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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →The Relic: First Guardian uses familiar soulslike building blocks—third-person action, challenging fights, exploration and bosses—but makes two notable mechanical departures: attacks do not use stamina, and character levels do not exist. Its combat pressure centers on defensive stamina management, while progression comes through weapons, armor and passive-effect Relics. Korean folklore and bosses presented as tragic stories give the game a distinct narrative identity.
Is The Relic: First Guardian a soulslike?
Yes, in the broad sense used by its official Steam page, which tags it “Souls-like.” The label is useful for setting expectations about third-person action, difficult combat, exploration and boss encounters. It does not mean the game reproduces every system found in FromSoftware games—or that all soulslikes share one exact formula.
| # | 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 | $27.49 | 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 | $70.17 | Buy on Amazon |
The clearest way to understand what sets The Relic apart is to look at how it handles stamina and character growth.
How does its stamina system differ?
In The Relic, attacks do not consume stamina. Creative director Inhyuk Park stated, “Stamina is never consumed when attacking,” in a PlayStation Blog post published on 18 December 2025. The Steam description says stamina is reserved for defensive actions such as dodging and blocking; high-power magic instead uses cooldowns and a dedicated meter.
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#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.
That changes where combat decisions bite. Rather than spending one shared stamina pool on both offense and defense, you can attack without draining that bar, while defensive errors and the need to evade or block still put pressure on survival. This is a contrast with games that make attacks draw from a shared stamina reserve, not a claim about every other soulslike.
How does progression work without character levels?
Park’s description says, “There are no character levels in this world.” Growth is instead built around equipment and Relics, also described as runes, which provide passive effects. The developer’s Steam listing describes more than 70 unique passive effects.
This makes build choices gear-led rather than a matter of investing points into character levels. Your weapons, armor and selected passive effects shape how you approach combat; the developer also says build choices can change skill behavior and combat tempo. The available official descriptions do not establish every final build option or any respec costs.
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.
What weapons and build choices are available?
The developer describes five weapon styles. Steam names them as:
- Sword & Shield
- Battle Staff
- Daggers
- Two-Handed Weapons
- Longsword
Weapon-specific skills and Relic effects are part of the build system. Rather than assuming that one weapon count makes the game broader or narrower than a particular competitor, consider whether you prefer a system where gear and passive effects do much of the work normally associated with level-based character growth.
How do setting, exploration and bosses shape the experience?
Korean folklore in a ruined world
The game’s dark fantasy setting draws on Korean folklore and mythology. Its official descriptions frame exploration as a journey through a ruined world, with memories and stories connected to the people left behind. This gives the game a cultural and narrative identity; it does not by itself make its combat structure unlike every other action RPG.
Rank #3
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- 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.
A semi-open world and tragic boss stories
Steam describes a semi-open, interconnected world containing ruins, dungeons, artifacts and hidden encounters. The developer also frames bosses as tragic, self-contained folktales, making their narrative context part of the pitch alongside their role as major fights.
The official descriptions use different formulations for the boss count: Steam advertises “up to 80” encounters, while Park’s 18 December 2025 post says “more than 70.” Treat either as the developer’s advertised figure, not an independently verified count.
How is it different from other soulslike action RPGs?
There is not enough sourced, game-specific evidence to make a reliable feature-by-feature comparison with named competitors here. The useful comparison is between The Relic’s documented systems and familiar genre conventions—without treating those conventions as universal.
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!
| Aspect | What The Relic offers | How to read the difference |
|---|---|---|
| Combat stamina | Official descriptions say attacks cost no stamina; stamina is used for dodging and blocking. | Offense is separated from the defensive stamina reserve, unlike systems that charge both to one pool. |
| Character growth | No character levels; progression emphasizes equipment and Relics with passive effects. | Build shaping is gear-led rather than based on character-level stat growth. |
| Weapons | The developer describes five styles: Sword & Shield, Battle Staff, Daggers, Two-Handed Weapons and Longsword. | Weapon skills and passive effects contribute to each build’s rhythm; this alone does not establish a broader or smaller arsenal than another game. |
| World and story | A semi-open, interconnected world rooted in Korean folklore, with bosses framed as tragic stories. | The strongest distinction is the setting and narrative framing, not a proven departure from every genre structure. |
What should PC buyers know about reviews and performance?
Steam’s listing currently reports 44% positive from 175 all-time user reviews and 50% positive from 12 reviews in the last 30 days, both categorized as Mixed. These are changing storefront snapshots, not representative studies or a guarantee of how the game will run on your system.
The developer’s Steam description says it has released 18 patches and continues to focus on technical issues and performance. That indicates PC performance work remains active; it does not establish a measured frame rate, performance on a particular configuration, or performance on consoles. Check recent reports from players using hardware and settings like yours before buying.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which platforms and release dates are listed?
Store and announcement dates differ by platform, so there is no single date in the official pages cited here that should be treated as a universal launch date.
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| Platform or source | Date or listing detail |
|---|---|
| Steam (PC) | Steam lists a PC release date of 30 July 2026 and identifies Project Cloud Games as developer and Perp Games as publisher. |
| Xbox Store | The Xbox Store lists a release date of 28 September 2026 and supports Xbox Series X|S, PC and handheld play. |
| PlayStation 5 | A PlayStation Blog post dated 18 December 2025 announced a planned PS5 release date of 26 May 2026. That announcement does not establish the final release date or current store availability. |
Store metadata can change. The dates above are platform-specific listings or, for PlayStation, a historical announcement—not a claim that every version launched on the same day.
Is The Relic: First Guardian worth considering?
It is most distinctive for players who want a soulslike-style action framework with stamina reserved for defense, no character levels, gear-led builds and a Korean folklore setting. Its official materials also emphasize tragic boss stories. Those features describe the game’s design direction; whether its combat and performance suit you is a separate question, particularly on PC while the developer says technical and performance work is ongoing.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
