Discover the intriguing dual life of The Blood of Dawnwalker's protagonist, as revealed by the former director of The Witcher 3. This unique game mechanic promises to revolutionize gameplay by harnessing the power of day and night.
The Blood of Dawnwalker: Introducing a Unique Game Mechanic
Former Witcher 3 Director Teases Protagonist's Day-and-Night Abilities and Limitations
Konrad Tomaszkiewicz, the former director of The Witcher 3 and founder of Rebel Wolves, has unveiled an innovative game mechanic for The Blood of Dawnwalker. This new studio, comprised of some Witcher 3 veterans, is crafting a game that delves into unexplored territories of video game storytelling.
In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Tomaszkiewicz highlighted the challenge of moving away from typical superhero narratives. "It’s hard to do those stories because you are just stronger and stronger and stronger," he stated. "So I searched for an idea for the hero, which would be near the ground—or grounded—and needed to solve things in a different way. But, also, I wanted to give some kind of superhero to the players."
To address this, Tomaszkiewicz introduced a protagonist, Coen, who embodies the duality of being half-human and half-vampire. By day, Coen faces the vulnerabilities of a human, but by night, he taps into his supernatural vampiric abilities.
"This duality of the hero, which we know from Doctor Jekyll and Mr Hyde, for example, is something in pop culture that is well known and wasn’t explored yet in games," Tomaszkiewicz explained. "It gives you a different layer to those non-realities, and I think it would be quite interesting because nobody yet has done that. And we will see how people will like it."
This mechanic not only opens new strategic opportunities for players but also imposes limitations. Engaging enemies at night, especially non-vampires, becomes advantageous, while daytime challenges may require more cunning and strategy.
Witcher 3’s Ex-Design Director Also Revealed “Time-as-a-Resource” Mechanic
Daniel Sadowski, the former design director of The Witcher 3, further elaborated on another unique mechanic in The Blood of Dawnwalker: the "time-as-a-resource" system. In an interview with PC Gamer on January 16, 2025, Sadowski discussed how this mechanic forces players to make critical decisions.
"It will definitely force you to make choices at some points, like what to do, and what to ignore, because you will also have to choose which content you want to do, and which content you want to ignore, in order to maximize your chances of defeating the main enemy," Sadowski explained. "But you will be able to choose between different ways to approach the problem, and that all ties into the narrative sandbox again."
This system requires players to strategically plan their actions, considering how each quest might affect future missions and relationships. While it imposes restrictions, Sadowski believes it adds depth to the gameplay. "Knowing that the time you have is limited could really help crystalize what you're going to do, and why your version of the game's protagonist, Coen, is doing it."
With these two innovative mechanics, every decision in The Blood of Dawnwalker becomes crucial, enhancing the narrative and gameplay experience.
