Blood of the Dawnwalker, the upcoming open-world action-RPG from former Witcher and Cyberpunk 2077 devs, is gearing up for its 2026 launch.
As its release date draws near, Rebel Wolves reveal new details about their game, including its 30-day cycle, which many players seem concerned about. Is it a double-edged sword? Or is it an overblown issue from its community? We weigh the pros and cons.
The Pros of the 30-Day Cycle
Blood of the Dawnwalker’s 30-day cycle is tied to its story. The protagonist, Coen, gained vampiric powers after an encounter with an Elder Vampire. Now his family is at risk, and these bloodthirsty suckers are out to get them. Players only have 30 days to save Coen’s family, or it might not be sunshine and rainbows at the end of the road. The good news here is that players who miss the main story deadline can still continue playing, but they’ll unlock a different ending for taking their sweet time.
Rebel Wolves has also assured players that those concerned about the one-month cycle need not worry too much, as it is not time-sensitive. Players who prefer to sightsee and use their vampire powers in the game’s world won’t advance the time at all. Only main story missions with “Hourglass” icons can move time forward.
In a simpler sense, Blood of the Dawnwalker’s time-limited structure is similar to that of Atlus’ modern Persona games. It respects patient players, allowing them to do whatever they want until they are ready for major story beats.
The Cons of the 30-Day Cycle
Blood of the Dawnwalker’s 30-day cycle, while interesting, could also bring up issues, especially for completionists.
Players who prefer to unlock everything in a single playthrough won’t find the time limit enjoyable, as the game forces players to pick from certain quests to advance the day. This limited quest choice could restrict players who want to explore every quest, and the time-gated content can force players to replay the game again (or save scum) if they want to see the other option.
Potentially missed content can also be an issue, as hidden quests may become locked once players advance to the next day. This can frustrate players aiming for 100% completion. As of writing, Rebel Wolve hasn’t mentioned any hidden quests, but we remain hopeful that there are other ways to tackle its side content without reloading save states.
Narrative pressure can also cause players to just breeze past the main story just to get it done, and they might miss out on some of the best side-quests. The ‘sense of urgency’ may annoy players who just want to explore the 14th-century world as a badass vampire.
Overall, Blood of the Dawnwalker’s 30-day story structure could be its greatest strength or its biggest challenge. It will reward patient players, sure, but it will also frustrate those who love to explore its open world without limits, especially those who enjoy playing GWENT in The Witcher III or just riding endlessly around Night City in Cyberpunk 2077.
We won’t know until we get our hands on it.
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