An upcoming PlayStation 5 RPG has impressed critics, with some calling it their “next gaming obsession.” Developed by Rebel Wolves and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the open-world dark fantasy game is set to make its official debut this week.
It appears Rebel Wolves’ ambitious project, The Blood of Dawnwalker, has generated positive word-of-mouth ahead of launch. Many reviewers are already praising the role-playing game.
This is reflected in The Blood of Dawnwalker’s ‘Mighty’ status on OpenCritic. At the time of this article’s publication, it holds an average score of 84 out of 100, based on 59 reviews.
According to Tyler Treese of Comingsoon.net, while the game has issues with its animations, it still emerges as “one of the year’s best releases and your next gaming obsession.”
Salal Awan of Twisted Voxel wrote that the game makes “an impressive debut with compelling writing, meaningful day night mechanics, and versatile combat.” Luuc ten Velde of XGN.nl compared the game with The Witcher 3 and called it a “fantastic open world RPG with a sharply written story, great characters and meaningful choices throughout.”
Similarly, Steve Brieller of Cerealkillerz drew parallels to The Witcher, praising the RPG’s outstanding voice acting and sound design, which contribute “to an atmosphere that makes the player genuinely care about the fates of its characters and the world they inhabit.”
Why Blood of Dawnwalker’s unique systems outweigh its rough edges
Just like any other game, The Blood of Dawnwalker on PS5 isn’t without flaws. In its case, the animations are still rough, to say the least. Fortunately, the developer has promised to provide a frame rate patch at launch.
There are also moments when character movement and traversal feel awkward. However, such instances don’t take away from the small development team’s efforts to deliver an immersive swordplay experience.
The game’s unique systems and gameplay mechanics make this particularly evident. For example, the combat is direction-based, requiring players to hold the analog stick in the direction of their intended attack. Similarly, they must hold the stick in the correct direction when blocking an attack. It’s a very simple yet captivating way of making the sword-fighting sequences feel immersive and refreshing.
Several other features also make the gameplay extremely entertaining for players. They can use witchcraft to speak with the dead and also walk across vertical surfaces through plane shifting. Plus, the unique 30-day structure of the story raises the stakes higher as players are constantly reminded of the remaining time to refine their builds and pursue their main objectives.
The Blood of Dawnwalker releases on September 3, 2026, for PS5 alongside Xbox Series X|S and PC.
