Moon Studios - the team behind brilliant Metroidvanias Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps - has announced an early access release date for its next (very different) game. The combat looks fierce, but I'm mostly just here to decorate houses and rebuild the settlement.
No Rest For The Wicked was announced late last year as the developer's take on a Diablo-style action roleplaying game. The game's only similarities with Ori are the breathtaking painterly art style and the frantic action carried over from the sequel. We'll now get a taste for both when No Rest For The Wicked enters Steam early access on April 18.
No Rest For The Wicked lets players create a magical holy warrior who sets out to bash and slash plagued beasties across a dark fantasy land. The studio has since described the game's combat as "brutal" and "precision-based," with a heavier emphasis on intimate fights, rather than the massive hordes that normally define Diablo. You can see for yourself in the 25-minute gameplay walkthrough below.
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Putting a smile on my face, at around the 13-minute mark, the developers dive into how you can rebuild its central settlement to get further upgrades and meet new characters. But you can also buy real estate, starting with one house at launch, and decorate it to your heart's content. As long as you have sufficient funds.
Early access is also said to include the campaign's opening chapter, several side quests that delve into the world, and the expected banquet of weapons, gear, skills, and crafting options that let us mess around with builds. Once we've swept up the quests, we can then sink into the replayable dungeon and daily challenges.
Before No Rest For The Wicked reaches its 1.0 version, the team will add four-player co-op, additional regions, a funky farming mechanic, and more of what's already in the game. The game was previously announced for PS5 and Xbox Series X|S as well, though console players will need to wait a little while more.
Gamesradar's No Rest For The Wicked preview called it "mesmerizing," which bodes very well for its early access journey going forward. The only way is up, right?
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