Rebel Wolves really put out something special with The Blood of Dawnwalker, its vampire RPG where you straddle the line between monster and man. Now it’s getting even better with directional animal petting. Yeah, you heard.
Similar to Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Dawnwalker’s combat uses directional inputs to attack and defend from different angles during combat. Update 1.1, due out next week, will let you take that system and use it to frantically rub a dog.
“What happens when you merge a directional combat system with the ability to pet dogs and cats?” the studio asked. “Directional. Animal. Petting.”
The update also adds a consumable item: the Draught of Mind Rebirth. Take a sip and you’ll be able to respec all your upgrade points and try out a different build without starting the game again.
Elsewhere, the game is also getting an even easier mode for those who couldn’t get to grips with directional combat, as well as options for larger font sizes for the subtitles. Accessibility is always good.
There are also some visual upgrades coming, such as frame generation improvements, better animations and camera movement, improved lock-on and targeting, and better traversal. The Japanese version of the game has had all the blood and gore put back in, which is kinda vital for a game about a clan of human-sized leeches.
Rebel Wolves said there are over 1,100 other improvements in The Blood of Dawnwalker’ update 1.1. That’s a lot, and suggests a certain level of dedication. It shouldn't be a huge surprise though — the former The Witcher developers see the game as a starting point for an epic RPG series.
The Dawnwalker team has already teased where that future might take the series one day, with a CGI trailer depicting lead character Coen in the present day. The advantages of being an immortal halfbreed, eh? The Blood of Dawnwalker passed 1 million copies sold in its first two days, which suggests the team will at least get another game out. Whether that takes Coen straight to the present day or flips forward to another historical pinch point like Assassin’s Creed remains to be seen.