Endings — How Many Endings Are There? (Unconfirmed at Launch)
How many endings does The Relic: First Guardian have? The honest answer: the ending structure is unconfirmed at launch. What the story premise tells us, and how to avoid fabricated ending guides.
The Confirmed Story Premise (Not Spoilers)
From official material, the arc of the game is confirmed:
- Arsilthus was destroyed when the great Relic shattered, and the land is being swallowed by a Void.
- You play the last Guardian, collecting relic fragments imbued with the memories and emotions of the dead.
- The narrative resolves around the Guardian's relationship with the shattered relic and the Void.
Beyond this, the ending structure is unknown. Pre-launch coverage described the game's tragic themes (bosses as cursed former humans) but did not confirm a multi-ending structure.
What Is NOT Confirmed (And Why You Should Not Trust It)
Multiple guides published before and just after launch claim specific endings — for example:
- "The game has 3 endings: The Seal, Arsilthus Reborn, and The Truth"
- "Collect 24 Memory Fragments and 12 Journal Pages to unlock the secret ending"
- "NG+ endings with remixed bosses"
| Claim | Problem |
|---|---|
| Named endings with unlock requirements | No verified source; invented names |
| Exact collectible counts (24 fragments, 12 pages) | Fabricated; the only confirmed counts are "70+ relic fragments" total |
| NG+ ending content | NG+ itself is unconfirmed |
| "Chronicle Complete" trophy tied to endings | Trophy list is unverified — see the Trophy Guide |
A reliable rule: any ending guide that assigns exact numbers or named endings this soon after launch is speculative. The real structure will be documented by the community in the coming weeks.
What the Confirmed Systems Suggest About Endings
Without verified information, we can reason from confirmed design facts — clearly labeled as inference, not fact:
Collection Likely Matters
The game's central mechanic is collecting relic fragments imbued with memories. It is reasonable to expect the game to check your collection somewhere near the end — but this is inference. The confirmed count is over 70 fragments, not a smaller "ending set."
Bosses Are the Narrative
With 70-80 Brutals who carry tragic backstories, the game's "ending" experience includes the roster's lore. Defeating bosses reveals their tales — how much of that matters for the ending is unknown.
Events (Side Quests) May Play a Role
The confirmed "Events" system (NPC/environment-driven side quests) is the game's main delivery of story outside the critical path. Whether event completion affects the ending is unconfirmed.
How to Approach the Endgame Safely
If you care about endings but want to avoid being locked out:
- Play the confirmed loop — clear events and explore hidden paths in every region as you go (the game rewards exploration with secrets and relics).
- Collect everything anyway — relics, potion shards, and unique gear are power regardless of endings. You lose nothing by being thorough.
- Keep a backup save before the final boss — if the game does have multiple endings, a pre-final save is the cheapest insurance. (Save backups on PS5 require cloud/copy management; Steam has no cloud-restore rollback, so consider manual copies.)
- Check verified sources before the credits — by the time you reach the endgame, the community will likely have documented the real structure.
Common Questions
Q: How many endings does The Relic: First Guardian have?A: Unconfirmed. No verified source at launch. Guides claiming 2 or 3 specific endings are not reliable.
Q: Is there a "true ending"?A: Unknown. No confirmed information exists.
Q: Are endings missable?A: Unknown. The game does hide content behind exploration, but no verified missable-ending list exists.
Q: Do I need to collect all relics for the best ending?A: Unknown. The game's design makes collection valuable regardless, but no confirmed requirement exists.
Q: Does the ending affect New Game Plus?A: NG+ itself is unconfirmed, so nothing can be said about ending interactions.
Related Guides
- Walkthrough — The confirmed story structure and world
- All Bosses List — The 70-80 Brutals and their stories
- Trophy Guide — Why "all endings" trophy claims are unverified
- Game Length Guide — Completionist expectations (unconfirmed)