The Blood of Dawnwalker is shaping up to be one of the hidden gems of 2026 and the developer has once again treated us to another trailer. With the official release coming up in a few weeks we still have a bit of a wait left but don’t fret -we’re in the final stretch. Below is the latest trailer from Bandai Namco and some key points that we thought were worth mentioning. Without further adieu here’s the trailer.

The Story: A Tale of Revenge

The Blood of Dawnwalker is a dark fantasy open-world action RPG set in 14th-century Europe. This tale takes place in Vale Sangora, a secluded region somewhere in the Carpathian Mountains. When the plague decimated the population and the human rulers proved too weak to control it, a powerful vampire Brencis stepped out of the shadows and conquered the valley with minimal effort. Now it’s time for you to be a part of this story.

Brencis is an oppressive ruler. He uses his own blood to heal the people of Vale Sangora, but in turn demands absolute obedience. He carved the valley into three separate dominions and gave them to his three vampiric officers. Ambrus is the youngest and the one with most to prove. His main responsibility is stockpiling blood… and managing the draining dungeons.

Bakir knows that what folk need in their lives is a bit of respite from their hardships. That is why he is in charge of alcohol distilling and distribution. Still, he’s not above using his inborn brutality to subjugate the population if need be. Xanthe is the one who creates the Blood Guards, the elite soldiers of the vampiric regime. Staying away from the limelight, she is a source of many rumors about dark rituals and mysterious disappearances. These powerful vampires won’t sit idly while you dismantle their operations. With your every victory, Brencis’s Court will react with new edicts that will make Coen’s life a bit harder.

But who is our protagonist exactly? You play as Coen. A young man living under the vampiric regime. A series of tragic events lead to your family being kidnapped by Brencis and you becoming a Dawnwalker, a human by day, a vampire by night. Now you must rescue your loved ones.

As a human you can learn the dark secrets of witchcraft. This will hurt. Use your own blood to cast hexes that enable you to speak with the dead move faster, brave the astral plane and bring pain to your enemies. Learning new spells requires finding knowledge in arcane texts and obscure tomes.

At night, you transform into a vampire. You use claws and fangs to kill your opponents and you can climb walls or cross distances within a blink of an eye. You might even transform yourself into a swift wolf. However, remember that a vampire is always hungry for blood. Drinking it unlocks new abilities, but in the process you will corrupt yourself. Whether you stick only to one path or mix them exploring Vale Sangora is always exciting and will reward you with unique items, weapons and sets of armour.

Time Waits for No One: The Highlight of The Blood Of Dawnwalker

Just remember that time waits for no one. From the moment your family is kidnapped, you have 30 days and 30 nights to rescue them. Still, there is no real time clock. Instead, you will be able to use the time as a resource, to be spent on the game elements you want to use to craft your story. The time passes when you finish a quest or an activity or when you learn new abilities.

However, don’t worry that upgrading your hero will ruin your chances for a satisfying ending. As time passes, different opportunities will arise or disappear forever. And even if you’re not able to save your family in time the game will not be over. Coen’s story will simply take a different turn. You have one clear goal. But there’s no single, linear way to complete it. Every activity and quest is optional and serves as a building block of your own crafted experience.

The valley is a big place, open for exploration. You can look for opportunities to learn new things and find allies. Or you can even decide to storm Brencis’s castle as soon as you are out of the prologue. However, remember that defeating him as a freshly-made Dawnwalker will be a feat worthy of legends.

The Combat: Freedom of Choice

The Blood of Dawnwalker was designed to be fun and adaptive to individual preferences. First of all, you can use omni-block and omni-attack — your character chooses the directions of sword swings and blocks automatically. For those who prefer a more tactical approach, The Blood of Dawnwalker offers directional combat, which involves observing your opponents’ movements and reacting to them. It’s about finding a certain rhythm and using it to defeat enemies. Whichever style you choose, active abilities are an integral part of combat. With them you can deal more damage, heal yourself mid-combat, crowd-control your enemies; or simply interrupt their attacks.

All this is just a taste of what The Blood of Dawnwalker has to offer. Whether you roam through lush forests, a bustling city, treacherous swamps, caverns hiding long-forgotten mysteries, or mountain peaks — there is always something to discover. Carve your own path and shape your own story, while walking the thin line between your humanity and embracing your vampiric nature.

The Blood of Dawnwalker is stated to release on September 3rd for Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series S/X.