Private Division and Moon Studios announced their newest project, No Rest for the Wicked, a mature, top-down Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG) during The Game Awards show. The game, which features a painterly art style and a visceral, animation-driven combat system, is set to be released in Early Access on PC (via Steam) in the first quarter of 2024.
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!”
No Rest for the Wicked’s painterly art direction and brutal combat is complemented by a dark, mature narrative: In the year 841, a pivotal moment dawns upon the kingdom, marked by the passing of King Harol Bolein. A devastating conflict arises when a peaceful transition of power devolves into chaos. In addition to this political turmoil, a deadly plague has reemerged on the remote island of Sacra, twisting the land and its inhabitants. Players must brandish their arms in an effort to quell both the grotesque beasts and the Kingdom’s invading army throughout a turbulent atmosphere where they are pulled in every direction.
“For the past six years we’ve been hard at work on our dream passion project – a next-level ARPG, fueled by our love and ambition for tight gameplay mechanics and world building,” said Gennadiy Korol, Co-Founder, Technology and Production Director at Moon Studios. “We are excited to reveal our own take on what we’ve always envisioned as the core canons of the ARPG genre, while taking the next steps to reimagine the elements we consider ripe for innovation.”
In No Rest for the Wicked’s multiplayer mode players can share their world and progress with up to three friends by their side in the campaign’s online co-op mode. Every quest, boss, and square foot of Isola Sacra is theirs to share with others…or they can simply venture off and do as they please.
No Rest for the Wicked is in development and does not yet have an announced release date. It is expected to first release in Early Access on Steam during Take-Two’s Fiscal Year 2024. A full release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC is planned for some time after Early Access. More details will be revealed during “Wicked Inside”, the digital showcase airing on March 1, 2024. No Rest for the Wicked is not yet rated by the ESRB. For more information on No Rest for the Wicked, subscribe on YouTube, follow us on X, become a fan on Facebook or Instagram, and visit www.NoRestForTheWicked.com.
