Review Roundup — Is The Relic: First Guardian Worth It?
The Relic: First Guardian review roundup. IGN 4/10 vs GamingBolt 'Good' — the divided reception explained. Scores, strengths, technical issues, and an honest verdict on whether to buy.
The Relic: First Guardian (Project Cloud Games / Perp Games) launched July 31, 2026 on Steam and PS5 to one of the most divided receptions of the year. The praise is about its combat and atmosphere; the criticism is about its technical state and pacing. This roundup collects the launch reviews, separates confirmed strengths from confirmed problems, and gives you an honest framework for deciding whether to buy.
The Review Landscape at Launch
| Outlet | Verdict | Core Take |
|---|---|---|
| IGN | 4/10 ("Bad") | "Shoddy and broken throughout... barely propped up by its engaging combat" — fundamental technical problems |
| GamingBolt | "Good" | Atmospheric world and exploration; "a world worth saving" despite flaws |
| Gamesurf | 7/10 | Positive on the soulslike/RPG blend; solid debut |
| GameCritix | Positive | "An impressive debut" with genuine heart |
| InvenGlobal | "Solid" | Polarizing, but fun — "an action RPG that blossomed within the limits of scale" |
| Navigames | 44/100 | Negative: exploration rewards, progression, performance |
The Confirmed Strengths (What Reviews Praise)
1. The Combat Concept
The core innovation is confirmed across reviews: attacks cost zero stamina (stamina is defense-only) and skills run on cooldowns. Multiple outlets call the combat "engaging" and "stylish" — PC Gamer's preview praised "stylish combat, tragic bosses, and a world inspired by Asian folklore." The aggressive flow — free offense, timed defense — is the game's best idea.
2. The Boss Roster's Ambition
70-80 "Brutal" bosses, each with a tragic backstory. Even negative reviews acknowledge the roster concept — "some interesting boss fights" (Navigames) — and the parry-gate/dodge-gate design split (reviews describe some fights requiring long parry chains to break guard) gives the fights a distinct identity.3. The Atmosphere
GamingBolt and others praise the Korean-folklore-inspired dark fantasy world: the ruined land of Arsilthus, fragmented storytelling through letters and murals, and a melancholic tone. For atmosphere-first players, this lands.
4. The Unique-Gear Progression Idea
Every weapon and armor piece is unique — no duplicate drops — and some carry Drawbacks. Reviewers found the hand-placed loot concept refreshing, even where execution faltered.
The Confirmed Problems (What Reviews Criticize)
1. Technical State (The Biggest Complaint)
This is universal across all reviews, positive and negative:
- Framerate drops — as low as ~15 FPS in some boss fights (IGN)
- Janky camera and lock-on — camera behavior and target switching fail in encounters
- Bugs — bosses freezing or failing to spawn, unreliable hitboxes
- Sluggish controls — input can feel heavy, especially with slow weapons
2. Grindy Progression
Several reviews call the progression an "undeniable grind": skills and relic slots are slow to unlock, and combat takes too long to become expressive. The no-leveling design is a good idea; its pacing needs work.
3. Enemy Design Frustrations
- Enemies rarely stagger and have no visible stagger bar — you cannot tell when a stun is coming.
- Some bosses are described as "damage sponges" or overly aggressive.
- Long parry chains on some bosses can feel exhausting rather than skillful.
4. Weaknesses in the World Design
Navigames specifically criticizes exploration rewards (the world promises secrets; some regions feel repetitive) and localization/subtitle quality.
5. Single-Player Only, No Difficulty Options
The game has no co-op and no confirmed difficulty settings — the challenge is fixed, and the only levers are in-game systems. If you wanted a partner or an easy mode, this is not it.
Who Should Buy It (Honest Verdict)
Buy it if:
- You are a soulslike completionist — 70-80 bosses, semi-open world, unique gear: the content volume is exceptional for the ~$49.99 price point.
- You love the combat premise — zero-stamina offense + cooldown skills + parry chains is genuinely different from Dark Souls/Elden Ring.
- You can tolerate technical roughness — patches may fix the worst, but the launch build has real problems.
Wait or skip if:
- Performance is your dealbreaker — 15 FPS boss fights and camera jank are confirmed at launch.
- You want co-op or difficulty options — neither exists (see the Co-Op guide and Difficulty guide).
- You want a polished experience day one — this is a small-team indie debut (community-reported size of roughly 10-14 people) with a small-team budget's rough edges.
- You are sensitive to grinding — the progression pace is a confirmed complaint.
The balanced take
The most representative verdicts (Gamesurf 7/10, InvenGlobal "solid") describe a promising, atmospheric soulslike with a unique progression twist and serious technical rough edges. Buy it for the combat and the world; accept that the polish is not there yet. If you are on the fence, waiting for the first few patches is a defensible choice.
Facts vs Rumors (What Reviews Confirm vs What's Unconfirmed)
Confirmed by reviews/official material: zero-stamina attacks, cooldown skills, 70-80 Brutals, no leveling, unique gear with Drawbacks, single-player only, no difficulty options, parry-gate/dodge-gate bosses, ~15 FPS drops, camera/lock-on issues. Unconfirmed: playtime hours, New Game Plus, endings structure, trophy list, exact pricing in all regions, and any "patch roadmap." Guides claiming specifics on those are speculative — see the Game Length guide and Endings guide.Common Questions
Q: What did IGN score The Relic: First Guardian?A: 4/10 ("Bad") — criticizing heavy technical issues while acknowledging the combat's potential.
Q: Is the game actually broken?A: "Broken" is IGN's word for its launch state — confirmed problems include framerate drops, camera jank, lock-on issues, and boss-related bugs. The game is playable, but rough.
Q: Is The Relic: First Guardian worth $49.99?A: If the content volume (70-80 bosses) and combat premise appeal to you, and you can accept technical roughness — reasonably yes. Otherwise wait for patches or a sale.
Q: Does it have co-op?A: No — single-player only.
Q: Which review should I trust?A: Read IGN (harshest) and GamingBolt (most positive) together — the truth is between them: good ideas, rough execution.
Q: Will patches fix the problems?A: Unconfirmed, but expected — the complaints (FPS, camera, bugs) are exactly what post-launch patches typically address. Watch the Steam/PS5 update notes.
Related Guides
- Release Date & Platforms — Price, editions, and specs
- Game Length Guide — Honest content-volume expectations
- Difficulty Guide — No difficulty options; the real levers
- Co-Op Guide — Why "playing with friends" is not an option