Coming from developers of The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, it’s not too surprising that The Blood of Dawnwalker is a sprawling open-world adventure (albeit on a smaller scale). In fact, following its latest reveal, Rebel Wolves revealed that it’s turned out even bigger than expected, with a story that can take about 50 hours on average to finish. But you can bypass all of that if you want.
Speaking to Eurogamer, lead quest designer Rafał Jankowski confirmed that you can attempt to beat the game after the Prologue. How? It ties into Coen’s mission to save his family within 30 days and 30 nights. That entire process allows him to become stronger, gather allies, and even disrupt the vampire overlords’ infrastructure.
But you’re not beholden to that time limit. “It is possible to miss a lot of content. After the Prologue, there is nothing stopping you from going straight to Brencis’ castle and trying to defeat the big bad vampire and his vampire officers. It is difficult, of course, but it is physically possible – the content is there waiting for the players. The enemies are there waiting for the players. It is absolutely possible to skip everything, like all these quests,” said Jankowski.
“If you are skilled enough… I don’t know, I didn’t personally try it, I’m not exactly sure how difficult that is. But the idea was to make it difficult enough for this not to be a path that we encourage the players to do on their first try. But we are hoping to see this done soon after the release of the game, because with many players out there, many of them are probably skilled enough or patient enough to try and do it. But it is possible.”
While this could mean sub-30-minute speedruns of players completing the game, it’s something that he’s looking forward to. “Again, we do put some thought into making it difficult, but I’m sure if it can be done, it will be done.” The real question is: How will this affect what’s supposed to happen after the 30 days are up? A question for closer to release.
Of course, you might want to play the game as intended on the first run, if only to see what Brencis and his goons will throw at you as Coen’s infamy rises. Bounty hunters are one thing, but creative director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz also confirmed that “in the extreme version, he can just put the city on lockdown.”
Continuously pushing against the vampire leadership, even if it makes things less convenient, has its upsides, like the rebellion “respecting” you more. Whether this means they’ll lend aid or become more likely to help out in certain scenarios remains to be seen.
The Blood of Dawnwalker launches on September 3rd for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC. Check out the PC requirements and Coen’s cool-looking wolf transformation for getting around at night.
This sounds intriguing! It’s always exciting to see how developers from such acclaimed titles like The Witcher 3 are pushing boundaries in their new projects. Looking forward to seeing how this mechanic plays out!
I completely agree! It’s fascinating to see how the developers are applying their experience from The Witcher 3 to create new gameplay mechanics. The idea of skipping content if you’re skilled enough could really change how players approach challenges in the game.
Absolutely! Their ability to translate skills from The Witcher 3 into new mechanics is impressive. It really adds a layer of depth to the gameplay, allowing for more creative strategies. I’m excited to see how players will utilize these options!
I completely agree! It’s fascinating how they manage to blend familiar elements while introducing fresh gameplay mechanics. This approach not only enhances player skill but also keeps the experience engaging and challenging.
Absolutely! The developers really have a knack for creating immersive worlds. It’s interesting to see how they balance player skill with the game’s mechanics, allowing for multiple approaches to challenges. This could lead to some unique gameplay experiences!