I have many complaints about The Game Awards this year, but there were a few very good trailers for upcoming games that have me quite excited about next year’s gaming lineup. One of the very best trailers of the evening was for No Rest For The Wicked, a new action-RPG from the creators of Ori and the Blind Forest.
The game is headed to Steam in Early Access early in 2024, with a full release “some time after” on PC, Xbox Series X and PS5.
As you can see in the trailer, the game has an absolutely gorgeous art-style, utilizing ‘painterly’ aesthetics to give it a rich, saturated look that eschews realism in favor of a truly unique aesthetic. I love every second of this trailer, though it’s got an age-gate so you’ll need to click over to YouTube to watch it (I’m not really sure that it deserves an age-gate but maybe I’m missing something).
The game is described as a “mature” and “visceral, precision ARPG with a bold new take on the genre.” It looks absolutely nothing like the Ori games and yet still somehow still has that same Ori DNA—a focus on rich, colorful, evocative, moody visuals that make you wish you could live inside the game itself.
Screenshots:
The story takes place in the year 841 in a fantasy kingdom whose king, Harol Bolein, has died. The peaceful transition of power devolves into chaos after the king’s death and a terrible plague sweeps across the land. War, strife and monstrous beasts await players on their journey.
Players can play single-player or with up to three online companions.
From the blurb:
No Rest for the Wicked introduces a hand-crafted world, rich in details and with an inimitable, “painting” art style. Players explore an intricate and vast island called Isola Sacra that allows them to experience verticality in a way that is unmatched in other ARPGs with spelunking depths of crypts, lush forests, and treacherous mountain passes. Each location is home to complex protagonists with their own problems, hidden treasures, ferocious creatures, and secrets to discover.
With No Rest for the Wicked’s brutal, precision-based combat system, Moon Studios is pushing the envelope on the art of combat. Fights in the game are animation-driven, direct, and tactile, allowing skilled players to combine visceral strikes and deadly moves. This innovative combat system results in a highly satisfying gameplay experience that is unique in isometric ARPGs, where skill and timing is required over simple “button-mashing.”
“We have been dreaming of being able to contribute to the ARPG genre that we all grew up with and love. After the success of Ori, it was clear to us that Moon was now mature enough to finally realize those dreams,” said Thomas Mahler, Co-Founder and Creative Director at Moon Studios. “We can’t wait to see how players will react to this entirely new take on the genre!”
Be sure to also check out Raised By Wolves and Assassin’s Creed actor Abubakar Salim’s new game Tales Of Kenzera: Zau. It was another of my favorite reveals at this year’s Game Awards.
Read the full article here
