Castle of Heart: Retold vs The Blood of Dawnwalker

• Perspective: 2.5D Side-Scroller
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: Slavic Mythology
• Platforms: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 (TBA)
• Unique Feature: A unique curse mechanic that acts as a timer, where the player's health constantly depletes and must be replenished through aggressive combat, creating a timed-runner feel.

• Perspective: Third-Person
• Multiplayer: Single-Player Only
• Setting: 14th Century Alternate Europe (Vale Sangora)
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Release Window: 2026
• Unique Feature: A narrative sandbox RPG with a strict 30-day ticking clock and dual Day/Night gameplay loops, forcing players to choose between human diplomacy and brutal vampiric power to advance the story.

• Crystals of Mokosh: Four hidden gems are scattered throughout each of the game's 20 levels. Collecting them extends Svaran's maximum health.
• Stone Hearts: Floating pickups found throughout levels and dropped by enemies. These are essential for replenishing Svaran's constantly draining life bar.

• Hex Runes: Required to be collected as Coen must become a conduit to occult carvings and runes to cast powerful Hex magic.
• Item Parts / Materials: Found in the open world and used at workbenches to customize and upgrade Coen's sword and firearms.

• Dark Fantasy
• Slavic Mythology
• Action Platformer
• 2.5D
• Indie
• Curse

• Dark Fantasy
• Action RPG
• Vampires
• Moral Choices
• Open World
• Medieval Europe
• Cursed

• Sword: Primary Melee
  Svaran's main weapon for close-quarters hack-and-slash combat.
• Secondary Melee Weapons: Torches, Hatchets
  A variety of melee weapons that can be picked up and used for a limited time. Svaran drops his secondary weapon if his first health bar is depleted.
• Secondary Ranged Weapons: Javelins, Crossbows
  Ranged weapon options that can be found in the levels for engaging enemies from a distance.

• Sword: Melee
  The primary weapon for daytime combat. Swordplay is deep, featuring directional blocking and parrying based on studied medieval fighting styles.
• Hex Magic: Supernatural
  Powerful, ritual-based magic (e.g., 'Burning Blood') that can be employed by Coen in his human form, drawn from dark primordial origins.
• Claws / Fangs: Vampiric Melee
  Used in the vampire (nighttime) combat style, utilizing enhanced strength and brutal attacks. Feeding on animals or humans restores health.

• Knight's Armor: Svaran wears a suit of armor, but there is no traditional armor system with defensive stats. His durability is determined by his health bar, which is extended by collecting Crystals of Mokosh.

Progression is based on in-level pickups and collectibles. Players can find dozens of different melee and ranged secondary weapons throughout the levels. Collecting the four 'Crystals of Mokosh' hidden in each level will extend Svaran's maximum life bar. There is no traditional skill tree; progression is tied to player skill and health upgrades.

Progression is driven by a deep skill system with three distinct trees: Human perks, Vampire perks, and Shared perks. Coen can employ powerful 'Hex Magic,' drawing from dark primordial origins tied to blood, heat, and air. Dealing damage earns 'activation charges' to deploy these Hexes and execution moves.

The game is a linear 2.5D platformer. Players will travel across 20 levels set within four distinct, Slavic-inspired landscapes. Most levels have been completely rebuilt for the Retold version, featuring new animations and more detailed environments.

The game features a large, hand-crafted open world. The world is said to be smaller in scale than typical modern open-world adventures, intending to give the player the feeling that they truly know the place. Regions include lush forests, vast plains, treacherous swamps, and medieval settlements in the Carpathian Mountains.

• Svaran: Playable Protagonist
  A noble Slavic warrior who is cursed and turned to stone. He must fight against time to defeat the evil sorcerer and save his beloved.
• Mira: Key NPC
  A priestess and Svaran's betrothed. Her tear brings Svaran back to life, and her rescue is his primary goal.
• The Sorcerer: Antagonist
  The main villain of the game. A servant of the evil god Chernobog who cursed Svaran and rules the land with dark magic.

• Coen: Playable Protagonist
  A young man afflicted with a vampiric curse and silver poisoning, known as a 'Dawnwalker.' His primary motivation is saving his sick sister, Lunka.
• Lunka: Key NPC
  Coen's sick sister, who is the emotional core and primary driver of the protagonist's desperate journey.
• Brencis: Antagonist
  An ancient, formidable vampire lord who was once a Roman Senator. He rules Vale Sangora and is the target of Coen's vengeance.

• Main Story Campaign
  A highly non-linear, narrative-driven campaign focused on saving Coen's sister, Lunka, from the ancient vampire lord Brencis, all within a 30-day time limit.
• Hex Rituals / Quests
  Side missions given by various NPCs to gain resources. These quests are the primary mechanism for progressing the 30-day clock.
• Infiltration (Nighttime)
  Missions that require Coen to use his full vampiric powers, including Shadowstep and Planeshift, to sneak into guarded locations and clear rooftops.

• Q: What is Castle of Heart: Retold?
  A: It is a complete remake and definitive version of the 2018 Nintendo Switch exclusive action platformer, Castle of Heart. It features massively improved graphics, rebalanced combat, and a reimagined story.
• Q: What is the 'curse' mechanic?
  A: The protagonist, Svaran, is cursed to turn to stone. This translates into a unique gameplay mechanic where his health constantly drains like a timer. He must stay aggressive, killing enemies or finding pickups to replenish his health and survive.
• Q: Is it a hard game?
  A: Yes, it is designed to be a challenging 2.5D action platformer, similar in feel to classic games like Super Ghouls and Ghosts. Precision platforming and strategic combat are required.
• Q: What's new in the 'Retold' version?
  A: Almost everything has been enhanced. Most levels are rebuilt, graphics and lighting are overhauled, controls are more responsive, combat is rebalanced to be more tactical, and every line of dialogue and every cutscene has been remade.

• Q: What is The Blood of Dawnwalker?
  A: It is a dark fantasy action RPG set in an open world. It is the first chapter of a new saga from Rebel Wolves, a studio founded by the former director of The Witcher 3.
• Q: Is there a time limit in the game?
  A: Yes. The game features a strict 30-day ticking clock. Completing quests advances time, and it is impossible to finish all quests, forcing players to make hard choices and prioritize objectives before the final deadline.
• Q: How does the Day/Night cycle affect gameplay?
  A: The day/night cycle dictates the combat style. Daytime allows for human diplomacy and Hex magic. Nighttime grants full vampiric powers, super speed, and wall-walking, but forces reliance on stealth to avoid detection.
• Q: What is the game's core moral conflict?
  A: Coen is a hybrid struggling with a vampiric curse. The core moral question is: 'Is your soul worth the lives of those you love?'—forcing a choice between fighting for humanity or embracing his brutal cursed powers.

• OFFICIAL PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS from the game's Steam page. These specifications are for the rebuilt 'Retold' version and are relatively modest.
• Laptop Performance Note: Laptop performance will be excellent on modern hardware. Most gaming laptops from the last few years will run the game at high settings without issue.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature, but beneficial for reducing latency in any game.
• Game Name: Castle of Heart: Retold

• SPECULATIVE PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS. As official specs are not provided, these are hypothetical projections for a next-generation title built on Unreal Engine 5.
• Laptop Performance Note: A title like this would demand a high-performance gaming laptop for the best experience. The game's visually rich world and physics-based combat will require stable performance.
• Laptop Consideration: G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5.
• Laptop Consideration: Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense combat will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• Laptop Consideration: C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of warring human and vampire factions, as well as the dynamic open world.
• Laptop Consideration: M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in the timing-based combat.
• Game Name: The Blood of Dawnwalker

• G P U T G P: Not a critical factor for this title, as it is not graphically intensive.
• Cooling Thermals: The game is not demanding enough to stress modern cooling systems.
• C P U Power Limits: Any modern mobile CPU will handle the game with ease.
• M U X Switch Optimus: Not a critical feature, but beneficial for reducing latency in any game.

• G P U T G P: Maximum TGP for the laptop's GPU would be essential to handle the advanced graphical features of Unreal Engine 5.
• Cooling Thermals: The game's visually rich world and intense combat will require a laptop with a cutting-edge cooling solution to prevent thermal throttling.
• C P U Power Limits: A powerful multi-core mobile CPU will be critical for handling the complex AI of warring human and vampire factions, as well as the dynamic open world.
• M U X Switch Optimus: A MUX switch or NVIDIA Advanced Optimus would be a critical feature for reducing latency and ensuring the best possible performance in the timing-based combat.