Friendly fire is one of those features that immediately puts a game on trial in the court of public opinion, especially in co-op. This is often seen as unnecessary friction or outdated design choices, something that modern games typically avoid. That's exactly the reaction. There is no rest for the wicked bumped into According to Moon Studios CEO Thomas Mahler, when the team decided to engage in friendly fire, players were quick to label the decision “crazy.” But as in many cases there is no rest wicked's most polarizing ideas exist for a reason, and rightly so.
After spending some time playing recently There is no rest for the wickedWith Mahler and game designer Kevin Jordan's new Together co-op update, it's clear that friendly fire actually accurately reflects the game's broader design philosophy. wicked It's built around intentional combat, spatial awareness, and shared responsibility – all things modern ARPGs often shy away from in favor of speed and accessibility. In co-op, this philosophy extends not only to enemies, but also to the player's actions themselves, allowing players to remain aware of where they are aiming their sword or spell. While playing with Mahler and Jordan, the developers gave GameRant more insight into what's next. There is no rest for the wickedExplains its design and why friendly fire is essential to achieve its goals.
There is no rest for the wicked to punish their carelessness. This includes friendly fire
To be honest, I didn't even know friendly fire was such a thing. There is no rest for the wicked It wasn't because they told me before I played with Mahler and Jordan. Instead, I realized it when Mahler accidentally hit me with a ranged attack and apologized. At that point, I blushed as I started going back through my memories to see if I had unknowingly depleted my partner's health bar during that time. I still don't know, but I feel like we both know.
“There is also friendly fire.” Mahler said after throwing a spell at me. “When we first put this in, people thought we were crazy.” And he's not exaggerating either. After searching the posts, There is no rest for the wicked In the forums and the game's Steam Community hub, I've found a lot of complaints about the game's friendly fire implementation. Some players say “it's almost impossible to avoid hitting your friends,” while others call the mechanic “the worst thing ever.” Still, that hasn't stopped numerous players from lobbying to support: There is no rest for the wickedHowever,'s preference for friendly fire ultimately comes down to players understanding the whole point of the system, and Mahler asserted:
“We highly discourage things like pushing buttons. You have to play intentionally, otherwise you get locked into an attack and get punished for it. That's very different. That's one of the things we wanted to achieve. There is no rest for the wicked. I've always felt this frustration. diablo 3 Actually, it wasn't the sequel I wanted to see. diablo 2. I really haven't seen that much innovation. diablo 3, Diablo 4, Path of Exile 2etc. I thought, ‘There are so many genres that just do crazy things, and we haven’t taken that many risks.’”
If there was a prize for taking risks in the ARPG space, it would be No Rest for the wicked If you don't win, the game will at least be a top contender. As some examples show, friendly fire is a huge risk in itself. Nonetheless, this is just one of many factors to set. wicked Separately from other ARPGs diablo and path of exileMahler said that both lack innovation due to their unwillingness to slightly push the boundaries of the genre.
But friendly fire is, of course, a direct action. There is no rest for the wickedis a vision of what a cooperative should feel like at a basic level. Rather than having players effectively play separate games while existing in the same room, Moon Studios wanted collaboration that would create real interaction, awareness, and sometimes tension between players. As game designer Kevin Jordan explained, “We wanted players to have a more social experience rather than feeling like they were playing a single player game side by side where everyone was doing their own thing and there was no crossover in terms of social or gameplay experience.” Friendly fire reinforces this idea in combat, forcing players to consider their allies as well as enemy positions.
If it wasn't already clear, Mahler repeatedly emphasized just how far. There is no rest for the wicked Willingness to separate from mainstream ARPGs such as: diablo and path of exile. However, the goal is not to suggest that one approach is inherently superior to the other, or that players are wrong for enjoying what the game has to offer. Instead, Moon Studios is focused on expanding the genre into unfamiliar territory, even if it means challenging expectations in the process. Friendly fire is built into this mindset. This may frustrate players who see co-op as a built-in safety net, but it reflects a broader willingness to experiment and drive rather than convention. Mahler explained:
“I don't think the point-and-click system used in Diablo and Path of Exile is the best way to do it today anymore. Of course I'm biased because I created No Rest for the Wicked, but I think what's much better is a combat system where you actually control your character. Combat where spacing is important, positioning is important, timing is important. For me, this is the logical next step.”
And to this inexperienced person There is no rest for the wicked Player, for that reason friendly fire has never bothered me. This is just part of how the game works. Playing with Mahler and Jordan made it clear that cooperative play is not about protecting players from their own mistakes or leaving them dazed while they swing wildly. Caution is expected. You must respect the space around you. Friendly Fire reinforces that expectation every time you play it, whether you like it or not. It's not for everyone, but it's exactly what it is. wicked I'm trying to do it and after spending time with it, I personally wouldn't want it any other way.
- released
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April 18, 2024
- developer
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moon studio
