Rebel Wolves’ The Blood of Dawnwalker finally received some in-depth gameplay, including the combat. If you played Kingdom Come: Deliverance, it will look very familiar as you select one of four directions to attack an opponent, ideally where they can’t parry.
However, the same holds for Coen when enemies attack. While you can fight with a sword during the day, he busts out the claws, though you can combine claw attacks with sword skills. As you deal damage, activation charges are earned and can be used for Hexes like Burning Blood to deal physical damage over time or decapitate enemies with the Artery Attack.
There are three skill trees – Human, Vampire, and Shared – with Active Abilities dictating the unlockable skills for battle. Of course, feeding on enemies and using claws aren’t the only vampire-like things that Coen can do. He can also use Shadowstep to jump to any place within reach, Focus Mode to highlight objects of interest, and Planeshift to scale walls and ceilings.
While exploring the cathedral at night, Coen encounters Xanthe, the oldest vampire and ally to the game’s main villain. He’ll have to contend with Blood Guards, who use vampire blood to make themselves stronger, and eventually Xanthe herself, who uses blood control abilities. You also have to beware of Boiling Blood since it can kill Coen instantly.
Xanthe is a challenging opponent even at this stage, but she also has a questline focused on her motivations and past, allowing players to perhaps reason with her. Each quest has multiple paths in The Blood of Dawnwalker and decisions to make, some in an instant. It’s available in 2026 for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC, so stay tuned for more updates.
