Open-World Action RPG Jumps Up Steam Charts During Free-to-Play Weekend (& Reviews Are Looking Good)

With the new release calendar for early 2026 still looking a bit slim, many gamers are looking for something new to play. And a few developers are taking advantage of that by offering up a chance to check out their games free of charge. Starting on January 22nd, No Rest for the Wicked is temporarily free to play to show off its latest major free update. The game has been in Early Access on Steam since 2024, but this latest update and free trial period combined have led to a massive surge in players.

No Rest for the Wicked first arrived on Steam in April 2024. And interest in the Souls-like action RPG was pretty high at the time of launch, with concurrent players quickly hitting over 36K. As often happens, however, the player count tapered off over the years. Other updates, such as a major April 2025 patch, have brought players back, but never on quite this scale. As of January 2026’s free weekend, No Rest for the Wicked has topped its previous Steam player peak, according to SteamDB. And you have until January 26th to see what all the fuss is about.

Check Out the Highly Rated Open-World RPG No Rest for the Wicked for Free Until January 26th

Should we all be running to Steam to hit that free “Play Game” button before the timer runs out on January 26th at 1 PM ET? Based on the reviews and fairly steady player count, it seems like the answer is yes. No Rest for the Wicked may be in Early Access, but it has already received pretty high praise from those who’ve played it.

No Rest for the Wicked has a Very Positive average rating on Steam. Players praise its combat as “visceral and challenging,” something many Souls-like fans crave. But it’s not just about the combat. The art style, overall gameplay flow, and atmosphere have all received high praise, with several reviews going so far as to call the game a “masterpiece.” There are certainly still some rough edges to iron out in Early Access, but it seems like No Rest for the Wicked is laying a solid foundation so far.

And the developers are continuing to build on that foundation with regular updates big and small throughout the Early Access period. This latest update, which went live on January 22nd, is its biggest patch yet. The No Rest for the Wicked Together update adds a robust, full “co-op experience” with promises that both solo and multiplayer will be fully balanced. And so far, it seems players agree.

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Though many of us prefer a single-player RPG experience, sometimes, it’s fun to party up with friends in a video game like you would in Dungeons & Dragons. And that’s what this latest co-op update aims to add to No Rest for the Wicked, with free private realms for players to enjoy with their friends. The patch also brought in extensive QoL updates, so now is a great time to try No Rest for the Wicked if you’re looking for your next favorite Souls-like experience.

No Rest for the Wicked is available for PC via Steam in Early Access. You can download and play the game for free until 1 PM ET on January 26th. After that, the game is $39.99 USD at full price, but will be on sale for 40% off until February 5th. So if you enjoy the game during the free trial period, you can keep the adventure going for just $24.

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