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

Couldn't recommend this game more, one thing I'll mention to people thinking of buying the game is that progress will be lost/reset once the full game comes out.

**Recommended, but read this before playing Early Access**

A warning before you start playing the Early Access version: when the full game is released, your save will be wiped. That is the main reason why I am stopping after around 9 hours for now.

As for the game itself, it really clicks.

It is a very nice combination of ARPG and souls-like gameplay. Enemies are challenging and they can punish you very quickly if you just rush in and mash buttons without thinking. The combat feels satisfying, the graphics are honestly stunning, and the sound design and effects are polished. From a technical point of view, I really do not have much to complain about. Everything works and feels as it should.

That said, some mechanics and game loops still need rebalancing.

The biggest issue for me is resource gathering. I do not want to spend 30 minutes running around already visited areas collecting materials for potions or meals, only to get destroyed by a new boss in a few minutes and then repeat the whole gathering loop again. Either the resource amounts need to be higher, or the system needs to feel more rewarding and less like busywork.

Overall, the game has a lot of potential and already feels very solid. I will gladly come back to it, but probably after release, when I know my progress will actually stay.

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!

After nearly 200 hours with a single character, I can confidently recommend No Rest for the Wicked.
At first glance, the top-down perspective might suggest a traditional action RPG, but don't let that fool you. This is much closer to a Souls-like in both philosophy and execution. Every encounter rewards patience, positioning, stamina management, and learning enemy attack patterns. Combat isn't about mindlessly mowing through enemies—it's deliberate, methodical, and incredibly satisfying once it clicks.
One of the first things that surprised me was how addictive exploration became. I would constantly set out with a specific objective, only to find myself stopping every few steps to gather ore, wood, herbs, or whatever else I came across. Gathering plant resources for cooking eventually became a bit repetitive, but the overall resource loop kept me engaged far longer than I expected.
What truly elevated exploration, though, was the world design. As you climb towers, cliffs, and other high vantage points, you're often rewarded with sweeping views of places you haven't reached yet. Sometimes I'd spot an area and immediately start wondering how I was supposed to get there. Other times it was clear the game was quietly foreshadowing somewhere my journey would eventually take me. More than once I found myself simply stopping to take in the view and imagine what lay beyond the horizon. Those moments made exploration feel driven by genuine curiosity rather than a checklist of objectives.
The world itself is absolutely gorgeous. The art style didn't immediately click with me, but the longer I played, the more I appreciated it. The environments are beautifully crafted, and I especially loved the vertical level design. Instead of one massive flat world, areas are layered with rooftops, caves, elevators, hidden passages, and multiple elevations that constantly rewarded exploration. Even after dozens of hours, I was still discovering places I had somehow missed before.
Where the game truly won me over was its build crafting.
I started with a simple sword-and-shield setup before eventually realizing I enjoyed controlling fights through stagger mechanics. That led me to experiment with several different two-handed weapons until I settled on hammers. It wasn't because they dealt the most damage—it was because their moveset matched how I naturally wanted to fight. Breaking an enemy's stance, watching them drop to one knee, and following up with a crushing blow never stopped being satisfying.
One of my favorite design decisions is that the game rewards finding weapons you genuinely enjoy rather than constantly replacing them with higher-level gear. Once I found the hammer that suited me, I continued upgrading it throughout my journey. I never felt pressured to abandon it simply because something else had larger numbers.
The build system is flexible enough to let you play to your own strengths. I'm not particularly good at parrying, and I honestly didn't want to force myself into that playstyle. The game never punished me for it. Instead, I built around what I enjoyed, choosing affixes and equipment that complemented my approach to combat. I never felt like I needed to chase a meta build. Discovering what worked through experimentation became one of the most rewarding parts of the game.
I spent most of my playthrough on Path of the Torn before eventually moving up to Path of the Unspoken. The increase in difficulty was significant, but in the best possible way. It forced me to think much more carefully about plague modifiers, enemy affixes, and how my build interacted with each encounter. The harder content wasn't simply about bigger numbers—it demanded better decisions.
The bosses were another highlight. Some of them were genuinely challenging, especially on the higher difficulty, but they always felt rewarding to overcome. I still remember defeating my first Crucible boss. Between the dialogue during the fight, the incredible music, and finally overcoming the challenge, it was one of those rare moments where every part of the game's presentation came together perfectly.
Speaking of the music, it's excellent throughout. Sometimes dramatic, sometimes peaceful, sometimes unsettling, it consistently enhances the atmosphere without ever feeling intrusive.
The story also surprised me. Without spoiling anything, there are moments with genuine emotional weight. One storyline involving a father and daughter stood out to me in particular. It reminded me that this world isn't simply filled with quests—it contains characters whose lives and decisions actually matter.
Another feature I unexpectedly fell in love with was housing. I spent hours decorating my home until it genuinely felt like my own. Eventually I purchased a second house and turned it into a dedicated crafting workshop while keeping my original home for storage and decoration. It may not be a feature everyone spends much time with, but I loved it. That level of customization made Sacrament feel less like a hub city and more like a place my character actually lived.
My biggest criticism is that some of the game's systems aren't immediately intuitive. Looking back, I don't think the mechanics themselves are overly complicated, but several important systems didn't fully click until I intentionally slowed down and experimented. Once they did, many of my early frustrations disappeared. The developers make an honest effort to explain these mechanics, but I think some players may bounce off the game before realizing just how much depth is actually there. Likewise, inventory management felt cumbersome at first until I learned how inventory expansion worked. Once I understood the system, it became much less of an issue, but it wasn't immediately obvious.
Very few games hold my attention for nearly 200 hours. No Rest for the Wicked didn't keep me playing because there was always another weapon with bigger numbers. It kept rewarding curiosity, experimentation, and personal investment in its world. I found a weapon that felt like mine, built a home I was proud of, crafted a build around my strengths instead of following a guide, and continued discovering new reasons to explore long after I thought I'd seen everything.
Even after nearly 200 hours, I wasn't ready to stop playing. I fully intended to continue investing time into my character because there were still builds I wanted to try, areas I wanted to revisit, and improvements I wanted to make. Very few games manage to keep me engaged for that long, and I think that says more than any numerical score ever could.
For me, that's about the highest compliment I can give a 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, after I remapped the 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 or 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