Summary
No Rest for the Wickedshocked Moon Studios fans with a surprise reveal at The Game Awards recently. Not only does the upcoming ARPG show off visceral combat, a unique fantasy setting, and an art style reminiscent of some classic Xbox 360 titles, but music that puts it a cut above the rest.
Moon Studios unveiled details of the game, such as its ARPG genre, earlier in 2023. TheOriseries developer then gave audiences a full reveal trailer at The Game Awards. From the sparse details released thus far, the plot ofNo Rest for the Wickedlooks to revolve around the aftermath of a dead king, the resurgence of a dormant plague, and the opportunism of religious institutions.
No Rest For The Wicked Has Some Exceptional Trailer Music
Though not as hyped as some of the other games revealed at The Game Awards,No Rest for the Wickedhas been set apart by its trailer’s fantastic music. Composed by Jason Graves and featuring Malukah, the trailer’s song ‘We Prayed For Summer’ has been well-received by audiences. The song contains both dynamic instrumentals that greatly accent the visuals and beautifully tragic vocals that convey a lot about the story. Its high quality certainly induces confidence in thisbold departure from theOriseries.
Beginning with the instrumentals, vocals only emerge around 0:33 in the trailer. Before this point, echoing vocals carry the music—though even here they’re married quite well to the sounds of turbulent seas and crashing lightning. This emphasis on atmosphere is a feature of some of the all-timebest video game soundtracks, such as inThe Witcher 3; it helps immerse the player in the world. The atmosphere in this initial section is dire. The lack of instrumentals reflects the solemnity of a shipwrecked crew lost to midnight tides.
Strings build as the studio logo is shown in the trailer, and percussion joins once gameplay is revealed, as if signaling the drums of war. This perfectly escalates tension, providing a strong contrast to the building music of the earlier section. Brass parts swell up, surging in time with the action. The percussion does the same on a more focused level; it beats in time with the fall of a flying creature or the landing of various attacks. This musical dynamism, seen ingames such asDying Light 2, adapts the score to the action onscreen. It would be great to seeNo Rest for the Wickedtake this element into its soundtrack, especially with how well it works here.
The lyrics are also a standout element in this trailer, helping differentiate it fromMoon Studios' past games. Sounding almost like a siren song, echoing without instrumentals and played over churning waters, the first verse sets up the idea of something returning. The singer references her drowned sister and how she “still visits by the light of the moon.” The chorus, which plays twice in the video, then begins. Its lyrics can tell us a lot about what the game’s core ideas might be:
• “We prayed for summer, we prayed for fall” likely references religious rituals related to harvest (as was common in medieval societies).
• “To prosper, to love, to forgive”/“For harvest, for mercy, for rain” references broader concepts in its first iteration and more concrete things in the latter, emphasizing the more dire circumstances in the following instance.
• “Our prayers came back like a little lost lamb, dying so that we may live”/“And our prayers came back like a voice in the dark: answered, but not quite the same” both reference that idea of returning. The first iteration’s mention of a sacrificial lamb is likely an invocation of a Christ-like figure, furthering the game’s religious undertones.
ThoughMoon Studios hasn’t shaken off some allegationsabout its workplace, it has at least captured the attention of gamers again withNo Rest for the Wickedand its haunting music. Right now, however, fans will have to wait before more is revealed.
Ori and the Will of the Wisps
WHERE TO PLAY
The little spirit Ori is no stranger to peril, but when a fateful flight puts the owlet Ku in harm’s way, it will take more than bravery to bring a family back together, heal a broken land, and discover Ori’s true destiny. From the creators of the acclaimed action-platformer Ori and the Blind Forest comes the highly anticipated sequel. Embark on an all-new adventure in a vast world filled with new friends and foes that come to life in stunning, hand-painted artwork. Set to a fully orchestrated original score, Ori and the Will of the Wisps continues the Moon Studios tradition of tightly crafted platforming action and deeply emotional storytelling.
