No Rest For The Wicked early access review! Gameplay, interest, combat, exploration, crafting, lifespan, all the info!

Test conditions

This test allows you to quickly get an idea about No Rest For The Wicked, without spoiling its content. It is oriented on the main axes of the game.

Gameplay

Combat system

Let's get to the heart of the matter with the combat system of No Rest For The Wicked. The style is based on Souls Like, that is to say technical and demanding fights in small numbers. You won't have to face dozens of opponents, and each monster will require special attention to face them. As for the bosses, they will represent a challenge worthy of the name. You will have to manage dodging, parrying, your stamina bar and attack at the right time. The fights are very well done, even if there remains a slight inertia in dodging and the stamina gauge is quickly emptied at the start of the game. If you die, your equipment will be damaged and you will have to pay to repair it, at least before it is completely broken and lost! Note that even if the bosses are tough, the difficulty is not daunting and you will be able to collect materials again if you get stuck. You can also find the session live gameplay No Rest For The Wicked to get a better idea.

Equipment and character

To help you on your journey, you will have a whole range of equipment, including buff potions, food and of course weapons and armor. You will have to manage the weight carried so as not to be slowed down too much and each weapon will have specific effects. You can also improve and infuse your equipment to make it more powerful. The item system is random and you will be able to obtain increasingly rare items. By killing monsters, your character will gain experience and level up. At each level, you can put attribute points to increase your life, weapon damage or even your ability to carry objects.

Equipment has several levels of rarity and improvement

Depth

Exploration and crafting

Beyond the combat, exploration is the second major part of the game. You will spend a good part of your time exploring the corners of the world in order to find hidden chests. You will also have to dig, cut down trees, harvest ore and fish in order to obtain the resources necessary for crafting and improving the city. This activity remains quite daunting but necessary. Note that chests and materials to collect reappear after a certain time, but not monsters.

You will have many materials to collect

Lifespan and endgame

In addition to the main plot and side quests, No Rest For The Wicked offers you a city improvement system and weekly missions. The first point allows you, for example, to improve the power of your blacksmith or to have shortcuts in the city. You will have to use the harvested materials, such as wood, and wait the necessary time to construct the building. You will also have missions to do in order to obtain rewards, on a weekly basis. Even if this principle remains interesting, the fact of having to wait for construction and having to log in for bonuses remains poorly implemented. The studio announces between 15 and 25 hours for the main frame, which can therefore be greatly extended with this system.

Improve the city unlock upgrades

Design

Known for the sublime design of Ori, Moon Studios offers careful and quality design, whether through the atmosphere of the game, the music or the graphics. There is still a good performance optimization pass to be had, the recommended configuration to play the game requiring an RTX 3070ti. The only downside is the character design below the quality of the game.

One of the best views in the game!

Economic model

For its early access phase, No Rest For The Wicked is available for €40 with a launch promotion.

Compatibilities

Currently, the game is available in early access on PC only. Version 1.0 will be available on PC and consoles, but we have no information on possible crossplay. The game will be playable in online multiplayer for up to four, with an update (no date given) adding this mode during early access. The game is playable with a controller or keyboard mouse, however it is currently not possible to move with the QSDZ keys, unless you have a QWERTY keyboard.

En conclusion

For early access, No Rest For The Wicked offers a clean version, with very few bugs and quality. If you're looking for a top-down Souls Like, this one will be perfect for you. It remains to improve the principle of the missions and the materials to be extracted in order to be able to concentrate on the strengths of the game, namely its combat and its explorations in a magnificent world!