Blood of Dawnwalker’s troubled power fantasy has me yearning for a more desperate, systemic vampire survival sim
Rock Paper Shotgun reviews Blood of Dawnwalker, a vampire-themed game that positions itself as a power fantasy. The reviewer critiques the game’s portrayal of vampirism, noting that most vampire fiction fails to convincingly depict vampirism as genuinely undesirable despite the narrative framing.
The article argues that common vampire tropes—immortality, supernatural abilities, enhanced strength, shapeshifting, and extended lifespans—are presented as appealing rather than burdensome. The reviewer expresses skepticism at typical vampire laments about immortality being a curse, observing that the benefits (such as outliving enemies and possessing powerful abilities) seem to outweigh the supposed downsides.
Rather than a straightforward power fantasy, the reviewer expresses a preference for a more desperate and systemic vampire survival simulator. The subtitle describes the game as an “anti-colony-builder,” suggesting it positions itself against traditional colony-building mechanics. The reviewer appears to want deeper systemic gameplay that emphasizes survival challenges and resource management pressures inherent to vampire existence, rather than focusing primarily on fantasy fulfillment.