New RPG Is Like The Witcher Meets Persona

Rebel Wolves, a studio comprised of former CD Projekt Red developers, unveiled a cinematic trailer for their debut title, The Blood of Dawnwalker. This open-world RPG, reminiscent of The Witcher, features a dark fantasy setting, morally grey choices, and a compelling outcast protagonist. A unique twist is the inclusion of Persona-like time management mechanics.

The trailer, predominantly pre-rendered footage with brief gameplay glimpses, highlights the game's Witcher-esque qualities. Announced initially as Dawnwalker in January 2024, the game was officially revealed as The Blood of Dawnwalker on January 13, 2025, via a reveal stream hosted by Rebel Wolves and Bandai Namco. The over four-and-a-half-minute trailer introduces the setting and the Dawnwalkers—powerful vampire-like beings—along with the protagonist, Coen, who becomes a Dawnwalker at the game's outset.

Echoes of The Witcher

The Blood of Dawnwalker's dark fantasy world, monsters, morally grey choices, and open-world RPG structure immediately evoke The Witcher series. The tagline, "the world needs what it fears," further strengthens this comparison. Fans of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's Blood and Wine expansion, with its vampires and challenging decisions, will likely find the premise intriguing. The game's morality system allows players to choose whether Coen embraces his Dawnwalker nature to save his family or clings to his humanity.

A Persona-Inspired Twist

While sharing similarities with The Witcher, The Blood of Dawnwalker innovates with Persona-inspired time management. Every quest consumes time, forcing players to prioritize. 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" approach, where completing all quests in one playthrough is impossible, encourages replayability and unique experiences.

Currently in development for PC and current-gen consoles (PlayStation and Xbox), The Blood of Dawnwalker is planned as the first in a trilogy and will be published by Bandai Namco. While a release date remains unannounced, given its 2022 development start and AAA budget, a 2027 release or later seems plausible. A gameplay reveal is promised for Summer 2025.