by Anthony O'Connor
Worth: $17.50
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Intro:
… an immersive and beautifully written story that will capture those who value narrative depth over aesthetic polish.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt dropped in 2015 and turned the games industry on its head. Despite competing with huge blockbusters like Fallout 4 that same year, The Witcher – from Polish developers CD Projekt Red – took most of the accolades and attention of RPG fans who wanted to dig into something a little deeper, a little more murky. The game not only made a buttload of cash, it also endured in a way that most titles simply don’t. Hell, CDPR recently announced a free upgrade to the game due out in late September and brand spanking new DLC coming next year. Eleven years after the game’s release! The reason we’re banging on so much about Witcher 3 is that The Blood of Dawnwalker shares so much of its DNA that it could be a close cousin. Hell, the director of this brand new title from developers Rebel Wolves, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, also helmed that timeless classic. This is both a pro and a con, because The Witcher 3 casts a long shadow, however, Dawnwalker mostly manages to step outside of it and offers something quite unique. Mostly.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is the story of humble Coen, a dirt poor villager in 14th Century Europe who is “turned” by vampire overlord Brencis, after which his family are kidnapped. The vampirism curse doesn’t quite take, however, and Coen is left as a Dawnwalker: human by day, vampire by night. The humble lad must spend the next 30 days trying to kill the vampires that rule the land and save his poor family. Despite his newfound powers and abilities, the fight may just be too much for one scrappy lad, fangs or no.
As soon as you take control of Coen, you’ll understand precisely why this review began with so many Witcher 3 comparisons. The aesthetic, the character models, the animation and the music all feel very much like that groundbreaking title, which is possibly not quite as impressive over a decade later. Still, once you get into the meat of the story, you’re likely to be less distracted by any shortcomings of presentation because, damn, this is a cracker of a yarn. Complex, nuanced, dripping with atmosphere and featuring barely any dud fetch quests, Dawnwalker leads the player through a world of murky alliances and difficult choices. Will you feed on the blood of the innocent or just enemy soldiers by night? Will you choose to help people or take advantage of them during the day? How ruthless will your Coen become to get his life, his family, back? How much will you change to achieve your goals? It’s a bloody compelling premise and keeps you immersed.
This is a good thing, too, because there are notable issues in other aspects of the game. Dawnwalker is much more of an AA entry rather than a AAA blockbuster and you’ll find this in the slightly janky sword combat, the bugs and glitches and the at-times stiff animations. It’s nothing game breaking or ruinous, mind you, but you’re likely to persevere for the story rather than the next epic vista or gorgeous cutscene.
That said, the vampire gameplay is particularly inspired, with unlockable powers turning Coen into a shape-shifting, wall-climbing, talon wielding beast, and ripping through your foes with tooth and claw never gets old. The time passing conceit, whereby every quest or action you take moves the 30-day clock forwards, may prove a little divisive, however. It means that in any given playthrough, you’re going to miss out on certain quests no matter what – there’s no way to get everything done in a single run. Honestly, it sounds more obnoxious than it is, and will absolutely add value to future playthroughs, however, completionists might find it all a bit too stressful as they are paralyzed with indecision.
The Blood of Dawnwalker is the first game from Rebel Wolves and while it certainly hews close to the Witcher 3 in terms of superficial similarities (and perhaps a little too much in terms of the musical score), this is a unique and engaging RPG experience. Bloody, dark, grimy and brimming with occasional black comedy, this is an immersive and beautifully written story that will capture those who value narrative depth over aesthetic polish.
Plus, you know, you get to feed on the blood of the living. So, that’s your fantasy weirdos and goth gamers sorted.
