Summary
During The Game Awards, Moon Studios reveals its next game asNo Rest for the Wicked, something completely different from its past work withOri and the Blind Forest. Moon Studios, originally founded in 2010 as a “virtual studio” due to its large contingent of remote employees, gained critical acclaim after launching its first title in 2015 calledOri and the Blind Forest. The 2D Metroidvania platformer not only received universal acclaim from both critics and players alike, the game also took home plenty of end of the year awards include Best Art Direction.
Moon followed that up 5 years later withOri and the Will of the Wisps, returning to that familiar gameplay and visual style, which leaned heavily on bright and vibrant colors. In fact, just like its predecessor, many calledOri and the Will of the Wispsone of the best examples of artistic expression in video gaming. Naturally, fans began to wonderwhat Moon Studios would be working on nextand, after 3 long years, the studio has finally revealed its newest upcoming game.
Duringthe 2023 Game Awards, Moon Studios announced their next game, known asNo Rest for the Wicked. Unlike Moon’s previous games, Wicked is something completely different both in visual style and gameplay. The trailer shows off an almost fantasy/medieval style world filled with swords, blood, and action. Moon has confirmed that No Rest for the Wicked will be a hand-crafted world using a “distinctive painting art style” with a focus on verticality as players explore the island of Isola Sacra.
The reveal likely surprised fans asNo Rest for the Wickedis a complete shift away from what the Moon Studios has previously released, though many fans were likelyhoping for a thirdOrigame. According to an accompanyingblog post, Moon Studios calls this a passion project as it attempts to innovate on the Action Role Playing Game genre. The game doesn’t currently have a release date, but it has been confirmed for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC. Fans looking for more details will want to tune in to a planned “Wicked Inside” showcase planned for July 09, 2025 where more details and gameplay will be revealed.
It’s been a longer than anticipated wait for details on No Rest for the Wicked. Earlier this year,Moon Studios cofounder Thomas Mahler teased fanswith news of the then unannounced title, calling it a “make or break” moment for the studio as they attempt to revolutionize the ARPG genre. Considering thatDiablo 4would eventually launch later that year and posed a potential challenge for other ARPG style games, Mahler admitted that he loved the challenge and wasn’t shying away.
No Rest for the Wicked
WHERE TO PLAY
From Moon Studios, the award-winning developers of Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps comes No Rest for the Wicked, a visceral, precision Action RPG set to reinvent the genre.The year is 841 – King Harol is dead. As word of his death echoes throughout the kingdom, the crown passes to his arrogant, yet untested son Magnus.Even worse, the Pestilence, an unholy plague not seen for a thousand years, has returned. It sweeps across the land, corrupting everything and everyone it touches. Madrigal Seline, a ruthlessly ambitious figure in the church, sees the Pestilence as a chance to prove herself in the eyes of her god.These forces converge on the backwater Isola Sacra, where rebel groups and the provincial government fight for control amid the isle’s crumbling ruins.You are a Cerim – a member of a group of mystical holy warriors imbued with remarkable powers and sworn to defeat the Pestilence at any cost. But the task will prove increasingly challenging as you become entangled in the people’s plight and the vast political struggle of this downtrodden land. Chaos will pull you in every direction as you seek to cleanse the land of wickedness and shape the kingdom’s fate.
