Co-Op & Multiplayer — Is There Co-Op? (Single-Player Only)
Does The Relic: First Guardian have co-op or multiplayer? Honest answer: no. The game is single-player only at launch — no co-op, no PvP, no online modes on Steam or PS5.
This guide answers the common "can I play with friends?" question honestly, explains what that means for the difficulty, and lists the solo tools the game gives you instead of a partner.
The Honest Answer: No Co-Op at Launch
The Relic: First Guardian has always been pitched as a solo action RPG. Reviews from the July 31, 2026 launch (IGN, GamingBolt, Gamesurf, InvenGlobal and others) all describe a strictly single-player game. No review or official statement mentions co-op, summons, invasions, or any online multiplayer feature.
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Is there online co-op? | No — not at launch, not announced |
| Is there local co-op / split-screen? | No |
| Is there PvP / invasions? | No |
| Is there crossplay? | No — there is nothing to crossplay with |
| Can I share progress with a friend? | No — saves are local and personal |
| Will co-op be added in a patch? | Unconfirmed. Treat it as "not announced" |
What People Mean When They Search "Relic First Guardian Coop"
The "coop" search is one of the most common questions for any soulslike, so it deserves a clear answer. There are a few likely sources of the confusion:
- It looks like a co-op game. The game's boss-rush structure and dark-fantasy party aesthetic (multiple Guardian classes, 5 weapon families, 12 skill trees) make players assume there is a multiplayer mode. There is not.
- Soulslike genre expectations. FromSoftware-style games made summoning co-op famous. Many new players search "does X soulslike have co-op" out of habit.
- Some guide sites listed "co-op" speculatively. During pre-launch coverage, a few content sites wrote speculative co-op articles. As of the August 2026 launch build, none of those features exist in the game.
If you find a guide claiming The Relic: First Guardian has 2-player co-op, summoning, or boss scaling for parties, it is incorrect — there is no such system in the shipped game.
What Solo Tools Replace a Partner
The game was designed around solo play, and its systems compensate for the lack of a co-op partner in a few concrete ways:
1. Builds Are Freely Respeccable
Without co-op, the game lets you rebuild your character on the fly: weapons, relic fragments (runes), and equipment can all be swapped freely. If a boss walled you with one setup, you can restructure your whole build around the fight. This is the game's version of "call a friend."
2. Relics Let You Adapt per Fight
There are over 70 unique relic fragments, each with a passive effect — some reshape skills, some buff specific weapons, some boost survivability or reduce skill cooldowns. Because relics are swappable, you can tailor a loadout to each "Brutal" instead of relying on a second player.
3. Defensive Weapon Families
The sword & shield family is the closest thing to a built-in safety net: blocking and parrying are core defensive tools, and stamina is reserved exclusively for defense (attacks cost zero stamina). If you struggle alone, this is the family to learn first. See the Combat Guide for the full system.
4. Exploration Lowers the Difficulty
Because every weapon and armor piece in the world is unique (no duplicate drops), thorough exploration genuinely powers you up. The game's difficulty curve assumes you have been looting — a well-explored player is effectively playing on an easier mode. See the Beginner Guide for the first-hours loop.
5. The Game Has No Difficulty Slider — But No Co-Op Either Way
The Relic: First Guardian ships with no confirmed difficulty options. Both difficulty discussions and co-op discussions end in the same place: the challenge is tuned for one player, and the tools to lower it are in-game systems, not menus. More detail in the Difficulty Guide.
Does the Single-Player Design Hold Up?
Reviews are split on the game overall, but nobody disputes that it is a solo experience:
- IGN (4/10): criticized heavy technical issues ("shoddy and broken") while acknowledging the combat has potential.
- GamingBolt ("Good"): praised the atmospheric world and exploration.
- Gamesurf (7/10): positive on the soulslike/RPG blend.
- InvenGlobal: called it a "solid action RPG" that is polarizing but fun.
The common thread: this is a solo, atmospheric boss-focused soulslike with real technical rough edges. If you want a game to play with friends, this is not it — buy a dedicated co-op title instead. If you want a single-player soulslike with an unusual (no-XP) progression system, the solo design is exactly what it promises. See our Review Roundup for the full picture.
Common Questions
Q: Is there any way to play with a friend?A: No. There is no co-op, no share-play progress, and no online mode in the launch build. Local split-screen also does not exist.
Q: Does PS5 Remote Play count as co-op?A: No — Remote Play streams your single-player game to another screen. It does not let a second player join.
Q: Will co-op be added later?A: Unconfirmed. Neither Project Cloud Games nor publisher Perp Games has announced any multiplayer plans. Assume it is not coming unless an official announcement appears.
Q: Is the game easier solo than it looks?A: The game is tuned for one player, so yes — you are not fighting enemies scaled for a party. Difficulty comes from the boss design itself, not from missing co-op support.
Q: I saw a "co-op guide" with summoning instructions. Are they real?A: No. Any summoning/password/"Call Ally" instructions circulating for this game describe features that do not exist in the shipped build. Be wary of AI-generated or speculative guides on other sites.
Related Guides
- Beginner Guide — Starting solo: first weapon, first hours
- Difficulty Guide — No difficulty slider; the real tools that lower the challenge
- Review Roundup — What critics say about the launch build
- Release Date & Platforms — Where to buy the single-player game