The Blood of Dawnwalker Previews Are In — And It Could Be 2026's RPG of the Year

The Blood of Dawnwalker, the vampire-themed RPG from Rebel Wolves published by Bandai Namco, has just received its first wave of hands-on previews — and the response is almost unanimously glowing. Outlets including Eurogamer, PCGamesN, PC Gamer, and Push Square all granted four hours with the game, and the consensus is clear: this is one of the most promising RPGs in years, with several critics already calling it a legitimate Game of the Year candidate for 2026. Eurogamer praised its blend of combat, romance, and political intrigue, while PCGamesN went so far as to declare it their most-wanted game after going hands-on, describing it as "tantalizing and vicious" with a deeply human emotional core.

The elephant in the room — one that nearly every preview acknowledges head-on — is just how much The Blood of Dawnwalker owes to The Witcher 3. That's hardly surprising given that Rebel Wolves was founded by former CD Projekt Red veterans, but the degree of influence is striking. PC Gamer noted the game "borrows a heck of a lot" from its spiritual predecessor, for better and for worse, while PCGamesN argued the studio wears its Witcher 3 heritage proudly and is "all the better for it." Whether that lineage proves to be a strength or a limitation remains to be seen at launch, but for now, the previews suggest Rebel Wolves has channeled that DNA into something with genuine identity and ambition of its own.