The Relic: First Guardian is a dark fantasy action RPG set in Arsilthus, a once-prosperous realm left in ruins after a great relic is destroyed. You play a Guardian who explores the broken land, restores memories, and uncovers the stories of the people who lived there. Its world is semi-open rather than unrestricted: branching paths, records, equipment, and optional encounters connect exploration to both lore and combat.
What is the story premise?
The game begins from the aftermath of a shattered relic and a ruined kingdom. Its store description frames the Guardian’s task as mending the land and honoring the memories of those who came before. That premise makes the player less a celebrated savior than an observer and restorer of other people’s stories.
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| 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 |
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Atari 50: The Anniversary Celebration - PS5 | $59.99 | Buy on Amazon |
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Overpass 2 [GRA PS5] | $29.18 | Buy on Amazon |
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MLB The Show 25 – PS5 | $39.00 | Buy on Amazon |
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Project Cloud Games describes the intended mood as an old folktale: a damaged wall, a burned letter, or an object abandoned in a landscape can suggest the lives that have passed through it. The ruins are therefore part of the storytelling, not simply a backdrop. The developer has also described Korean folklore and ancient mythology as influences on the dark-fantasy atmosphere; that does not establish that the game retells any one specific myth. PlayStation Blog reproduces the developer’s description of the game as “an old folktale told by a grandfather to a child; gentle, lingering, and quietly profound.”
How is Arsilthus organized?
Arsilthus is described as a semi-open, interconnected world. The main journey gives players direction, but routes can branch into hidden spaces, events, optional bosses, powerful equipment, and relics. The developer says that finding these things is itself one way the game tells its story, so exploration is not only a means of reaching the next main objective.
#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.
In a July 2026 interview, Project Cloud Games described environments including mist-covered forests, dark swamps, plains, starlit areas, ruined kingdoms, mines, fortresses, sanctuaries, corrupted villages, and ancient ruins. The team said each region is intended to have its own history, faith, tragedy, and emotional atmosphere. These are developer descriptions of the game’s environments, rather than a verified inventory of every location. GamingBolt’s interview also captures the developer’s guiding idea: “Everything remains as a story.”
How do exploration and story connect?
A useful way to understand the loop is that exploration leads to a discovery, the discovery opens up a story and often a reward, and that thread may end in a boss encounter. Director In-hyeok Park has described bosses as conclusions to particular incidents or tragedies, not simply large enemies placed along the route.
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.
Fragmented records called Field Pages help direct players toward locations, equipment, and boss encounters. Equipment can also carry history. In this way, finding lore, navigating the world, earning rewards, and fighting are parts of one connected structure. The developer describes discoveries as stories about people trying to survive in a broken world, rather than lore detached from the lives of its inhabitants. Park’s interview with Thumb Wars discusses the role of Field Pages and the narrative purpose of boss encounters.
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Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →How does character progression work without levels?
The game does not use traditional character levels. Instead, its store description and developer interviews point to equipment, weapons, runes, relics, crafting, and passive effects as the tools for shaping a build. Progression is consequently about finding combinations that suit a preferred playstyle, rather than accumulating levels as the main measure of advancement.
Rank #3
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Steam lists five weapon masteries:
- Sword & Shield
- Battle Staff
- Daggers
- Two-Handed Weapons
- Longsword
The Steam description says attacks consume no resources, while stamina is reserved for defensive actions such as dodging and blocking. It also describes powerful magic as using cooldowns and a separate meter. These are store-page descriptions; individual mechanics may change with patches. The Steam listing is the source for the currently described weapon and resource systems.
What should players expect from combat?
Park has said that Sekiro influenced the combat, particularly the tension of reading an opponent and choosing when to attack or defend. He also clarified that parrying is not the only intended answer. Players can dodge, guard, and use different weapons and skills, so defensive timing matters without requiring every encounter to be solved in one way.
Rank #4
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- 5 types of racing, off-road sprint, off-road track, mountain climbing, obstacle course, closed circuit
- Official manufacturers, equipment and sponsors
- A comprehensive career mode with team and calendar management
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Steam advertises “up to 80” mythic boss encounters. That is the store’s product claim, not an independently counted total, and it does not mean every encounter is mandatory. The game’s story framing suggests that bosses can represent the end of a local narrative thread as well as a combat challenge.
How long is the game, and when did it release?
Project Cloud Games estimated that most players would take around 30 hours, in an interview published by GamingBolt on July 22, 2026. The developer said duration varies with play style and can be longer for players who explore thoroughly. This is a developer estimate, not a measured average.
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Release timing differs across the available announcements: PlayStation Blog announced May 26, 2026 for PS5; publisher Perp Games’ June 29, 2026 page states a July 31, 2026 digital launch for PC and PS5, with physical editions and Xbox later in 2026; Steam describes the game as launched and includes a post-launch note. Those pages do not reconcile platform, territory, or edition timing, so check the relevant platform store for current availability rather than relying on one universal date. Perp Games’ publisher page gives its stated schedule.
Perp Games’ page also describes a PS5 Collector’s Edition containing a physical game disc, steelbook, hardback Past Lives book, coin, map poster, and an exclusive in-game weapon set. That description establishes the package contents, not current regional stock or pricing. Meridiem Games’ product page also lists physical and Collector’s Edition details.
Quick Recap
Who is this world likely to suit?
- If you want an unrestricted open world: Arsilthus is described as semi-open and interconnected, with a directed journey and optional branches.
- If you prefer experimenting with builds: progression centers on weapons, gear, runes, relics, crafting, and passive effects rather than traditional character levels.
- If you enjoy defensive, timing-focused combat: the developer cites opponent-reading and attack-or-defend decisions as inspirations, while allowing dodging, guarding, and varied weapons and skills.
- If you like stories told through environments: ruins, Field Pages, equipment, and optional discoveries all contribute to the account of life in Arsilthus.
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