The Relic: First Guardian asks you to manage survival rather than attack stamina: ordinary attacks do not use stamina, while defensive actions such as dodging and defense do. Its opening hours are best approached by learning a weapon’s rhythm, exploring for gear and story clues, and shaping your build with Relics and skills rather than grinding character levels.
What makes The Relic: First Guardian different?
The Relic: First Guardian is an action RPG set in an interconnected, semi-open realm of ruins, hidden dungeons, artifacts, and encounters. Its progression is built around equipment, Relics, and weapon skill trees—not conventional character levels. The developer also presents exploration as part of the storytelling: damaged walls and personal objects can preserve traces of the people who lived in the world.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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The Relic: First Guardian - PlayStation 5 | $49.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
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The Relic: First Guardian - PS5 | $54.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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First Giants Card Game | $28.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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The Catholic Card Game | $39.95 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
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Renegade Game Studios Risk Godstorm Board Game - Ancient Civilization | $68.24 | Buy on Amazon |
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That combination changes what a beginner should prioritize. You do not need to save stamina for each swing, but you do need to preserve room for defense. And instead of treating off-path areas as optional scenery, consider them possible sources of gear, lore, and growth.
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How should you manage combat?
Save stamina for survival
Project Cloud Games says attacks do not consume stamina; defensive actions such as dodging and defense do. In practice, that means you can keep attacking without budgeting stamina for every strike, but should avoid spending your defensive reserve carelessly. Observe an enemy before committing, and leave yourself the ability to respond when its attack comes.
#1 Best Overall
- Fast Paced Brutal Combat - The Relic approaches combat differently - delivering freedom in attack, intensity in survival. Unleash an unstoppable onslaught with attacks that cost zero resources, allowing you to strike continuously with relentless creativity and consistency. Your stamina gauge is reserved strictly for high-stakes defence like dodging and blocking, while high-power magic operates on cooldowns and a dedicated meter. Attack without limits, defend with absolute precision.
- Explore a Shattered, Semi-Open World - Traverse a vast, interconnected realm filled with forgotten ruins, hidden dungeons, and atmospheric landscapes. The world of Arsilthus rewards curious Guardians who venture off the beaten path with ancient artifacts, secret encounters, and pieces of lost lore buried deep within its ruined regions.
- Confront Up to 80 Tragic Bosses - Step into battle against up to 80 mythic encounters - each a dark, standalone folktale brought to life, bound to a tragic lore that can only be laid to rest through ultimate victory. Adapt or perish: no two legends fight alike, and a strategy that slays one nightmare offers no guarantee of surviving the next.
- Weapons Woven with Narrative - Command five distinct weapon masteries: Sword & Shield, Battle Staff, Daggers, Two-Handed Weapons, or the Longsword. Without a single duplicate weapon to be found - every single item is a bespoke, one-of-a-kind creation with its own tragic history. Discovering a new blade means uncovering a piece of the world's past, transforming your arsenal into a personal collection of living legends.
- Master Ancient Weapon Skill Trees - Forge a deeper bond with your chosen armoury through specialised skill trees powered by relic energy. Channel forgotten power into game-changing passives alongside awe-striking, visually spectacular ultimate abilities.
The available descriptions do not establish stamina values, parry windows, input timings, or exact punish opportunities. Learn those through the game’s own feedback rather than relying on a universal timing rule.
Distinguish skills from high-power magic
The developer describes weapon skills as cooldown-based and without resource costs. Steam’s store description separately says high-power magic uses a cooldown and a dedicated meter. Those descriptions indicate different mechanics; they do not establish that every ability follows one shared resource rule. Check each ability’s in-game description and interface before planning around its cost.
Rank #2
- Epic Fantasy Action Adventure – Step into a dark fantasy world filled with danger, mystery, and powerful enemies.
- Become the First Guardian – Take on the role of a legendary protector and uncover the secrets behind an ancient relic.
- Intense Combat Gameplay – Battle fierce creatures and challenging foes using skill, strategy, and powerful abilities.
- Atmospheric World to Explore – Discover haunting environments, hidden paths, ancient ruins, and rich fantasy lore.
- Great for Action RPG Fans – Perfect for players who enjoy fantasy combat, exploration, boss battles, and story-driven adventures.
Which weapon style should you try first?
There are five named weapon styles, and the developer says each has its own combat rhythm and twelve exclusive skill trees. The available descriptions do not provide enough comparative detail to rank them or identify a universally easiest option.
| Weapon style | What is established | How to choose |
|---|---|---|
| Sword & Shield | One of the five styles named by Steam; its specific strengths are not stated in the cited descriptions. | Try it if its pace and defensive feel suit you; assess it in play rather than assuming a ranking. |
| Battle Staff | One of the five styles named by Steam; its specific strengths are not stated in the cited descriptions. | Compare its rhythm with the other styles and choose what feels manageable. |
| Daggers | One of the five styles named by Steam; its specific strengths are not stated in the cited descriptions. | Test its pace and your comfort with the defensive demands of encounters. |
| Two-Handed Weapons | One of the five styles named by Steam; its specific strengths are not stated in the cited descriptions. | Try it directly; the available sources do not verify a damage or difficulty advantage. |
| Longsword | One of the five styles named by Steam; its specific strengths are not stated in the cited descriptions. | Choose based on its feel and rhythm, not an unsupported claim that it is optimal. |
Because each style has its own skill trees, experimenting with a weapon is also a build choice. There is no verified optimal starter weapon, and no comparative damage, reach, or difficulty data is established by the cited descriptions.
Rank #3
- BUILD A PRESTIGIOUS DINOSAUR EXHIBIT: Compete to create the most impressive museum by collecting dinosaur cards and curating a high-scoring exhibit.
- CHOOSE BETWEEN ENGINE BUILDING OR SCORING: Use cards for powerful ongoing effects or sacrifice those abilities to score points by displaying them in your exhibit.
- MASTER PERFECT TIMING TO WIN: Balance when to keep cards for long-term advantages and when to play them for points—timing every decision is critical.
- RACE AGAINST RIVALS FOR LIMITED RESOURCES: Compete over dig sites, amber, sets, and news tokens as players jockey for efficiency and advantage.
- ENJOY DEEP STRATEGY WITH STREAMLINED PLAY: Accessible rules paired with meaningful decisions make First Giants ideal for strategy fans and competitive game nights.
How does progression work without character levels?
The developer says the game has no character levels. Your character’s growth instead comes from Relics (also referred to as Runes in some game materials), equipment, and skill choices. Meridiem’s product description also identifies crafting as a way to strengthen your character, and says completing dungeons and defeating bosses expands the world and character growth.
- Relics: The developer says they offer more than 70 passive effects that can change skill behavior, combat tempo, and weapon styles.
- Equipment: The developer describes weapons and armor as unique pieces, each existing only once and carrying its own story, rather than as a stream of near-duplicate drops.
- Skills: The chosen weapon style has its own skill trees, giving you another way to shape how the character fights.
- Crafting and discoveries: Meridiem identifies crafting, items, dungeons, and bosses as part of strengthening and expanding the character’s journey.
For a beginner, this means exploration and build configuration are part of progression, not distractions from it. Conventional experience grinding and allocating character-level stat points are not the systems described by the developer. Exact upgrade costs, respec rules, and optimal builds are not established in the cited material.
Rank #4
- FUN & FAITHFUL - Enjoy healthy laughter with friends and family about all things Catholic!
- EASY TO PLAY - Simple gameplay allows players of any age group to join in the fun!
- EVANGELIZE - Provides a great way to bring the joy of the Catholic faith to all God’s people!
- BELOVED - Thousands of people all around the world are already playing and enjoying the Catholic Card Game!
- The Catholic Card Game Base Deck contains 400 cards. GREAT for 3-10+ players!
Why explore away from the main route?
Steam describes ruins, hidden dungeons, artifacts, secret encounters, and lost lore across a vast, interconnected semi-open world. Project Cloud Games says environmental details—including damaged walls and personal objects—can tell stories about the people who once lived there. Investigating an unusual object or a side passage may therefore add context as well as contribute to progression.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The narrative is framed around restoring memory and keeping stories, rather than simply becoming a conventional legendary hero. Creative Director Inhyuk Park described the intended tone as “an old folktale told by a grandfather to a child; gentle, lingering, and quietly profound.” No particular hidden route or collectible is established as mandatory, so explore at your own pace rather than treating every secret as a required objective.
Best Value
- Ancient mythology strategy: Command five legendary cultures—Greek, Celtic, Babylonian, Norse, and Egyptian—across Earth and underworld in this reimagined Risk experience
- Premium miniature collection: Includes 382 highly detailed playing pieces featuring warrior gods and soldiers, perfect for serious strategy collectors and display enthusiasts
- Dual ruleset gameplay: Play classic Risk or master the new Godstorm mythology variant with primal forces and divine powers for strategic depth and replayability
- Family-friendly strategy game: Ages ten and up, accommodates two to five players for memorable game nights that blend history, mythology, and turn-based tactical combat
- Complete gaming experience: Contains everything needed for immediate play with comprehensive rules, game board, and components designed for long-term durability and collection value
What should you expect from bosses?
Bosses are presented as distinct encounters with story context, but the available descriptions do not verify boss-specific tactics. Project Cloud Games’ December 2025 feature says there are more than 70 bosses; Steam’s listing describes up to 80 mythic encounters. Those are differently worded counts from different sources, not a single settled figure. For early encounters, apply the verified combat principle: watch the enemy, protect your defensive stamina, and learn the individual pattern rather than assuming a documented parry window or fixed punish sequence.
Platforms, editions, and current technical notes
Release dates vary by platform and edition: the PlayStation Blog announced a PS5 launch for May 26, 2026; Steam lists the PC release as July 30, 2026; and Meridiem lists the PS5 physical release as September 4, 2026. Dates and availability can vary by region.
Meridiem’s Forgotten Stories Edition listing includes a PS5 game disc, steelbook, hardback Past Lives book with character stories and concept art, physical coin, map poster, and an in-game weapon set. The listing does not establish local stock, so confirm availability with a retailer in your region.
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Quick Recap
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