Ori studio’s action RPG No Rest for the Wicked hits Early Access in April

Moon Studios, creators of the impeccable Ori and the Blind Forest, has finally held a showcase for its next game, No Rest for the Wicked. It details the world, combat, and what already feels like a gripping story drenched in darkness and brimming with depth.

Until yesterday all we had to go on for Moon Studios’ next title was a short trailer that made it look more like a pirate title than anything else. The Wicked Inside: Showcase, a video packed with 25 minutes of gameplay and discussion on No Rest for the Wicked, has now properly revealed this game to the world, and I’m hooked.

No Rest for the Wicked Hits Early Access Next Month With a Unique Blend of RPG Gameplay

No Rest for the Wicked is the polar opposite of Ori and the Blind Forest, but that’s because Moon Studios’ staff have been doing nothing but devouring RPGs in all their forms since the release of their brightly-colored hit. At the end of the Wicked Inside: Showcase, the developer revealed the title will be released on Steam in Early Access on April 18, 2024. It’s already available to wishlist for those who don’t want to miss it. Last year, the developer’s CEO Thomas Mahler explained how this game is a make or break moment for the studio. Based on what I’ve seen so far, it’s much more make than break.

In the game, players take on the role of a character charged with annihilating a great blight from the world before being shipwrecked. Leaving them bedraggled and with nothing to their name but a few tattered rags. The short clips of the opening show a game world with a rich atmosphere that will definitely feel familiar to some. Combat is animation-based, similar to Dark Souls and Elden Ring. Meaning players must wait and watch opponents, be they a dominating soldier or weak crab, for patterns before going in with a swing. Otherwise, come out worse off than they went in.

By far, the most striking part of the game is its visuals. Everything has a hand-painted quality to it that doesn’t restrict the flow at all. Great care has been taken to craft a top-down camera that still allows players to see far off into the distance.

There are beautiful vistas and disgusting swamp monsters that look like they’ve walked right out of the most bacteria-infested bog you’ve ever seen. The variation in almost everything, from character armor and weapons to enemy designs and the big beautiful world, is just so impressive. It’s certainly going to be a good stopgap for those looking forward to the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Elden Ring.

Moon Studios clearly wants to make a game that Soulsborne fans will feel at home in, but has gone way beyond in making No Rest for the Wicked unique in its own right. For example, players can buy houses in the hub town and fill them with all the amenities necessary for upgrading gear and buffing their character. The resources required to build these stations are out in the world. So players have to balance gathering materials with picking enemies clean of loot.

There’s so much more to explore when the game is released next month, such as how Cursed Weapons afflict players with debuffs for amazing perks. Gold Weapons, on the other hand, are unique and could turn the tide against a challenging foe. I’m most excited to meet the people of Sacrament and learn more about the world they inhabit.

Moon Studios, creator of Ori and the Blind Forest, has welcomed players deep into the world of its upcoming game, No Rest for the Wicked, blending Soulsborne combat with unique and interesting mechanics.