Moon Studios, the acclaimed developer of the Ori series, has announced its new project: No Rest for the Wicked, a dark and visceral action-RPG that aims to reinvent the genre. The game will launch into Steam early access on 18th April, with PS5 and Xbox Series X/S versions planned for later.
A Journey Across the Harsh Isola Sacra
No Rest for the Wicked follows the story of a Cerim, a holy warrior imbued with remarkable powers, who sets out to defeat an unholy plague that has ravaged the land of Isola Sacra. The game promises a mature, dark, and emotional narrative, as well as brutal, precision-based combat, and a hand-crafted world that players can explore solo or with up to three friends in co-op mode.
The game’s trailer, which was revealed during last year’s The Game Awards, showcases the game’s stunning graphics, atmospheric music, and intense action. The game features a variety of enemies, weapons, armor, skills, and crafting options, as well as a modifiable home to purchase and furnish, daily and weekly bounties and challenges, and a replayable dungeon.
A New Direction for Moon Studios
No Rest for the Wicked marks a significant departure from the studio’s previous work, the Ori series, which was known for its beautiful art style, charming characters, and emotional storytelling. The studio has said that it wanted to create a different kind of game, one that would challenge the conventions of the action-RPG genre and offer a fresh and immersive experience to players.
The studio has also faced some controversy over the development of the game, as a report from VentureBeat, based on conversations with Moon Studios employees, alleged that the studio’s founders, Thomas Mahler and Gennadiy Korol, had fostered a harsh online culture where they could indulge in inappropriate behavior, including casual racism, sexism, and bullying. The founders denied the allegations, saying that they did not believe they were representative of the current and former employees, but admitted that they may have made others feel uncomfortable at times, and vowed to do better.
Early Access and Beyond
Moon Studios has not revealed how long it expects No Rest for the Wicked to be in early access, but says that the 1.0 release will be significantly expanded, with new features such as PvP, new regions, and farming being added as development continues. The studio has also confirmed that the game will be released on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S, but has not given a specific date for that.
The studio has said that it will host a showcase in March, where it will reveal more details about the game and its mechanics, and answer questions from the fans. The studio has also invited players to join its Discord server, where they can interact with the developers and other players, and provide feedback and suggestions for the game.
No Rest for the Wicked is one of the most anticipated games of 2024, and fans of the action-RPG genre will be eager to see what Moon Studios has in store for them. The game will be available on Steam early access on 18th April, and players can wishlist it now.