The first prologue decision is safe to make for role-play. When Pieter tells Coen to force-feed his mother Esme, PC Gamer’s September 2, 2026 guide reports that choosing either response has no long-term impact, although it changes the immediate interaction. After that scene, choices become more consequential because quests consume time and the game does not let Coen help everyone.
The practical answer is therefore not one universal “best” route. Prioritize the character, rescue, investigation or relationship outcome you care about before spending a time slot elsewhere. The examples currently documented include helping Gremla, gathering medicine for Esme, completing Page-Turner with Anca and reaching Lazar during Deep Down before evening.
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The opening Esme choice: choose whichever fits your Coen
The first choice described in the available launch-era guide occurs when Pieter asks Coen to force-feed Esme. You can comply or refuse. PC Gamer reports that this particular decision has no long-term impact. It still changes the immediate exchange, so it is a role-playing choice rather than a progression puzzle.
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That qualification matters: the report applies to the force-feeding decision only. It does not establish that every later prologue conversation is cosmetic. Once the game starts presenting activities and optional objectives, time becomes a resource and a choice can determine which people Coen reaches in time.
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- Make The Story Your Own - Experience and shape the plot the way you want. Embark on the quest to save your family, or swear revenge on your sire and destroy everyone standing in your way. Discover ancient secrets lurking in the valley. Rush in head first or risk taking time to prepare. Go alone or search for friends and forge unlikely alliances.
- Day And Night - Experience two different gameplay loops, offering distinct abilities to choose from, mysteries to uncover, and varying ways to achieve your goals. Experiment with different approaches and discover how the world reacts to your actions.
- Every Action Matters - Every action - and inaction - shapes the world around you. Your family’s days are numbered, and every time you take on a quest, time moves forward, compelling you closer to the end. Choose carefully whom to help and whom to leave behind. You will not have time for everyone. The world waits for no one. And neither does the villain.
What each response changes
| Decision | Immediate effect | Long-term effect reported | How to choose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Force-feed Esme at Pieter’s request | Changes the immediate interaction | None reported by PC Gamer for this choice | Pick it if it matches your interpretation of Coen’s obedience or urgency |
| Refuse or take the alternative response | Changes the immediate interaction | None reported by PC Gamer for this choice | Pick it if you want Coen to resist Pieter or act according to another role-playing priority |
Do not treat the table as a guarantee about unrelated branches. It is a narrow finding about the opening scene, not a complete prologue choice matrix.
Why time changes the meaning of a “best” choice
The official game description presents time as part of progression rather than a background clock. Every quest advances time, and the publisher warns that Coen will not have enough time to help everyone. Its feature language says, “Every action – and inaction – shapes the world around you.” In practical terms, accepting one activity can mean arriving later at another, while declining to act can also produce a different world state.
That system makes optional exploration a trade-off. A conversation, search or side objective may offer information or a relationship opportunity, but it can also consume the slot needed for a rescue or a time-sensitive investigation. The question is not simply whether an activity is worthwhile in isolation. It is whether it is worth its time cost compared with the opportunity you are giving up.
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The publisher and PlayStation’s developer-demo report describe distinct day and night gameplay loops, abilities, mysteries and approaches. The same objective can therefore have a different practical value depending on when Coen attempts it. A task that is available during the day may compete with another daytime objective, while an evening visit can lead to a different discovery or outcome.
Do not assume that postponing an objective is neutral. PC Gamer’s walkthrough example for Deep Down specifically reports a different result when the player waits until evening. Timing is part of the choice, not merely a scheduling detail after the choice has been made.
What the documented prologue examples show
The strongest evidence for meaningful prologue consequences comes from a PlayStation report about a Rebel Wolves developer demo. It describes Coen being able to gather herbs or medicine for Esme and help Gremla, with the consequences becoming apparent at Brencis’ black mass. In the reported demo outcome, neglecting those tasks results in Gremla being killed and Esme dying.
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- Make the story your own - Experience and design the plot the way you want it. Set out to save your family, or swear revenge on your Creator and destroy all who stand in your way. Discover ancient secrets lurking in the valley. Plunge into the action or take time to prepare. Go alone or find friends and forge unlikely alliances.
- Day and Night - Experience two different gameplay loops with different abilities to choose from, secrets to uncover, and different ways to achieve your goals. Experiment with different approaches and discover how the world reacts to your actions.
- Every action counts - every action - and every inaction - shapes the world around you. Your family's days are numbered, and every time you take a quest, time progresses and brings you closer to the end. Choose carefully who you help and who you leave behind. You won't have time for all. The world is waiting for no one. And neither does evil.
- Sword, claws and anger - Defy gravity, become a brutal force of nature and use your supernatural abilities as a vampire. Or raise your sword and use powerful magic to take on your opponents as a human being. Experiment and adapt as your shape changes throughout the day and night; each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
- Open world full of adventure - venture through the handmade open world and discover everything it has to offer. Stroll through the lush forests, the vast plains, the treacherous swamps and explore the steep mountain peaks and medieval settlements. Explore forgotten ruins, find remains of an ancient civilization, and uncover a truth that might have preferred to remain hidden.
This is useful evidence about the game’s design and the pressure created by its time system. It is not an exhaustive list of final-release branches. The report covers a demo, so treat the named outcomes as documented examples rather than proof that every retail build uses exactly the same sequence, timing or dialogue.
Helping Gremla
Gremla is one of the clearest examples of an optional objective carrying a human cost. The demo report says that the outcome of helping or neglecting her is revealed at Brencis’ black mass. If you want to protect Gremla’s outcome, put that objective ahead of activities that consume the same available time.
The sources do not establish every prerequisite, the complete route to Gremla, or a definitive list of all later scenes affected by her survival. What they do establish is that ignoring her is not presented as harmless flavor in the reported demo.
Gathering medicine for Esme
The same PlayStation report describes Coen gathering medicine or herbs for Esme. In its neglected-task outcome, Esme dies. Players who place Esme’s immediate survival above optional conversations should treat this as an early priority rather than assuming they can return after another quest without a cost.
Because the account comes from a developer demo, it should not be read as a complete retail walkthrough. It does, however, demonstrate why the initial force-feeding scene should not be confused with the later prologue decisions: the first is reported as low-impact, while the medicine objective is part of a time-sensitive chain in the demo.
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The pig interaction
PlayStation also recounts a pig-related quest with three reported responses:
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- Make The Story Your Own - Experience and shape the plot the way you want. Embark on the quest to save your family, or swear revenge on your sire and destroy everyone standing in your way. Discover ancient secrets lurking in the valley. Rush in head first or risk taking time to prepare. Go alone or search for friends and forge unlikely alliances.
- Day And Night - Experience two different gameplay loops, offering distinct abilities to choose from, mysteries to uncover, and varying ways to achieve your goals. Experiment with different approaches and discover how the world reacts to your actions.
- Every Action Matters - Every action - and inaction - shapes the world around you. Your family’s days are numbered, and every time you take on a quest, time moves forward, compelling you closer to the end. Choose carefully whom to help and whom to leave behind. You will not have time for everyone. The world waits for no one. And neither does the villain.
- Join the villager.
- Decline to help.
- Buy the pig if Coen has enough coin.
This example shows that the game can offer several ways to resolve the same immediate problem, including a resource-dependent option. The available account does not specify the complete downstream effect of each response, so there is no evidence-based reason to label one of the three universally best. Choose according to your available coin and the kind of intervention you want Coen to make, while remembering that accepting the quest may advance time.
Optional objectives with documented timing or relationship stakes
Page-Turner with Anca
PC Gamer’s route guide says that staying with Anca for Page-Turner uses one additional time slot. That cost can be worthwhile for players pursuing a later relationship with Anca, but it is not free. Taking the extra slot can reduce the time available for another prologue objective.
| Objective | Documented cost or timing | Why a player might choose it | What remains unknown |
|---|---|---|---|
| Page-Turner with Anca | One additional time slot, according to PC Gamer | It may matter to a player pursuing a later relationship with Anca | The supplied guide excerpt does not map every later relationship or story consequence |
| Deep Down | PC Gamer advises doing it early; waiting until evening led to Lazar being found dead in that walkthrough | Complete it promptly if Lazar’s survival is your priority | The excerpt does not establish every possible timing window or all later effects |
These are not interchangeable examples. Page-Turner is a known time investment connected to a reported relationship interest. Deep Down is a timing warning tied to Lazar’s condition. If both matter to you, decide which outcome is less acceptable to lose before starting another optional activity; the available evidence does not provide a complete schedule that proves one ordering is optimal for every player.
Deep Down and Lazar
The clearest operational advice in the cited walkthrough is to do Deep Down early. PC Gamer reports Lazar alive when the objective is reached in time, but dead when the player waits until evening. That makes Deep Down a poor candidate for “I will come back later” planning if you are trying to preserve Lazar’s outcome.
The wording “in that walkthrough” is important. It identifies a reported route and timing result, not a universal guarantee that every build, difficulty or sequence has the same cutoff. Still, among the available examples, this is the strongest reason to avoid spending an evening slot elsewhere before checking Deep Down.
A practical priority system for the prologue
Use a priority system instead of searching for a single optimal answer. The game’s time pressure means the best route depends on what you are trying to preserve.
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- Make the story your own - Experience and design the plot the way you want it. Set out to save your family, or swear revenge on your Creator and destroy all who stand in your way. Discover ancient secrets lurking in the valley. Plunge into the action or take time to prepare. Go alone or find friends and forge unlikely alliances.
- Day and Night - Experience two different gameplay loops with different abilities to choose from, secrets to uncover, and different ways to achieve your goals. Experiment with different approaches and discover how the world reacts to your actions.
- Every action counts - every action - and every inaction - shapes the world around you. Your family's days are numbered, and every time you take a quest, time progresses and brings you closer to the end. Choose carefully who you help and who you leave behind. You won't have time for all. The world is waiting for no one. And neither does evil.
- Sword, claws and anger - Defy gravity, become a brutal force of nature and use your supernatural abilities as a vampire. Or raise your sword and use powerful magic to take on your opponents as a human being. Experiment and adapt as your shape changes throughout the day and night; each has its own strengths and weaknesses.
- Open world full of adventure - venture through the handmade open world and discover everything it has to offer. Stroll through the lush forests, the vast plains, the treacherous swamps and explore the steep mountain peaks and medieval settlements. Explore forgotten ruins, find remains of an ancient civilization, and uncover a truth that might have preferred to remain hidden.
Priority 1: protect a specific person
If your main goal is Esme’s or Gremla’s reported demo outcome, put the corresponding medicine or help objective ahead of optional activities. The PlayStation account says their fates become clear at Brencis’ black mass when those tasks are neglected. Do not spend a slot on a lower-priority conversation until you have handled the person whose survival matters most to you.
Priority 2: preserve Lazar’s Deep Down outcome
If Lazar’s survival is the deciding factor, follow PC Gamer’s early-completion advice for Deep Down. In particular, do not assume that an evening delay is harmless: the guide reports Lazar dead when the player waits until then.
Priority 3: pursue Anca’s relationship thread
If Anca’s later relationship is your goal, account for the one extra time slot reported for Page-Turner. Start it only after considering which rescue or investigation you are willing to postpone. The extra slot is a concrete cost; the longer-term relationship result is a reason to accept that cost, not evidence that the task is mandatory for every route.
Priority 4: role-play the opening scene
The force-feeding decision can safely be chosen for character reasons because PC Gamer reports no long-term impact from that specific choice. It is the one documented opening decision where you do not need to optimize for a later branch.
Priority 5: investigate optional activities after checking the clock
The publisher’s time-system explanation means that “optional” does not always mean “safe to delay.” Before accepting an activity, ask whether it consumes a slot, whether it is tied to day or night, and whether another objective has a reported cutoff. If the game gives you an explicit timing indicator, use that in preference to a general route recommendation.
Decision table: match the route to your goal
| Your main goal | Recommended emphasis | Trade-off | Evidence boundary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role-play Pieter and Coen’s family conflict | Choose the Esme response that fits your character | Immediate dialogue changes, but no long-term impact is reported for this choice | Applies only to the opening force-feeding decision |
| Protect Esme | Prioritize the medicine or herb objective before time-consuming optional tasks | You may lose another interaction that uses the same time | Outcome comes from a PlayStation report of a developer demo |
| Protect Gremla | Help Gremla before spending the available slot elsewhere | Another quest or relationship opportunity may be delayed | Demo report says her fate is revealed at Brencis’ black mass |
| Keep Lazar alive | Complete Deep Down early rather than waiting until evening | You give up the chance to use that earlier slot on another activity | Timing result is from PC Gamer’s reported walkthrough |
| Pursue Anca | Take Page-Turner into account as a one-slot investment | One additional time slot is spent | PC Gamer connects the task with a possible later relationship; the full branch is not mapped |
| Explore without a fixed outcome | Choose activities based on current day/night conditions and the information shown in-game | You may miss a time-sensitive NPC result | No exhaustive, independently verified prologue matrix is available in the cited material |
What is known, and what is not
A reliable guide must separate confirmed route observations from assumptions. The available sources establish several concrete points:
- PC Gamer reports no long-term impact from the opening force-feeding decision involving Esme.
- The official publisher says quests advance time and that Coen cannot help everyone.
- The publisher and PlayStation describe different day and night loops, abilities, mysteries and approaches.
- PlayStation reports demo outcomes involving Gremla, Esme’s medicine and the black mass at Brencis.
- PC Gamer reports one extra time slot for Page-Turner with Anca and a Lazar outcome that changes when Deep Down is delayed until evening.
The sources do not establish a complete table of every dialogue response, every branch condition, every day/night cutoff or every relationship result. They also do not prove that a demo sequence is identical to the final retail build. Consequently, claims such as “this is the only correct route,” “all choices can be reversed,” or “every optional quest has a hidden timer” go beyond the evidence.
Common mistakes to avoid
Optimizing the first choice as if it controls the whole game
The force-feeding scene is the documented low-impact choice. Spending excessive effort trying to solve it misses the real issue: later tasks consume time. Make the opening response for role-play, then pay attention to the schedule.
Treating every optional quest as interchangeable
Page-Turner, Deep Down, Gremla’s objective and Esme’s medicine do not have the same documented stakes. One has a reported extra time slot, one has a reported evening death outcome, and the demo account ties two others to later revelations. Classify the activity before deciding to postpone it.
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Assuming evening is merely a convenient time
The day/night structure changes gameplay and the Deep Down example shows that evening can coincide with a worse NPC outcome. Check whether the objective is sensitive to the current period before moving it later.
Converting a demo report into a complete walkthrough
The PlayStation article is valuable for showing design intent and concrete examples, but it is not an exhaustive retail branch list. Use it to understand the cost of neglect, not to infer undocumented conditions.
Spending a slot on relationship content without identifying the trade-off
Page-Turner may be worthwhile for an Anca-focused playthrough, yet PC Gamer reports that it takes one additional time slot. A relationship objective should be selected deliberately, with the displaced objective in mind.
Recommended route by player type
For a first playthrough focused on NPC outcomes
- Choose the opening Esme response according to role-play preference.
- Review the available objectives and identify whether Esme’s medicine or helping Gremla is currently actionable.
- Prioritize the rescue or care objective whose outcome matters most to you before taking a lower-priority optional activity.
- Check Deep Down early if preserving Lazar is important.
- Only then spend the additional slot on Page-Turner if Anca’s relationship is a priority.
This is a priority order, not a claim that the game forces these exact steps. It reflects the documented risks while leaving room for your in-game schedule.
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- Make the opening force-feeding decision for character reasons.
- Identify the time-sensitive rescue or investigation you do not want to lose.
- Complete that higher-risk objective first when its timing conflicts with Page-Turner.
- Reserve the one extra slot reported for Page-Turner with Anca.
- Monitor day and night transitions rather than assuming the relationship task can be delayed indefinitely.
For a Lazar-focused playthrough
- Handle the opening scene without worrying about a long-term branch from the force-feeding response.
- Move Deep Down to the front of your plan.
- Avoid waiting until evening if you want the alive outcome reported by PC Gamer.
- After Deep Down, decide whether the remaining time justifies Page-Turner or another optional activity.
For pure role-play
There is no need to force yourself into one optimization route. The game is designed around agency, and developer commentary quoted by PlayStation emphasizes complex people and player choice. Choose responses that fit Coen, then accept that another character’s outcome may differ because time has passed. The opening force-feeding choice is especially safe for this approach because its long-term impact is reported as nil.
Bottom line on the “best” prologue choices
Pick either response to Pieter’s force-feeding request based on role-play; the documented guide says that choice has no long-term impact. From the next decisions onward, treat time as the deciding resource. Protect the person or relationship you value before spending a slot elsewhere: the demo report makes Gremla and Esme’s medicine consequential, PC Gamer reports that Deep Down can leave Lazar dead if delayed until evening, and Page-Turner costs one additional slot for players pursuing Anca. Because no complete, independently verified choice matrix is available, the most accurate recommendation is goal-based rather than universal: choose the priority you care about, then schedule the rest around it.
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