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The Blood of Dawnwalker Heads Into Launch With an 83 Metascore

Rebel Wolves' first RPG has earned praise for its dark fantasy world and story, though several reviews criticized repetitive quests, uneven mechanics, and technical problems.

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The Blood of Dawnwalker screenshot showing a character in a medieval settlement beneath towering mountains — Image credit: Rebel Wolves

The Blood of Dawnwalker will launch on September 3, 2026 with an early critical reception that is mostly positive. Reviews began arriving on August 31, and the vampiric RPG currently holds an 83 Metascore on Metacritic, placing it just behind the first two Witcher games. The score is three points below The Witcher at 86 and nine points below The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt at 92.

Created by Rebel Wolves and directed by former The Witcher 3 director Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, the game has attracted attention for its dark fantasy setting and time-based quest design. The studio was founded by Konrad, giving Rebel Wolves a direct connection to the series that helped shape its debut RPG.

Creative director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz also has a substantial connection to that series. He worked as a lead quest designer on The Witcher 3 before directing Thronebreaker: The Witcher Tales and co-directing Gwent: The Witcher Card Game. In a post on X, he described the wait for reviews as nerve-racking and said that, with reviews “mostly” in, the result was a “Great relief.” He also said he could not wait for players to try the game and share their thoughts.

Waiting for the reviews to come in has been nerve wrecking to say the least, but they're finally (mostly) here! 🙌😌

Great relief, can't wait to see you all play the game and to hear your thoughts!

It's a privilege to work with such a talented Team @RebelWolvesDevs 🥰 https://t.co/fKpR7JZcx4

— Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz 🧛‍♂️ (@MTomaszkiewicz) August 31, 2026

Strong worldbuilding comes with a few rough edges

The lower review scores tend to focus on the same concerns. A 3/5 review praised the combat and worldbuilding but criticized the pacing and repetitive quests. Game Rant’s 6/10 review also highlighted the game’s world and story while pointing to technical issues and a degree of jank. Another 7/10 review criticized repetition and uneven mechanics, including the central clock system that treats time as a resource.

Those complaints have not erased the game’s stronger qualities. Vice’s 10/10 review placed the RPG among the best role-playing games released since The Witcher 3. IGN’s 9/10 review praised it as a standout vampire game with a strong story, while Destructoid’s 9.5/10 review offered similarly high praise.

GameSpot’s 8/10 review found plenty to like in the writing and combat, but it also noted technical problems and said the vampire and human forms do not always feel distinct enough. That combination of praise and criticism gives Dawnwalker a more mixed profile than its 83 score might suggest.

Across the early reviews, the clearest consensus is that Rebel Wolves has built a compelling setting with rich characters and a story that carries some of the team’s CD Projekt Red pedigree. Repetition, pacing problems, and rough mechanics keep the game from earning universal praise, but the overall response still gives the studio’s debut a strong start.

Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz later thanked his team in another post on X, describing every shipped game as a “small miracle.” The early critical response has given the creative director some breathing room, but the next test will come from players when the game launches.

The Blood of Dawnwalker will release for PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC on September 3, 2026. Its critical reception should give players plenty to consider before entering its vampire-filled world.

Are you planning to play The Blood of Dawnwalker on September 3, or do the mixed reviews give you pause? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.

The Blood of Dawnwalker is an open-world dark fantasy action RPG set in 14th-century Europe. You play as Coen, human by day and vampire by night, fighting to save your family in a story shaped by your actions and the secrets you uncover.