No Rest for the Wicked, Moon Studios’ creation, makes its way into Early Access with lofty ambitions and a grand vision. Having built a reputation with the Ori series, Moon makes the transition from charming platforming with a dash of whimsy into gritty isometric action RPG waters. Released only for PC for the time being, this game looks to marry the finesse of Soulslike combat with meticulously hand-crafted visual storytelling in a world that’s lived-in and constantly changing. Having a good base already set up, the question is if No Rest for the Wicked has the potential to become one of the genre’s standouts or if it bites off more than it can chew.
A Harsh but Rewarding Introduction to Combat and Exploration
Without diving into spoilers, I’ll focus on the early hours. The game opens with a sweeping narration as the camera glides across a stormy ocean, revealing shipwrecks and twisted mountains beneath a sickly green sky. Eventually, the ship you’re aboard comes into view. As you overhear sailors muttering, “It’s an island, not a fairy tale,” the tone is immediately set. It’s a stark departure from Moon Studios’ previous work and a fantastic opening to this isometric souls-like journey.
The moment you’re given control of your character, the movement feels weighty but balanced. The prologue introduces gameplay basics with great pacing. Strikes are deliberate, and every encounter demands focus. I didn’t take it seriously at first and tried button-mashing, but I quickly learned that timing, positioning, and stamina management are key. It feels like a solid mix of Souls-like intensity with a more methodical edge. The isometric view adds a tactical layer, assuming you’re not too distracted by the stunning environments.
Once the prologue is behind you, you wash up alone on the island’s shore. Stripped of your equipment and back to basics, you’re left with nothing but your wits and a world to uncover. The island feels ripe for exploration, full of hidden paths, tucked-away treasures, and roaming threats. There’s a genuine sense of discovery, with the game rewarding curiosity with gear, lore, and the occasional brutal ambush.
There’s already plenty of build variety on offer. I’ve gone with a sword and shield setup. Someone who can take a few hits and slowly chip away at enemies. Basically, I’m playing it safe, like I do in most souls-likes. I’ll definitely be going back to experiment more later. For your first run, though, make sure you invest in stamina. It’s essential early on. Once you’ve got a feel for how the world works and how punishing it can be, you can start focusing on weapons and playstyles that suit you.
I found myself tweaking the in-game brightness and contrast, thinking some areas were just too dark. But it turns out that was entirely by design. Glowing monsters hide in the shadows, their eerie movements both beautiful and lethal. One wrong step down a dark path and I was quickly punished for my curiosity. It’s a clever way to reinforce the world’s danger while also showing off the lighting and environmental design.
This is just how the genre works. It’s brutal, and it doesn’t care how prepared you think you are. You scrape together a few wins, start to feel confident, then get knocked back down. But that’s part of the appeal. Every death teaches you something, and it builds character, both for you and the one you’re playing. That harsh tone runs through the world too. Everyone you meet seems worn down, shaped by the cruelty around them. It all fits together. No Rest for the Wicked is still in Early Access, and the latest update, The Breach, brings new story content, enemies, equipment, and some much-needed balance tweaks. It’s a strong step forward and a sign that this world will only keep growing.
A Shattered City With Promise
Going in relatively blind, I wasn’t expecting the evolving city of Sacrament to be such a key part of the game. This central hub lets you pick up side quests, hunt bounties, and even buy your own home. Out in the wild, you’ll gather resources that can be used to help restore the town to its former glory.
It also serves as the game’s end-game hub. The Cerim Crucible, found here, throws you into brutal fights against tough enemies, rewarding you with currencies you can trade for some pretty nice gear. You can access this content early if you want, but I chose to leave it until I’d finished everything the campaign had to offer.
Beauty in Brutality
No Rest for the Wicked is a visual feast. Moon Studios have taken the beautiful, oil-painting-influenced artwork they perfected with the Ori games and warped it into something darker and more grounded. The result is a brutal world that still manages to be stunning, with something striking around every corner.
The environments are rich with depth and detail. From overgrown ruins to the long shadows cast by flickering torches, every location feels carefully crafted and loaded with visual storytelling. Even the bleakest places carry a strange allure, making exploration as dangerous as it is captivating.
The character designs also stand out, with a distinct post-Renaissance style. Faces are intentionally exaggerated and incredibly expressive in cutscenes, adding real weight to even brief conversations. While this stylisation can look a little odd from the isometric perspective during gameplay, it doesn’t detract from the overall presentation.
As the game is still in Early Access, a few technical hiccups are to be expected. I’ve had textures fail to render during cutscenes, which briefly left me blinded, and the performance can vary. Still, from a presentation standpoint, it looks fantastic—especially at 3440 x 1440.
Still Early, Already Impressive
No Rest for the Wicked is turning out to be something truly special. It’s a harrowing, uncompromising experience that requires patience but pays off with curiosity. It has tense and serious combat, a richly detailed world, and the shifting hub of Sacrament brings a welcome sense of permanence and movement to an otherwise desolate environment.
It’s a visual standout. The blend of oil-painted backgrounds and creepy, emotive character art makes the world both lovely and unsettling. Though there’s a bit of a rough edge from being in Early Access, what’s already in place is seriously impressive.
If Moon Studios continue on this path by refining the balance and expanding the world with each update. No Rest for the Wicked could become a defining entry in the isometric action RPG genre. It’s not an effortless journey, but it’s one well worth taking. With more content on the way, a focus on replayability, and developers who are actively engaging with their community, now is a fantastic time to step into the world of Sacra.