It was initially rather surprising when Moon Studios, well known for developing the beloved Metroidvania games Ori and the Blind Forest and its sequel, announced that its next game isn't a Metroidvania at all. No Rest for the Wicked is an action-RPG not unlike Diablo, but the devs have reassured that it's "much more Metroidvania" than most games in the genre.
This detail was teased in a deep dive video in the Future Games Show Spring Showcase's "Expansion Pack" stream. In the video, creative director Thomas Mahler speaks about the freedom of movement that'll be afforded to players, noting that we'll be given "ultimate control of the character" that'll be "super precise."
Bouncing off from this, production and technical director Gennadiy Korol adds: "It's a very intuitive thing for us as well – I don't think that we would want it any other way, especially with all the verticality that we have in the game, jumping and climbing. It's a very different level design compared to just any other action RPG. It's much more Metroidvania, it's much more of creating these shortcuts, creating these interconnected moments, [and] having something that you can really get lost in in a good way.
"With a point-and-click model, how do you really make that natural? How do you make that convenient? I think it would be very, very difficult, and it just doesn't fit our DNA."
Moving on from this, Mahler compares No Rest for the Wicked's combat system to Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat, pointing out the intricate planning that goes into each and every one of the actions seen in the game. There are "hundreds if not thousands" of different "moves and so on" integrated, making the process of making them all "extremely laborious." In particular, it sounds like a lot of detail has gone into all of the attacking animations, which Mahler says "really have to matter" as you have to "let the animation drive everything."
It sounds like we'll be able to look forward to a really satisfying feeling of progression, not just while upgrading weapons and stats, but also while developing skills during play. Maxing out your stats action RPG-style while also honing your mastery of the mechanics will make you feel like a "badass" as you improve at the game, Korol says.
No Rest for the Wicked will be released in early access on PC on April 18, but it's also planned to launch on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S later.
For more games you can dive into right now, be sure to check out our roundup of the 25 best RPGs.
