When the game like No rest for the wicked is entering a space largely dominated by giants like Blizzard Entertainment Diablo franchise, it will naturally not only draw comparisons to that franchise, but it can also throw off players who go into it expecting a similar experience. I am not ashamed to admit that I was one of these players and as a long time fan of them Diablo and other ARPGs like The path of exilewashing on the beach after completion No rest for the wickedIn the prologue, I charged into battle like I was invincible. However, after finding myself on the wrong end of my enemy's blade one too many times, I realized that this was not the game I thought it was and I was going to have to change my approach.
I recently went on a hand No rest for the wicked to try out its new co-op update “Together” with Moon Studios CEO Thomas Mahler and game designer Kevin Jordan, during which they briefed me on various aspects of the game's design, co-op mechanics, and upcoming features. During my time playing with the developers, I asked Mahler what he thought were the “fundamental misunderstandings” players have about No rest for the wickedand his response focused only on his frequent comparisons to Diablo. According to Mahler, there were plenty of others who, like me, went for it No rest for the wicked they expect to deal absurd amounts of damage to be subdued almost immediately.
No Rest for the Wicked may look like Diablo, but it plays like a soul
Which is most confusing No rest for the wickedcomparison to Diablo is that they have nothing to do with the game itself, only the perspective. Soul-like games are almost always played in third person from behind the character or at least over the shoulder, but No rest for the wicked is isometric Souls-like, meaning the camera is elevated above the character in a similar way to ARPGs like Diablo and The path of exile. Mahler even confirmed during the interview that there was some comparison No rest for the wicked and Diablo are due to perspective, not gameplay:
“One problem we've always had No rest for the wickedfrom the very beginning, people saw the top-down perspective and immediately thought, “Oh, this is Diablo.” But it is in many ways the exact opposite of Diablo. It's so much more than what ARPGs used to be. ARPGs weren't these spammy clicker games where you just press buttons and the whole screen explodes. And a lot of players come in and think it's Diablo and start pushing buttons, and then they get their asses.”
I can confirm this again because I was one of those players during the first hour with No rest for the wickeddespite having countless hours of experience with Souls-like games and is even somewhat skilled in the genre. It's interesting how a game explicitly labeled as Souls-like can still so easily mislead players with something as simple as perspective, but still makes sense. No rest for the wicked is Moon Studios' attempt to bridge the gap between ARPGs and Souls, taking what the team loves about both and putting it all into one cohesive experience.
Ultimately, this philosophy allowed the developer to create an ARPG that deviates from the expectations associated with the genre and instead offers a unique take on the formula. “I never really liked the levels you played at Diablo or The path of exile” said Mahler, “because they're literally just procedurally generated flat planes. So, when we did Evilthe immediate thought was, no, let's actually design these levels properly.” Clearly, it wasn't just level design that Moon Studios wanted to focus on, as No rest for the wickedCombat is ultimately what makes its isometric perspective so deceptive. As Mahler stated:
“The point-and-click system you have in Diablo and Path of Exile, I don't think is the best thing you can do in today's world. Obviously, I'm biased because I made No Rest for the Wicked, but I think even better are those combat systems where you're in control of your character. forward.”
The path of exile is notorious for being one of those “explosive” games that Mahler mentioned earlier, where players can create lineups that essentially function like lawnmowers, except for wiping out all the enemies they come across with a single click of the mouse. Diablo can also be played this way to some extent, and the developer here strongly suggests that these games require less real-time skill because players are not in control of all aspects of combat. It's not entirely about the skill cap though, as Moon Studios just realizes how “dumb” ARPGs they like Diablo and The path of exile are these days and wants to offer something that is more grounded in its execution.
Apparently David Brevik, the original creator and lead designer Diablohe actually agrees that modern ARPGs have gone a bit overboard. In fact, an interview with Brevik, whom Mahler and many others refer to as the “Godfather of ARPGs,” helped support his view that No rest for the wicked takes the genre in a positive direction compared to other records. The director of Moon Studios referred to said the interview and continued:
“That's something that even the godfather of ARPGs, David Brevik, actually agrees with. I read an interview with him recently where he called these combat systems stupid, because with these ARPGs where there's a huge amount of spam on the screen and you're doing billions and trillions of damage and I don't even know what's going on, we've tried it in many ways and we've tried it in many ways and weird. Probably because of the top-down perspective, the Diablo crowd jumped into the game expecting that will play like Diablo, but not combat-wise, we're trying to create a next-gen ARPG.
And with that, it's clear No rest for the wicked not trying to compete Diablo doing the same things louder or faster. It challenges the assumptions players bring with them to the genre, starting with how an ARPG is supposed to feel, even in its modern day. The camera may draw comparisons to other large isometric ARPGs, but the combat, level design, and pacing require a different mindset, patience, and consideration. Once that mental shift clicks, the game design starts to make sense and it's even better to play because what seemed punishing at first becomes rewarding. No rest for the wicked it may look like a traditional ARPG, but it's played by a different set of rules, and that's really the whole point.
- Released
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April 18, 2024
- ESRB
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M for adults
- Developers
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Moon Studios
