I think part of the appeal of being an immortal, omnipotent being like a tortoise or, I suppose, 14th century European vampire in the upcoming RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker, is that you can crush the world to your will. I'd use all that influence to coax waiters into giving me an extra bowl of chocolate mousse, or, more realistically, skip all the quests I find too annoying in The Blood of Dawnwalker.
I'm not letting power, or a blood rush, go to my head – allowing players to skip quests entirely, or complete them out of order, is actually the point of The Blood of Dawnwalker's "narrative sandbox," which is one of its "key mechanics" according to creative director Mateusz Tomaszkiewicz in a new PlayStation blog.
"What truly defines the narrative sandbox is the freedom it gives you to shape the story on your own terms," says Tomaszkiewicz. "Quests can be completed in any order, skipped entirely, or even never discovered at all depending on your choices.
"Many characters can be killed, with their absence reshaping events and relationships. There are often multiple paths to achieve the same goal, and even inaction is a choice [...]. The result is a deeply reactive narrative structure that encourages experimentation and makes every playthrough unique."
And, while you technically have only 30 days and nights to save protagonist Coen from the overbearing vampire ruler Brenchis after finishing The Blood of Dawnwalker's prologue, "roaming the open world does not advance time," Tomaszkiewicz explains.
"Time works more like a currency than a countdown," he continues. So go on, be a bloodsucker with confidence.
The way The Blood of Dawnwalker plays with time itself is making it one of my most anticipated RPGs of 2026, especially now that Rebel Wolves has changed how closely the camera sticks to your shoulder.
