Polish studio Rebel Wolves hasn't been shy about The Witcher 3's influence on its open world vampire RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker. Based on the four hours I've spent with it, I think the resemblance is unmistakable, but tasteful. It's far better than a clone, and this new studio has a kit bag of ideas of its own. I came away feeling like The Blood of Dawnwalker is better than a studio's first blockbuster RPG has any right to be.
The three-hour prologue sets the game's lockjaw tone. Protagonist Coen, before he becomes a Vrakhiri—basically a vampire—lives in a small village with his family. The village is ruled over by Brencis, a deteriorating husk of a being who nevertheless, compared to his tyrannical predecessors, is a fairly liberal fellow. The community need not worry about "taxes, tithes or chores" under his rule, which is exceedingly rare in this medieval approximation of eastern Europe.
But there is one significant rub: the gaunt, wraith-like Brencis requires ev...
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