The attitude of my own mind is inconsistent and, so far as these stories are concerned, I cannot help having a slight inclination for things of this kind, and indeed, as regards their reasonableness, I cannot help cherishing an opinion that there is some validity in these experiences in spite of all the absurdities involved in the stories about them.
— Immanuel Kant
First of all, I would like to say that up until now, I have watched practically all of Thomas Mahler’s interviews and… Wow! The passion he has when talking about games is something enviable. He knows what he is talking about and has the expertise to do what he does. You can see passion and love in his words. No Rest For The Wicked has been one of the best video game experiences I have ever had in my life. I want this game to take over 2,000+ hours of my life. I intend to buy keys for the game and give them to some acquaintances so they can discover how incredible this game is. Even if early access stopped today, for me, only “The Crucible” would be worth the investment. Perhaps much of what I say here may seem silly, since I don’t think I have 5% of the knowledge that Thomas and the other developers at Moon Studios have, but I’m not sure how much advanced knowledge is needed to have an opinion on something… It’s not so surprising, then, that most people who play games, regardless of how and when they do it, have as little need for level design knowledge as birds have of ornithology.
First of all, I’d like to say how strange (you’ll get what I mean by that) a game in early access can be for developers. Player ‘x’ might say that they liked feature ‘a’, but player ‘y’ might say that they hated it, and that they actually liked feature ‘b’ more. And what do the developers do? That’s a mystery to me. I think it would be interesting to draw a line between what could and could not be given as feedback, because if players can talk about everything, I don’t know to what extent their opinions would be valid and to what extent you, as developers, would implement your already established plans for the game. As once said:
“Circumstantial evidence is a very tricky thing. It may seem to point very straight to one thing, but if you shift your own point of view a little, you may find it pointing in an equally uncompromising manner to something entirely different.”
— Sherlock Holmes
Anyway, I would like to separate this feedback into 3 parts: what I liked, what could be improved and what I hated (just one thing).
What I liked:
- The game’s combat is visceral, brutal and full of gore. It’s amazing. Unfortunately, we see in many games, characters dying and the damage we cause to them having practically no impact (Dark Souls, Assassin’s Creed, and many others). I think No Rest For The Wicked (hereinafter NRFTW) does this masterfully. Even though the game is in an isometric view, the fact that there is a lot of dismemberment, tearing apart of bodies and gushing blood makes the battles much more enjoyable, bringing a huge sense of catharsis.
- Speaking of catharsis: the fact that the game is full of grotesque creatures is another incredible aspect for me. Life is very difficult, and we have to deal with all kinds of aberrations every day. NRFTW puts us to face grotesque creatures and the feeling of seeing them fall after several attempts in a battle is phenomenal. Please bring increasingly more horrific and grotesque things to the game. The design of these creatures is horribly beautiful (I don’t know how this may sound, but they are the most beautiful ugly things I have ever seen in my life).
- The game’s combat is extremely fluid and responsive. NRFTW is the first game I’ve played with an isometric view, but I get the impression that these games have very tight combat, almost like a turn-based RPG (and I hate that kind of game). NRFTW is the exact opposite: the blows have weight and impact, every action matters and you have to react quickly to the constant aggression of your enemies. That’s great.
- The farming system is bold and innovative. Maybe big games don’t focus so much on innovation and just try to stay in their comfort zone. I believe that the fact that we have fishing, mining and resource gathering systems makes the game experience much more immersive, as it makes the player think carefully about how and when they’re going to use their resources (unlike Elden Ring, for example, where your healing vials regenerate and you can try infinite times). This adds an extra layer of depth to the game (and yes, I’m Using Eleonore’s Rune).
- The equipment damage system is also very good. This makes the player rethink what they are doing and return to Sacramento to improve their equipment, improve their strategy and so on.
- The art of the game as a whole needs no comment. This game will age like a fine wine.
- The variety of weapons in the game is also absurd. Although I would like to play with a katana, claws or a scythe, I am at level 20, with about 30 hours of play and I haven’t put down the blood and rust sword
. - Although I skipped all the cutscenes and ignored practically all the story content (I want to avoid spoilers, because I want to enjoy the narrative all at once when the game is ready), something I would like to congratulate the team for is the fact that the story is told in a more direct way and without puzzles. Games like Dark Souls and Elden Ring have incredible stories, but to fully understand them you need to take a 36-hour intensive course on YouTube. The fact that NRFTW explains the story through dialogues and cutscenes an in a direct way is something I really liked.
What could be improved:
“The word “and” trails along after every sentence. Something always escapes.”
— William James
- Farm: I would like to have a consistent system for producing certain items (mushrooms, sagebrush leaves, etc.). A garden/plantation near the house would be interesting. It would also be interesting to bring along a merchant who sells seeds. Some more specific ones where you harvest what you planted and other seeds that may take longer to grow, but that can give you a new species of rare fruit, with unknown effects that can HELP A LOT or HINDER THE player A LOT.
- NPCs: Many characters have exciting stories and I would like to relate to them in some way. Whether through romances or friendships after helping them with something. I bought my house in the poorest part of Sacrament and was scared by the history of the people there. To give 3 examples: Regina: we could somehow help her with her daughter. Hearing her talk a little about her daughter makes me sad… Julia: One word describes Julia’s situation… Depression. There could be a way to find clues about where her family went. To make the story even more exciting: we could find a child who is related to her in the forest, saying that she got lost. When returning with the child, along the way, we could encounter a monster that devours children from the villages. We would then have one chance to defeat the beast. If we lost, we would see the beast devouring the child and we would never see her again (really?). When returning to Sacrament, we could talk about what happened to Julia, who, seeing herself without hope, would end her own life, or we could also (if we save the child) help them get back on their feet in some way.
- Sacrament’s story: Sacrament could have a greater importance, in a way that the player would feel part of the place. It would be interesting to see Sacrament completely destroyed by something (or someone) and see our character helping to rebuild it from the ashes. This would generate a great sense of belonging. When this happened, some characters could thank you every time you pass by them and give you gifts or greetings.
- Suspension of judgment: Still on the subject of lore: we often have some events in the game that are mere conveniences that we ignore due to the suspension of common logic. But I feel that adding a certain level of more realistic logic to such an incredible game would be interesting. And I’m thinking about the case of the main character and enemies being reborn. As for the enemies, due to a patent issue with Warner Bros., I know that the nemesis system can’t be remade. But it would be interesting if, in some way, the monsters we almost killed remembered us when we returned to face them again. Once again: this would make the player feel that the world is really alive and that it continues to happen even when he is not there.
- As for the player himself: many games like Dark Souls, Minecraft, GTA, etc… tend to have a very ad hoc and improvised explanation for why characters are reborn: because you are the protagonist. I think it would be interesting if the Cerim had an item that would somehow keep him “pure”. After his first death (this could be a good reason to play in hardcore mode. Who knows, it might even bring a different ending to the game!), the item breaks and from then on his body begins to deteriorate with each death that occurs. People start to notice this and make comments about his smell, appearance, etc… You can purify yourself of this curse using some item (VERY RARE, WHICH CAN BE FOUND ONLY A FEW TIMES THROUGHOUT THE GAME). And as for the act of rebirth itself, I think of a few things:
- The character, for some reason, had his consciousness scattered by the whispers, and every time you die, a new piece of your consciousness is acquired, and many NPCs may comment on how “you’re not the same as before” or that "you’re “is different”, more serious, smiling more, etc. When a death occurs, for example, our character uses organic matter around the last whisper (like dead enemies corpses, for example) to create a body relatively similar to his old one (for convenience). The items would be dropped in the same place where you died. Therefore, it would be necessary to pick them up where you died to continue in the battle. This can generate interesting implications for the gameplay, like body snatchers, a meeting with a zombie “I”, etc… But there is a problem: if you die too much, your character starts to get weaker, paler, out of breath, etc. He would also start to have flashes, visions, and hallucinations of his past “Is”, like voices, jumpscares, etc…
- The whispers could become “corrupted” sometimes, preventing or hindering/adding a very bad effect to the rebirth (this can also happen when using fast travel). When returning to the last whisper, for example, there could be a type of minigame (or a battle completely unarmed and naked against a boss in a “spirit realm”) so that you can get rid of this temporary curse. This could also add something interesting to the fast travel issue: there could be a system where the player could use a whisper to fast travel for, say, 5 times. After that, the whisper’s color would change, until Cerim used an item or performed some ritual to purify the whisper. This would reset the fast travel system, allowing you to once again do a few fast travels until the cycle repeats itself again. This would be better than adding an item for fast travel. This model could be similar to what happens in Hellblade Senua’s Sacrifice, where each time the character dies, darkness grows on their body. If the darkness reaches their head, the progress is lost, Senua dies and everything is gone. The difference between this and hardcore in NRFTW is that while in that, death is an enemy that is watching you at all times, here it is someone who watches the player from afar, slowly approaching and waiting for the right opportunity to end everything in one go time.
The basis for this would be ancient prophecies and scriptures texts spoken about the Cerim. Below are some examples that I thought of based on ancient translations of the Bible:
“And behold, the Cerim fell, and his blood cried out from the ground; yet he was not cast into oblivion, nor given over to perpetual death. For upon his soul was an ancient seal, not forged by human hands, but by the Promise of the Eternal:
‘You shall fall, but you shall not be consumed; you shall sleep, but you shall not rest; for I have called you to endless battle, and I will put in you the spark that defies the grave.’”
- From the Scriptures of Alarion, the Damned, chapter 7, verse 11
“I will not fear the bones that break, nor the breath that ends in the breast, for the fire from the High revives me.
Though worms surround me, and my flesh turns to dust, I will still stand on the battlefield.
For we are not made of earth alone, but of oath. And the oath of Cerim is stronger than the grave.” - Psalm Two of the Son of the First Cerim, Song VI
“When the world lies in darkness, and the steel of men is broken, then shall He arise that was dead.
And they shall say, ‘This is he that was slain by the sword, and is alive again; this is he that was swallowed up, yet remained not in the pit.’
For on his forehead was a hidden mark, and in his bosom burneth an unquenchable fire.” - Prophecy of Simon the Blind
(This “mark” may be a tattoo that every Cerim has on a part of the body. In fact, this could be explained right on the character selection screen).
“Thus says the Ancient One: Let none of you fear the fall, for the Fall is the Way.
The flesh is torn asunder, but the spirit, sealed by the Born God, is not scattered.
And whosoever sets out with purpose shall be called again, even from the belly of the abyss and of death.
For in them dwelleth the Endless Gift: to die, and to return to war.” - Codex of the Blessed One
“We are dead, and yet we live.
Wounded, but not overcome.
Consumed, but not extinguished.
For the word of the Ceremonial Oath is this:
‘Where others cease, there you shall begin.
Where flesh ceases, there the Will arises.
For you will return until the Light is restored.’” - Cerim Thanksgiving Praise
- Romance: When it comes to romance, I have two things in mind: 1) I want to marry Victoria. Seriously (really seriously. Please, make this possible!). 2) The Whispers have great potential in the lore and universe of the game. I’ll talk a little more about them here. Here’s what I imagined:
Love as a Mortal Fragility - Romance makes Cerim more human — and therefore more vulnerable. Being closer to someone can, for example:
a) Prevent certain types of rebirth (you start to refuse to leave your current form so as not to forget them and push them away), cause your partner to interfere in difficult decisions, be present in visions or, in extreme cases, be in danger because of you. This would create romances with emotional weight eal, closer to The Witcher 3 than to generic RPGs where love is just a stat bonus. This would make romances emerge as a result of the player’s personality, and not by donating flowers or repeating meaningless actions. The character’s partner can, for example, strengthen bonds through emotionally tough dialogues — confessions, fights, moments of silence. Some encounters can reduce affinity, if the player denies parts of themselves. By rebirthing too much or using fast travel, corrupting themselves with the whisper, the player may not recognize their partner, or even worse: see them as an enemy. Upon reaching the peak of romance, the Cerim gains access to a VERY STRONG special ability linked to the partner, but this comes at a cost: i) If the partner dies, you lose this ability permanently, ii) If you keep dying, he or she may turn away or turn against you, fearing what you are becoming, iii) Or they may sacrifice themselves, replacing your soul in the next rebirth — a definitive death.
b) Final Consequence (optional): The game could offer an alternative ending in which Cerim refuses a final rebirth to live and die alongside the one he loves, refusing his original destiny and sealing the journey with a real sacrifice. This would transform the choice to love someone into something with mechanical and narrative weight.
c) As for the romance choices themselves, there could be several factions in the game, and within them, we could have characters who can have romantic relationships. And among these factions there could be fights and oaths of death threats. For example: our character may not be part of any faction, but occasionally does some sporadic missions for the pirates. But the pirates swear death to the samurai. And the character our Cerim has a relationship with could be a samurai. Which could present a certain risk for the partner if you continue working for the pirates. - Crucible: I saw Thomas saying in some interviews that more content will be added, so I trust what he says. I would just like to know if it would be possible to add a local co-op option in the crucible. Unfortunately, I’m the only one with a computer at home, and I’d really like to play with other people like my little brother. These days, very few games have this kind of option, but since NRFTW a game that has a bit of everything, I think this would be a great addition.
- Still on the subject of Crucible: I know that independent studios often have a limited budget, but I can imagine how amazing it would be to have different musical styles in the composition of the soundtrack. To get an idea of what I mean, try playing a Crucible session while listening to:
- “Meathook”, “Reich Between the Eyes” and “BFG Division” by Mick Gordon
- “What Lies Below”, “When The Shadows First Lenghted”, “Blood Red” and “Steel Beyond The Grave” by Finishing Move Studios
- “A Beautiful Song” by Keigo Hoashi
- “Suffer” and “Devils Never Cry (Staff Roll)” by Tetsuya Shibata
- “Contact With You -extended-” and “Destoy The Ice Worm” by Kota Hoshino and you’ll get what I mean. Seriously. Do this later
These songs have something in common: they are slow (with a good spacing between the notes), which makes the player not feel driven by the soundtrack. On the contrary: because they are slow, this gives the player some space to think about what to do next. These songs are also “heavy” and relatively energetic, which doesn’t let the player stay still on the battlefield. The composer did a job on Ori that needs no comment. It’s simply incredible! However, I think it would be interesting to have soundtracks that follow us in other places besides the games, like in the gym, in playlists, etc. But for that, I think it would be interesting to add a more epic, brutal and aggressive tone to the soundtracks. I think that Ori’s Soundtrack is deeply emotional and epic, but i’m not sure if it’s so good for a brutal, bloody battle. - Finally, the fast travel system: in Sacrament, there could be a renown system similar to Red Dead Redemption 2, where if the player does good deeds or completes certain missions with bonuses, he can be better regarded by the locals, which brings a good reputation, discounts and fast travel to certain places. Regarding fast travel itself, in Sacrament there could be travelers who charge a fee to take Cerim from one place to another. This fee can be pretty expensive, so it’s necessary to think carefully before traveling: “Is it really worth it?” During the journey, there could also be surprises: bandits could rob the wagon, monsters could set up an ambush, etc. The possibilities are endless. The same would apply to the return journey. We could eventually find lost and/or injured NPCs with a broken wagon. By helping them, they could take us back to Sacrament. Or we could make a smoke signal or blow a horn to call these merchants. But this must be done carefully, as it could attract… unwanted presences.
- A PLEA: Unfortunately, many games nowadays require things that I consider completely absurd, such as a constant internet connection or the use of an external launcher (which, to me, makes no sense at all). I know that Ori was published on GOG and that was extremely commendable on your part. I hope that the same happens with NRFTW. But PLEASE, do not make the game require a constant internet connection. Many players simply do not like to play online and enjoy playing alone, completely offline and without a connection. So, once again, I would like to emphasize: for the sake of preserving the games: keep the main content of the game 100% offline!
What I hated:
“In our endeavour to understand reality we are somewhat like a man trying to understand the mechanism of a closed watch. He sees the face and the moving hands, even hears its ticking, but he has no way of opening the case. If he is ingenious he may form some picture of a mechanism which could be responsible for all the things he observes, but he may never be quite sure his picture is the only one which could explain his observations. He will never be able to compare his picture with the real mechanism…”
— Albert Einstein and Leopold Infeld
Unfortunately, many studios today have done a very poor job of optimizing games. Using Cyberpunk 2077 as an example, it seems that NVidia made that game and its entire marketing campaign with Ray Tracing. What you see too often are people with a gameplay video of the game where the main focus is the graphics, and not the game itself. Just look at the focus the game’s benchmark gives to reflections and puddles on the floor (for an example, search for “GTA V Graphics mod 4K” on Youtube and you’ll understand what I mean). Many technologies like frame generation, FSR, DLSS and XESS should be used so that players who have access to certain technologies (monitors with high refresh rates for example) can enjoy what they have, but it seems that these tools are actually becoming mandatory for games nowadays. It’s as if companies use these tools not as an extra, but as a crutch. I’ve tested NRFTW on 2 computers: one with an R7 5700G, 32 GB of RAM and an RX6600, and the gaming experience was very bad, I couldn’t even fight Wirrick (this was at the beginning of Early Access). Today, I have an Acer Nitro V15 with an RTX 3050 6Gb and an i5 13420H and 16Gb of RAM. I know my setup isn’t the best, but I believe it should perform better in the game. I don’t have the technical knowledge to talk about game optimization, but I don’t understand how games like RDR2, TLOU2, Ghost of Tsushima, Resident Evil 4 Remake and other heavy games run very well on my computer and NRFTW doesn’t. I don’t believe the answer to the problem is “changing my computer”. Once again: I understand that my setup isn’t the best, but where I live (Brazil) it’s not that easy to buy a computer. My current one costs the equivalent of 4 full months of salary. So, “changing my computer” is definitely not an option for me. As I said above, I will give some game keys to some acquaintances, but they have computers with used parts imported from China, and I know they DEFINITELY won’t have the best possible experience with the game. Maybe in a place where there are better financial conditions it would be easier to change your hardware, but not everyone has that option. Things look different from afar. Maps require data.
Ultimately, that’s what I have for feedback on the game. NRFTW will break barriers, fight giants, and redefine genres. It certainly raised the bar for what I consider a “good” video game. I hope we can continue the discussion on Discord or in some collaborative document or something. Congratulations and good luck to the whole team!