New RPG Is Like The Witcher Meets Persona

Summary

• Rebel Wolves, a studio comprised of former CD Projekt Red developers, unveiled a cinematic trailer for their debut game, The Blood of Dawnwalker.
• The Blood of Dawnwalker is an open-world RPG set in a dark fantasy world, offering morally gray choices and a compelling outcast protagonist, reminiscent of The Witcher.
• The game innovatively incorporates Persona-style time management mechanics.

The Blood of Dawnwalker's highly anticipated reveal trailer, a blend of pre-rendered cinematic sequences and brief gameplay glimpses, debuted recently. The trailer emphasizes the game's previously announced similarities to The Witcher, while also highlighting its unique Persona-inspired elements.

Developed by Rebel Wolves, a Polish studio founded by former CD Projekt Red developers (known for The Witcher series and Cyberpunk 2077), The Blood of Dawnwalker was initially announced as Dawnwalker in January 2024. It was described then as a narrative-driven, open-world RPG featuring impactful choices and a dark fantasy setting.

A year later, on January 13th, Rebel Wolves and publisher Bandai Namco presented a reveal stream culminating in a captivating cinematic trailer exceeding four and a half minutes. This trailer establishes the game's world and introduces the Dawnwalkers—powerful, vampire-like beings—along with the protagonist, Coen, who becomes a Dawnwalker at the game's outset.

The Blood of Dawnwalker Reveal Trailer: Echoes of The Witcher

The Blood of Dawnwalker's dark fantasy setting, monstrous creatures, open-world exploration, and morally ambiguous choices immediately evoke the spirit of The Witcher, even independent of its development team's history. Fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Blood and Wine expansion, with its vampires and challenging decisions, will find the premise particularly intriguing. The game's emphasis on player choice is central, with a morality system allowing Coen to either embrace his Dawnwalker nature to save his family or cling to his humanity.

The Blood of Dawnwalker: A Persona-Inspired Twist

While sharing surface similarities with The Witcher, The Blood of Dawnwalker introduces a unique gameplay twist: Persona-like time management. Every quest consumes time, creating a strategic layer to gameplay. As Rebel Wolves co-founder and game director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz explains, "There are multiple approaches to saving Coen’s family with no clear division between main and side quests; you decide on how you spend the time." This "narrative sandbox" design, where completing all quests in a single playthrough is impossible, fosters replayability and ensures unique experiences.

There are multiple approaches to saving Coen’s family with no clear division between main and side quests; you decide on how you spend the time.

Currently in development for PC and current-gen PlayStation and Xbox consoles, The Blood of Dawnwalker is planned as the first installment in a trilogy, published by Bandai Namco. While a release date remains unannounced, given its 2022 development start and AAA budget, a release before 2027 seems unlikely. Rebel Wolves has promised a gameplay reveal in Summer 2025.