No Rest For The Wickedis the new game fromthe team behind indie hitssuch asOri And The Blind Forest, and its sequel,Ori And The Will Of The Wisps. Unlike their previous titles,No Rest For The Wickedis ahardcore action-RPGthat blends the hallmarks of the genre with souls-like elements.
The challenging gameplay created by this combination of systems and mechanics increases the initial difficulty of the game. This difficulty curve can be especially steep for players inexperienced withsouls-like combat, and there are several other systems at play inNo Rest For The Wicked, even outside of its challenging enemy encounters. However, there are several things that players can do to make their lives a little easier early on.
5Gather Resources From The Get-Go
An Important Habit To Maximize Efficiency
After players defeat their first boss inNo Rest For The Wicked, they’ll soon reach the main hub of the game, Sacrament. Here, players can speak with various NPCs and, more importantly, merchants. However, there’s one particularly useful NPC, Maker Danos, who willbuild and upgrade helpful buildingsin exchange for resources. Contributing to Maker Danos' various construction projects with wood, ore, and other materials is a must for players that want to access everything in the game. For example, upgrading Gordon’s restaurant grants players access to more recipes, allowing them to cook better meals. As such, it’s important that players mine ore and chop down trees from the moment they start playing.
Because these resources respawn withNo Rest For The Wicked’sfog-of-war mechanic(which respawns the enemies and loot in any areas players haven’t visited recently), players need to be gathering every resource they come across as they make their way across the map. Players should also invest in a shovel as soon as possible, as it allows them to take advantage of dig spots, which is one of the few ways toacquire clay in the game.
4Practice Parrying Early
An Efficient Way To Deal With Late-Game Enemies
No Rest For The Wickedfeaturesa distinct combat systemthat blends elements of action-RPGs and theDark Soulsgames. One of the main mechanics it takes fromDark Soulsis the parry system, which is especially unforgiving in this game. Because the player’s equipment degrades every time they die, it can be risky to attempt parrying when dodge-rolling suffices in most cases. However, certain enemies are much easier to fight if the player is able to parry them, and practicing the parry early in the game lowers the stakes somewhat.
This is especially so as the enemies ofNo Rest For The Wicked’sworld are dynamic. After players defeat Falstead Darak in the Shallows and leave the sewer through the grate in Sacrament, the enemies in the prior zones change to more difficult foes. Those who are further into the game, and don’t want their stronger equipment degrading in the process of practicing the parry, can unequip their armor and any valuable weapons before practicing. Doing this prevents the player’s gear from degrading when they die.
3Acquire A Weapon With Long Reach
A Safer Way To Approach Combat
While ranged weapons do exist inNo Rest For The Wicked, and they can be powerful with the right build, players that gravitate towards melee weapons may have a hard time with some enemies and bosses in the game. For instance, there are several enemies that kick and/or knock players down if they get too close.
To combat this, melee weapon users can either use shields to give themselves extra survivability, or opt for a weapon with a longer reach. Two-handed weapons are perfect for this, more specifically, the Claymore. This great sword only requires ten strength to use, and scales with that stat as well. This makes the Claymore a brilliant melee weapon for strength-focused builds, and has a long reach that allows players to keep their distance from enemies while simultaneously dealing damage.
2Pay Attention To Equipment Traits
To Maximize Damage And Minimize Detrimental Effects
While common weapons inNo Rest For The Wickeddon’t feature any unique bonuses or debuffs, there are several other weapon types that do. These are rare weapons, cursed weapons, and unique weapons. Cursed weapons in particular can offer some powerful bonuses, but at a price.
Although it’s easy to equip a weapon that simply has better stats than the current one in use, players should be more careful when swapping out their weapon for a new one. This is especially so for cursed weapons, which, while powerful, can have some seriously detrimental effects. For example, cursed weapons can even take experience from the player when they die.
1Don’t Hoard Items
To Avoid Missing Out On Potential Loot
No Rest For The Wicked, in true action-RPG fashion, floods the player’s inventory with loot from the moment they start playing. While it may be tempting (and sometimes wise) to hoard certain items for later, such as a powerful weapon that requires an extra level or a few more points in a certain statistic, stockpiling redundant weapons and armor is especially detrimental. This is particularly counterproductive in the early game, when players don’t have easy access to extensive storage.
There are a variety of merchants inNo Rest For The Wicked, housed in the market at Sacrament, the hub city. Players just starting out should hold onto any valuable weapons and armor until they reach Sacrament, even if they don’t intend on using them, or at least until they meet the blacksmith, Fillmore. This is because weapons and armor typically fetch a fair price, and are one of the easiest ways to make money in the game.
