/S. The game will be released in 2026.
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