{"id":9078,"date":"2026-09-02T02:19:20","date_gmt":"2026-09-01T18:19:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/blood-of-dawnwalker-reviews-metacritic-83\/"},"modified":"2026-09-02T02:19:20","modified_gmt":"2026-09-01T18:19:20","slug":"blood-of-dawnwalker-reviews-metacritic-83","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/blood-of-dawnwalker-reviews-metacritic-83\/","title":{"rendered":"Blood of Dawnwalker Reviews: Metacritic 83 \u2014 Critics Love the Vampire Hook"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The Blood of Dawnwalker review embargo lifted on 31 August, and the verdict is in: Rebel Wolves&#8217; debut open-world dark fantasy RPG has earned an <strong>83 on Metacritic<\/strong> and an <strong>84 on OpenCritic<\/strong> \u2014 rated &#8216;Mighty&#8217;, recommended by 89% of critics across more than 50 outlets. The game launches this Thursday, 3 September, on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.<\/p>\n<p>Singapore PS5 players can pick it up from the PlayStation Store at <strong>SGD 89.90<\/strong> (Standard) or <strong>SGD 109.90<\/strong> for the Eclipse Edition, which bundles the Digital World Compendium, Soundtrack and a Digital Comic Book. As <a href=\"\/blog\/the-blood-of-dawnwalker-launches-3-september\/\">we covered when the September 3 release date was announced<\/a>, this is the first game from Rebel Wolves \u2014 a studio founded by ex-CD Projekt Red developers who shipped The Witcher 3. That pedigree made the reviews everyone&#8217;s first benchmark.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"gt-video\">\n<div style=\"position:relative;padding-bottom:56.25%;height:0;overflow:hidden;\"><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/jVQiJ9ci0HI\" title=\"The Blood of Dawnwalker \u2014 Story Trailer [4K]\" loading=\"lazy\" style=\"position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;border:0;\" allow=\"accelerometer;clipboard-write;encrypted-media;gyroscope;picture-in-picture;web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><figcaption>The Blood of Dawnwalker \u2014 Story Trailer [4K] \u2014 via Dawnwalker on YouTube<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>What Critics Love About Blood of Dawnwalker<\/h2>\n<p>The standout praise is for the writing. IGN&#8217;s Travis Northup called it &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.ign.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">my new favorite vampire game and one of the best story-driven RPGs I&#8217;ve played in a long time<\/a>.&#8221; GameSpot noted that the quests are &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamespot.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">so well-written you&#8217;ll want to do everything<\/a>&#8221; \u2014 a double-edged compliment that also hints at where the pacing can drag.\n<\/p>\n<p>The central hook \u2014 protagonist Coen is human by day and vampire by night \u2014 earns near-universal praise. Daytime Coen explores the 14th-century European countryside on foot, solving puzzles and building relationships; nighttime Coen hunts across rooftops with full vampiric powers. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurogamer.net\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Eurogamer praised<\/a> how this split creates genuinely distinct gameplay loops rather than a cosmetic toggle, with each form unlocking different dialogue options and quest paths.\n<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/bodw-ss1.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Blood of Dawnwalker \u2014 nighttime vampire gameplay\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The 30-day time budget system is another critical darling. Every in-game day you spend on a quest is a day you cannot spend elsewhere \u2014 meaning you will inevitably miss things, and the game does not let you reload to &#8220;get it all&#8221;. This forced prioritisation gives the choices real weight, and Destructoid awarded it a 9.5\/10, citing how it transforms routine open-world busywork into meaningful decisions.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Where Critics Push Back<\/h2>\n<p>The reception is not without fault lines. Game Informer scored it 70\/100, the lowest outlier in the set, pointing at &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gameinformer.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">repetitive Simon Says sequences<\/a>&#8221; in standard combat outside boss fights \u2014 essentially, too much parry-and-counter with enemies that telegraph attacks identically. GameRant echoed the concern, noting that the quest loop becomes &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.gamerant.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">a slog<\/a>&#8221; when you engage too many side missions back to back.\n<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/bodw-ss2.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Blood of Dawnwalker \u2014 daytime exploration\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Technical issues are also flagged. VGC reported &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.videogameschronicle.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">choppy frame rate<\/a>&#8221; and a &#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.videogameschronicle.com\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shrug-offable number of bugs<\/a>&#8221; in the launch build \u2014 not game-breaking by most accounts, but worth noting for anyone who was already put off by the August console footage showing the absence of a 60fps mode on PS5 Pro. <a href=\"\/blog\/blood-of-dawnwalker-console-footage-performance\/\">As we reported then<\/a>, the game ships with two performance modes \u2014 one targeting 30fps with higher fidelity and one at an unlocked rate \u2014 and critics suggest neither fully resolves the stutter.\n<\/p>\n<h2>Score Spread at a Glance<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Destructoid:<\/strong> 9.5\/10<\/li>\n<li><strong>IGN:<\/strong> High-end 8s (recommended)<\/li>\n<li><strong>GameSpot:<\/strong> 8\/10<\/li>\n<li><strong>PC Gamer:<\/strong> 83\/100<\/li>\n<li><strong>Eurogamer:<\/strong> Recommended<\/li>\n<li><strong>Game Informer:<\/strong> 70\/100<\/li>\n<li><strong>Metacritic aggregate:<\/strong> 83<\/li>\n<li><strong>OpenCritic aggregate:<\/strong> 84 \u2014 Mighty<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/bodw-ss3.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Blood of Dawnwalker \u2014 character combat\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2>Is Blood of Dawnwalker Worth Picking Up for Singapore Players?<\/h2>\n<p>An 83 Metacritic for a new studio&#8217;s debut is genuinely strong. For context, it puts Blood of Dawnwalker above plenty of established franchise entries and suggests Rebel Wolves has delivered on the writing-first promise that drew attention since the game was first teased. The caveats \u2014 combat repetition and bugs \u2014 are real but not disqualifying, and a day-one patch may address some of the frame-rate complaints flagged in pre-release builds.\n<\/p>\n<p>At <strong>SGD 89.90 on PS5<\/strong>, it is a full-price investment. If you prefer to wait for a patch and a post-launch sale, the game should land on PlayStation sales cycles within a few months \u2014 and the 30-day time budget mechanic means it rewards careful, unhurried play more than most open-world RPGs. For RPG fans willing to commit now, the consensus says it earns that ask.\n<\/p>\n<figure><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/bodw-ss4.jpg?w=474&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"The Blood of Dawnwalker \u2014 open world exploration\" data-recalc-dims=\"1\" \/><figcaption>Image courtesy of Rebel Wolves<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Blood of Dawnwalker launches <strong>3 September 2026<\/strong> on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam). Check out our <a href=\"\/blog\/category\/game-news\/\">latest game news<\/a> for more coverage as the September release calendar heats up.\n<\/p>\n<p><!--GT-SCOUT source=\"Web (English)\" theme=\"Video games\" flags=\"none\"--><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Blood of Dawnwalker lands an 83 on Metacritic ahead of its September 3 launch. Critics praise the writing and day\/night vampire mechanic but flag repetitive quests and rough combat. Here&#8217;s what you need to know before it hits PS5 in Singapore at SGD 89.90.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":9073,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_is_tweetstorm":false,"jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":[]},"categories":[11,30],"tags":[94,202,1302,64,720],"class_list":["post-9078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-game-news","category-news","tag-action-rpg","tag-bandai-namco","tag-blood-of-dawnwalker","tag-ps5","tag-rebel-wolves"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/bodw-header.jpg?fit=460%2C215&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p13AlF-2mq","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":5453,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/blood-of-dawnwalker-september-3-ps5-pc-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":9078,"position":0},"title":"The Blood of Dawnwalker Launches 3 September \u2014 Ex-Witcher 3 Director&#8217;s Dark RPG","date":"July 11, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The Blood of Dawnwalker, the dark vampire RPG from ex-Witcher 3 developers Rebel Wolves, launches 3 September 2026 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/blood-of-dawnwalker-key-art.png?fit=1200%2C585&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":8409,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/blood-of-dawnwalker-console-footage-no-60fps-september-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":9078,"position":1},"title":"Blood of Dawnwalker Console Footage: No 60fps, Two Performance Modes","date":"August 23, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Rebel Wolves has released five minutes of Blood of Dawnwalker console footage \u2014 two modes target Dynamic 4K at 30fps and 40fps, with no 60fps option at launch. Game hits PS5, Xbox, and PC on 3 September.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/blood-of-dawnwalker-screenshot-1.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":3846,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/ea-sports-ufc-6-out-now-sgd-ps5-xbox-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":9078,"position":2},"title":"EA Sports UFC 6 Is Out Now \u2014 SGD94.90 on PS5 and Xbox","date":"June 19, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"EA Sports UFC 6 launches today on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Singapore Standard Edition is SGD94.90. Reviews score it an 84 on Metacritic with the new Flow State system drawing real praise.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/ufc6-cover-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":6771,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/kusan-city-of-wolves-out-now-ps5-switch-steam-2026\/","url_meta":{"origin":9078,"position":3},"title":"Kusan: City of Wolves Is Out Now \u2014 Korean Indie Shooter Hits PS5, Switch and Steam","date":"July 30, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Korean indie studio CIRCLEfromDOT's neon noir top-down shooter lands today on PS5, Xbox Series X\/S, Nintendo Switch and Steam, pulling an 84 on Metacritic.","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Game News&quot;","img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/kusan-header.jpg?fit=460%2C215&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":7167,"url":"https:\/\/www.gametrader.sg\/blog\/beast-of-reincarnation-review-scores-launch-day\/","url_meta":{"origin":9078,"position":4},"title":"Beast of Reincarnation Is Out \u2014 Critics Score 73, Steam Lands &#8220;Mixed&#8221; on Launch Day","date":"August 4, 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"Game Freak's debut action RPG Beast of Reincarnation is out now on PS5 and Steam (S$59.99). 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