Unveiling The Blood of Dawnwalker: A Dark RPG Journey into Family and Morality!

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There’s been a lot of buzz about the upcoming action RPG, “The Blood of Dawnwalker,” since it was revealed last month. Creating a new intellectual property (IP) in today’s market can be challenging, as many studios choose to stick with sequels or remakes instead. However, for developer Rebel Wolves—a team made up of industry veterans who worked on games like “The Witcher 3” and “Cyberpunk 2077″—taking the safe route was never an option for their debut project.

Game Rant recently had a chat with Jakub Szamalek, the narrative director of “The Blood of Dawnwalker.” During this conversation, they delved into various aspects of the game’s development, exploring some of its innovative features, explaining the workings behind them, and offering insights into the game’s distinctive storyline. For the sake of clarity and conciseness, the interview has been edited.

The Blood of Dawnwalker’s Setting Explained

A: Could you discuss the choice of the game’s backdrop and era? Why did you think this specific time and place were suitable for the game?

Given our past experiences creating settings based on medieval themes, it proved to be an excellent foundation. This era, with its ominous, murky, violent, and gory aspects, is captivating. I envisioned a fictional location in 14th-century Eastern Europe, where various cultures, dialects, faiths from the region intermingle. This isolated spot at the fringe of the continent serves as a crossroads where history and folklore converge.

A: Could you share some insights on integrating vampire folklore into gameplay mechanics? What sets the character apart, being a Penumbral, in terms of unique abilities or traits?

The unique characteristic of our main character, Coen, lies in his ability to straddle the boundary between day and night. At twilight, he inhabits a vampire’s realm, possessing physical strength, supernatural talents, yet vulnerable to dark allurements. But with the break of dawn, he transforms back into his human self. This dual nature allows him to empathize with both humans and creatures that roam during the night.

How The Blood of Dawnwalker’s Antagonist Fits into the Story

How does Brencis stand out as an exceptional adversary for your tale, and what kind of dynamic exists between Coen and Brencis?

They ask about why Brencis is a great antagonist in the story and what the relationship between Brencis and Coen is like. The second version is slightly more concise but still maintains clarity and readability.

In our storyline, Brencis is portrayed as a complex character. Although he consumes human blood, he provides significant benefits. For instance, he overthrew the tyrannical ruler who tormented Vale Sangora’s inhabitants and employed his unique blood to eradicate their plague. Some humans find this arrangement – sacrificing freedom and dignity for safety – entirely acceptable. Not all residents of the valley will view Coen as a hero; Brencis has numerous devoted subjects prepared to lay down their lives for him. Furthermore, Brencis is not a mindless beast – he was once a high-ranking human, a soldier, and a politician. These past experiences enable him to manage an efficient government and prepare for potential threats. The details of his relationship with Coen will be unveiled later on.

A: Could you elaborate on how the Blood of Dawnwalker enhances the storyline? What main ideas does the game revolve around?

Certainly!

A: Indeed. Our game is heavily story-focused, yet we strive to give players the freedom to shape their own narrative. We offer various elements, and it’s up to the player to decide how they fit together. There’s no difference between main and secondary missions; instead, the story develops based on your choices. Given its complexity and numerous layers, our game touches on several themes, but family is one of the key ones. It delves into what makes a family strong, what can tear it apart, how to cope with challenging situations, and how to balance care and sacrifice. Moreover, it explores whether family is more of a blessing or a burden. We’ve created multiple narratives that address these questions in a mature, thoughtful manner, and we’re eager to let you experience them.

The Blood of Dawnwalker Has Its Own Take on Vampires

A: It seems it’s been a while since there was an RPG centered around vampires. What attracted me to this theme, and how are the vampires in my work different from those portrayed in other media?

A: Just as you note, we’ve long felt that the intriguing realm of vampires has been somewhat overlooked, which is a real pity since they’re such fascinating creatures, aren’t they? However, we’re mindful that this topic has already been extensively covered in various media, and there’s a risk of our work becoming repetitive or dull. To avoid this, we’ve put in a great deal of effort to develop our own distinctive vampire folklore, drawing heavily from real-world mythologies. I don’t want to give too much away, but the origins and final destinies of our vampires differ significantly from what you’ve encountered in other vampire narratives.

The Blood of Dawnwalker is Being Built on Solid Foundations

A: Given that your team boasts extensive experience from creating remarkable RPGs such as The Witcher, how many elements from those earlier RPGs are inherent in The Blood of Dawnwalker’s genetic makeup?

B: As avid gamers, our hearts resonate deeply with storytelling and role-playing. We’re constructing “The Blood of Dawnwalker” using the knowledge we’ve gained from past projects as developers and artists. We’re taking inspiration from timeless games like “Fallout 2“, known for its extraordinary narrative freedom, while simultaneously aiming to elevate the RPG experience with our unique contributions.

We aim to create something novel and invigorating by blending several unique elements, such as the dual personality of our lead character, a double gaming loop, and the 30-day and 30-night concept. Essentially, we want to merge open storytelling with an immersive narrative experience, featuring a vast world brimming with significant quests, captivating characters, and unforgettable encounters. Moreover, the gameplay will be enriched by Coen’s extraordinary abilities, delivering emotionally charged interactions with various characters and a compelling gameplay experience overall.

Q: What can you tell us about the combat design? What’s the core philosophy?

Answer: We’ll be ready to pass along the solutions for these questions once the complete unveiling of the gameplay takes place this summer.

How The Blood of Dawnwalker Approaches Open-World Design

Could you elaborate on the philosophy behind the game’s open-world design and exploration, as well as the approach taken? Furthermore, what size or scope might players encounter while playing?

The fundamental approach in our game development is ensuring every element contributes to the story, deepens the plot, and enhances the player’s immersion within the game environment. We aren’t just adding content to our open world; instead, we focus on elements directly linked to Coen’s quest for salvation, the origin of the hidden realm inhabited by vampires and other night creatures, or the history of Vale Sangora itself. Regarding the game’s extent, at present, we anticipate a single playthrough lasting around 40 hours or more, but we’ll have a clearer picture near launch.

A: How does the fact that the player has just 30 in-game days to complete their mission break down, and how does this time limit interact with other game elements?

In the game titled “The Blood of Dawnwalker”, time isn’t set on a strict timer, and you aren’t compelled to rush through events. However, the character Coen will face a deadline of 30 days and nights within the game to achieve his primary objective – rescuing his family. Each quest you complete will advance the timeline because the world carries on regardless of Coen’s actions; certain things will happen whether he is ready or not. Engaging with the environment or talking with NPCs won’t progress the time, but Coen’s choices and inaction will have impacts on the story, the world, and its inhabitants. It’s essential to understand that the game doesn’t end after 30 days and 30 nights, but let’s not jump ahead too quickly.

A: After keeping quiet about Dawnwalker for so long while I was developing it, I can finally share some insights! Anything in particular that you’d like to know more about?

We wanted to emphasize several key elements in our story, particularly the complex personality of our main character, Coen, and the influence of Brencis’ rule on the Vale Sangora and its inhabitants. This ties into our studio’s ambition to create a captivating narrative that delves into thought-provoking themes like the shifting nature of morality from various viewpoints. We aimed to depict how an ordinary character would respond when faced with unexpected challenges; not only dealing with legends becoming real and disrupting his life, but also grappling with the necessity of embracing his dark side to protect those he cares about.

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2025-02-16 20:17