No Rest for the Wicked

The artists, animators, and game designers deserve a standing ovation atp. It's been a long time since a game impressed me this much with its visual identity alone. The game is a joy to watch, play and explore.
BUT man, that inventory system is straight-up ♥♥♥♥. Devs throws mountains of loot at you, chests everywhere, gear everywhere - YET YOUR INVENTORY SPACE IS TINY. Upgrading it requires a rare resource and only upgrades ONE SPECIFIC section, so you're constantly drowning in trash, sorting items for 20 min... For me it is restrictive and absolutley at odds with how smooth the rest of the game feels... the worst part is that it actively breaks immersion, instead of enjoying the world, im' stuck micromanaging a tiny backpack. If this system is staying, then at least give us more slots by default or make upgrades more generous ( One more thing. I'm reallyhoping the upcoming profession system helps fix the progression flow)
I am excited for the full release, feels like a real contender for GOTY IMHO

I’ve played this game since its initial release, on the Steamdeck. Even then, in its very unoptimized state I couldn’t put it down.
With the crucible, and now Breach update the game has gotten even better! Once you play the game you’ll see why it’s taking so long. The amount of artistry being put into this game is just incredible.
Let Moon Studios cook. When this game launches into 1.0 it’s going to be something special.
I hope this helps. I hate writing reviews.

Coming on the store page and I'm genuinely surprised to see so many negative reviews, I cannot express how much I adore this project.. Played through everything Early Access at launch, completed the Crucible and had a blast with the combat and exploration. The game is absolutely gorgeous.
I have been active on the community forums, and the devs are reacting to a lot of the feedback on there with the new Breach update. More deterministic crafting and a ton of QOL updates based on the general frustrations players had with the "grinding", as well as finally more story content, enemies and new mechanics. Looking forward to what future updates they have in store for us.
A work of such art and passion should not be rushed, congrats to Moon Studios on going fully independent! Keep going, guys!!

Normally, I don’t write reviews—this is actually my first one. Not because I haven’t played great games, but because truly good games usually get the attention they deserve, so I never felt like my opinion would add much.
However, with NRFTW, I’m genuinely surprised by how little recognition this game gets compared to how amazing it is. That’s why I decided to finally write a review—because this game really deserves it.
The game has a very solid foundation for an Early Access title and is clearly moving in the right direction. Most importantly, the developers actually listen to the player base. Sure, there are things still being polished and not everything is perfect, but people often forget that this is Early Access. Making a game takes time—and making a potential Game of the Year takes even more time. And honestly, I believe NRFTW can earn that title once version 1.0 is released.
Cheers to Moon Studios and everything they’ve achieved so far!

So about the recent negative reviews . . .
In the last major update "into the breach" they made significant changes to the game. They improved performance, they added content, and rebalanced most everything. The vast majority of these reviews are saying the game suffers from an increased difficulty. They are right - it is more difficult than before, but the update just came out and the devs haven't had a chance to incorporate player feedback. This game does so much right, I think the reviews give an unfair representation of how good of a game it is. It's an early access game it will have changes through development, but this game is a gem in the making.
Update 5/12 : The developers have put out 3 hotfixes, a fouth in the works already. The difficulty has been tuned and other improvements have been added like stack size etc. They have been communicative about upcoming changes they are doing and are listening to the community. I have alot of confidence in these developers being able to bring this game to life. Great game.

This is my 3 hours of play, game review.
Game is great so far, story and artstyle is fanastic. Really like it.
My most immediate issues I faced in this game is:
KEY MAPPING CONTROL CONFLICTS:
I'm not a controller player when it comes to this top down view camera angle. So I use a keyboard and mouse for controls, but when I remapped my controls, and then restart the game, I faced issues with the remapped keys not working properly. whatever the default keys for keyboard and mouse will conflict the new remapped keys and cause control problems in the game. I literally have to reset the keys and remap the keys again for it to work properly which is a hassle.
Here is the example of this problem:
I remapped RUN/SPRINT to my SHIFT key(default: Use Offhand), when I tried to launch the game another day, when the remapped control. when I was holding a shield, my character wouldn't run when I pressed the SHIFT key and would block instead. but when I took off the shield, I was able to RUN/SPRINT again. The way I fixed it was to reset the keys to default and remap it again.
I know the devs have said the game was design to be played with a controller, but I say this is not an excuse for poor coding for controls in the game. whether you like it not, this is game is available on steam, that means you have to deal with PC gamers that use keyboard & mouse. To any devs seeing this, please look into it.
I really like this game so far and want to play more.
I will continue to update my review as time goes by.

Review: No Rest for the Wicked Early Access
What makes this especially interesting is that my first experience with No Rest for the Wicked was not positive at all. I played it earlier at a friend’s place and my reaction back then was simple: this is not for me. It felt harsher than any Soulslike I had played up to that point, and honestly, it pushed me away.
Still, even back then, I played it as far as the available content allowed.
A few days ago, I decided to give the game another chance — this time deliberately, calmly, and with the current Early Access build. And I can say this without hesitation: my perception of the game has completely changed.
World & Visual Presentation – A Hand-Drawn Work of Art
One of the first things that truly stands out is the world itself. The visual style feels hand-drawn, almost painted, and it is absolutely beautiful. Every environment, every frame, every scene feels crafted with care and intention.
This game doesn’t just look good — it feels good to look at. The atmosphere is dense, coherent, and immersive. Personally, I consider The Rest of the Wicked to be one of the most visually beautiful games I’ve seen in quite some time.
If the game continues on this path and delivers on its potential, it could very well become my personal Game of the Year for next year.
Difficulty & Combat – Demanding, but Fair
A very important point first:
Despite often being labeled a Soulslike, the game does not truly feel like one to me.
The biggest difference is simple but crucial:
The game has difficulty settings.
When I first played it, there was only one fixed difficulty. This time, I immediately chose the highest available difficulty — and while it is challenging, it is absolutely manageable. You do not need Souls experience to enjoy or understand this game.
Yes, the game punishes mistakes. But it does not do so unfairly. This is not a hack-and-slash game where you mindlessly cut through enemies. Combat depends heavily on how you play, which style you choose, and how willing you are to learn, adapt, and refine your approach.
One of the strongest aspects of the combat system is blocking. From my experience, you can block almost every attack, including boss attacks — if your timing and focus are right. That alone makes the combat feel fair.
The Early Access version significantly improved this system with new mechanics:
1: Blocking builds Focus
2: Focus can be used to heal
3: Healing items become less essential
This rewards clean, attentive play. Mistakes happen, but they are not instantly fatal if you understand the system.
That said, there are exceptions.
One boss fight — involving a mage and a massive wild boar — felt genuinely unfair. Without spoiling anything, this fight pushed me to my absolute limits. But precisely because of that, defeating it felt incredibly satisfying.
Emotional Experience – Fascination, Tension, Focus
What does this game evoke in me?
Above all: fascination.
The world, the art style, the overall atmosphere — it constantly draws me in.
Frustration? Surprisingly little.
I accept failure as part of the process. I analyze my mistakes, learn from them, and adjust. That learning doesn’t happen instantly — it takes time — but that’s exactly what makes it rewarding.
Tension plays a huge role, especially in boss fights:
1: Every hit you take increases the tension
2: Every hit you land does the same
3: Playing too aggressively is punished
4: Concentration is everything
Winning a boss fight especially on the highest difficulty feels deeply satisfying.
Major Criticism: Loot & Rewards
Now to my biggest criticism and unfortunately, it is a serious one.
The rewards feel bad. Very bad.
After difficult and exhausting fights, the loot often:
1: does not fit your build
2: offers little to no progression
3: feels like meaningless junk
In my current playthrough, I received mostly Faith- or Magic-based gear, despite playing a Warrior. My build barely functioned because of it. I ended up fighting bosses on the highest difficulty with a cheap, low-damage weapon.
Yes, this made fights longer and more intense.
But it also made them exhausting — especially when the reward afterward felt completely unsatisfying.
I truly hope the full release improves:
1: loot scaling
2: build viability
3: extreme stat requirements that limit early flexibility
Technical State & Future Potential
The current Early Access version feels solid.
The foundation is strong, and I have little concern about the overall quality of the final product.
My biggest hopes for the future:
My biggest hopes for the future:
DLCs — the game has massive expansion potential
Mod support — community-created weapons, armor, and content
improvements to the loot system
Smaller personal wishes:
being able to carry weapons and shields on your back
not constantly walking around armed in towns
This would feel more authentic and grounded to me.
Final Thoughts & Recommendation
I can genuinely recommend No Rest for the Wicked.
Want to experience the story? → lower difficulty
Want a challenge? → higher difficulty with fair mechanics
Souls players? → demanding combat with a different philosophy
Newcomers? → accessible thanks to adjustable difficult