While The Blood of the Dawnwalker is very much a fantasy open-world RPG, the game is set in the real world; at least, a fictional version of Medieval Europe.
To be exact, Dawnwalker takes place in Vale Sangora, a fictional valley in the Carpathian Mountains. The game happens during the 14th century, amidst the Black Death, though the people of Vale Sangora are protected from the plague by their vampiric overlords.
Aside from vampires, Dawnwalker also has non-human races, firmly placing it in the realm of fantasy. But this is balanced by plenty of references to real-world events and cultures. For instance, the protagonist Coen is being taught Latin in one quest by reading poetry by Petronius. The game’s journal also features interesting tidbits about Medieval Europe in the 14th century.
This is an interesting choice, especially considering that most fantasy games are set in completely fictional worlds. Given this, during a roundtable interview after our recent hands-on, we asked the game’s Narrative Director & Main Writer, Jakub Szamalek, why they went with a real-world setting.
Szamalek responded:
“We wanted the world to feel believable and real, and we were deeply inspired by history. Of course, there are fantastical elements like magic and monsters, but we wanted players to feel like maybe it could have been like this, almost as if it were true. We felt that by grounding it in real history, we felt we could accomplish that more easily.
Also, I’m an archaeologist by training, so I just love old stories. And I find that finally my ‘useless’ degree comes in handy when tying this in with Roman myths and legends. Basically, it allowed us to cherry-pick all the interesting things from real history and add fantastical elements to the mix.”
As someone who is deeply interested in world history, the decision to set The Blood of the Dawnwalker in Medieval Europe is perfect for me. The various references to Classical works and other cultures in and around Europe (and even the Near East) were a particular treat.
Even though the game mixes fantasy with plenty of real-world elements, Vale Sangora is not a real place. In fact, its exact location within the Carpathian Mountains is a mystery. Given the location of the mountain range in Europe, I thought the game happened either in Romania (as this is also the heartland of the European vampire myth) or in Poland (as the studio Rebel Wolves is based in Warsaw).
I asked Szamalek if he had a more specific location in mind while making the game. He said:
“I specifically didn’t want to put it in any particular place, to not be constrained by real historical and geographical concerns. It’s somewhere out there, but we emphatically don’t want to put a finger on the maps.
I think there’s a trap in familiarity. If something feels too familiar, it’s easy to forget that it’s not so for other people. There’s a lot of context that feels natural to us but wouldn’t for others. By removing ourselves somewhat from our home turf, it actually yields a better experience for everyone.
We get to explore something new, and I think we deliver a better game presence over the world.”
As a fan of history, I kind of hoped that the game had a more specific setting, though I understand why they went with a more vague location for the game’s open world. After all, setting it in a real kingdom or place will definitely be more limiting, especially considering the narrative that they’re weaving.
The Blood of Dawnwalker launches on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on September 3, 2026.