The Blood of Dawnwalker is a game I've been excited about for some time now, and I'm happy to say that it has lived up to my expectations and beyond, providing a great take on vampiric fiction and utilising a very common base formula to craft an all-round unique experience that leaves you wanting to keep playing and playing after every quest. Although it stumbles with balancing and difficulty within the first few hours following the opening sections, it makes up for it very swiftly with the phenomenal experience that follows.

I couldn't begin a review of The Blood of Dawnwalker without mentioning its amazing prologue to the main story. The first few hours of the game set up protagonist Coen's motivation, character links, and vampiric origin phenomenally, truly letting you immerse yourself in the world of Vale Sangora while hooking you into the main story and giving you reasons to keep going.

This time also brings you up to speed with the combat, both human and Vrakhiri (Coen's vampire form), very early on in a "dream" sequence, meaning that you aren't thrown into the deep end when combat is needed later on, and letting you be more accustomed to the Vrakhiri change when it does happen. It can't be stressed enough how great these first few hours are at truly immersing you in Coen's journey, while also allowing you to get to grips with the basics before the all-important 30-day clock starts ticking.

However, I found that the well-paced, engaging introduction was undercut by some very aggressive difficulty in the hours that followed. I realised very quickly that after the prologue, the game doesn't like to hold your hand in terms of combat (which is, in a way, commendable) and instead leaves you to your own devices. I discovered that even on the "fair" difficulty, the combat felt very "unfair", which could lead to some frustrating moments if you aren't sure where to go or what to do, or, more importantly, how to. This issue is remedied pretty quickly, however, once you gain a few levels and distribute a couple of skill points, but it is still worth mentioning because it can be demoralising at times.

My main advice for the first few in-game days is to explore and feel out each quest without being afraid to die. Pay close attention to the 'skull' icons next to the quest text; they are your best friend in finding out where to head next, as they correspond to the difficulty of said mission. This does sadly mean you might have to swallow your pride every now and again and go for the easier option (I know, I didn't like doing it either), which, in the long run, will really improve your experience with the game as a whole. But even with these tips, be prepared for quite a brutal combat challenge if you want to play on any difficulty fair or above; unlike a lot of games, "challenging" really means challenging!

Speaking of the combat, The Blood of Dawnwalker has a simple but enjoyable combat style that embodies how you fight, with direction-based attacks and defensive moves, akin to Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which all feel smooth and fun to execute. This can, however, become slightly repetitive when paired with the lack of enemy variety; that's not to say it's unenjoyable, but for people looking for a lot of variation in combat, you might be a little disappointed by the battles you face in Coen's shoes, but still be able to find a lot of enjoyment in the polished and refined combat system.

To remedy this lack of variety, Coen's Vrakhiri form brings many new combat styles to sink your teeth into, such as razor-sharp claws and blood-sucking bites that you can perform mid-battle. There are also various skills you can learn from the skill tree for both of Coen's forms, along with sword arts that come with certain weapons, which provide a much-needed mix-up to combat encounters.

I have to admit that Coen's Vrakhri form is by far my favourite to fight with, but I was also pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable the human side of his arsenal is, as you can use witchcraft unavailable to your night-dwelling alter ego, making each side of Coen feel very unique and equally enjoyable to play.

Another component that adds variety to your journey is the classic skill trees. These skill trees can provide perks from anything as small as damage buffs or crit chance, all the way to full skills you can learn to use in combat. Split into 3 sections: witchcraft, swordmastery, and vampirism, the skill trees really allow you to create a play style that leans more into one side of Coen than the other. Build up corruption to unlock more vampiric abilities, or resist the darkness and stay as human as possible. It's a tantalising balancing act that I found instantly appealing.

Now that we know what the first few hours are going to look like, I can finally delve into the meat of the game, which for me began after around 2 to 3 in-game days out of the 30-day limit. This mechanic is partially deceiving, but in a positive way.

The way the time limit is set up makes you think you have less time than you do, when in reality, you also have the 30 nights to accompany the days (which, looking back, should have been obvious, this being a vampire game and all). It was a pleasant surprise, as going into the game I was a little sceptical of the time limitations, but having actually experienced it, I now couldn't think of playing the game without it, and I'm sure a lot of people will agree. It is also extremely forgiving, as I started the final mission with around 7 days to spare.

The limitation of 30 days, however, still instantly gives more weight to all of your choices and relationships with the characters, which is backed up by the way that your decisions impact the people and world around you. Each quest feels full and real, and I often have moments where I really have to think about a decision, as it could impact the rest of my time in the game – a rarity these days, but one I think is really positive.

Another example of the meaningful NPC interactions is the possibility that, in vampire form, you may get too hungry, accidentally lose control and drink the blood of whoever you are talking to, be they friend or foe, leaving whatever they had to say lost forever – potentially even locking you out of full quest lines (at least until your next playthrough). This is only one example of how deep this game's NPC mechanics can be; with sprawling quests and intricate characters, each conversation carries weight, and each outcome affects someone in the valley, which is equally deep and intricate.

The world of Vale Sangora is one of my favourite parts of The Blood of Dawnwalker, feeling lived in and grounded. Small huts and destroyed buildings are scattered, punctuating the green pastures as snowy mountains loom on high, while colossal walls and cities guard their cities within. Despite the fact that there are certain areas that do feel slightly empty, I believe that this adds to the overall experience and is fitting with the harrowing narrative. These bustling cities and empty villages contrast nicely, adding depth to the world.

Enemy bases and draining camps are also littered around Vale Sangora, the sabotage and destruction of which will increase your "infamy level" and unlock different quests tied to the three lords as their anger increases (this feels similar to Shadow of Mordor's much-praised 'Nemesis' system). Your level of infamy will also affect the world, such as an increase in patrols and more enemies stationed around the valley as your infamous reputation increases, even leading to guards recognising Coen if you disrupt antagonist Brencis' rule too much!

Exploration feels, most importantly, rewarding and fun, as you will find yourself coming across quests you would maybe have missed had you not taken a small stroll through the woods, for example. This really encourages you to take your time, and since exploration doesn't advance the day/night timer, you can do it as much as you want; I would definitely encourage any player to do so.

The engaging exploration is complemented by the equally phenomenal narrative of The Blood of Dawnwalker. Accompanied by the 30-day time limit, you really begin to feel the struggle of Coen and his desperate attempt to uncover the mysteries of Vale Sangora, of which there are more than I initially expected, while he also pushes forward toward his main goal of saving his family.

The story kept me gripped at every turn, which was a breath of fresh air, and didn't feel at all like it was ever dragging along or getting stale, which I think is also due to the way in which you are free to proceed at your own pace through the world. This lets you uncover different story beats at different times than other people, and after starting my second playthrough, I can say that there are a wide range of ways and orders you can approach different quests, which makes The Blood of Dawnwalker incredibly replayable.

All of this is perfectly presented in a package that is a feast for the eyes. While not the most realistic graphics you will find, The Blood of Dawnwalker certainly has amazing art direction, with environments and characters that are simply a joy to look at as you progress through your journey.