The Relic: First Guardian Review - Potential, but Too Many Rough Edges According to IGN

The Relic: First Guardian, developed by Project Cloud Games, sends your character - the First Guardian - to Arsilthus, a dark fantasy world consumed by the Void ever since the Great Relic shattered. On the surface, it looks like a Soulslike: campfires in the form of steles, demanding combat, cryptic storytelling from the very first cutscene. But the formula quickly drifts toward a more classic action-RPG - non-punishing death, enemies that don't respawn at steles, stamina consumed only by dodges and parries (not by attacks). It's more nervous, more accessible, with six talent trees tied to as many weapon families and a progression system based on exploration rather than XP grinding.

What really works well according to IGN

Exploration seems to be the game's true backbone. Maps open up progressively, are built into logical and coherent zones, and every detour is rewarded - a unique weapon, forging material, a precious relic for the skill trees. You never feel artificial padding, which is rare in this segment. Project Cloud Games clearly bet on this, and it pays off.

The weapon system also deserves credit, the journalist tells us. Switching from a short sword + shield to a two-handed axe is almost like changing games: different physics, inertia, timing, and abilities specific to each family. Every piece of equipment found is unique - no random loot piled on, but items that were actually designed with intent. And the atmosphere reacts to your victories: defeating a boss dissipates the storm hanging over the zone. A small detail, a big effect.

What doesn't work - and doesn't work seriously

Boss fights concentrate all the flaws at once. Long animations lock your character in place for several seconds with no way to cancel, hitboxes prove imprecise, and the camera goes haywire in cluttered arenas. And it's precisely in these moments that the framerate collapses on PS5 - far from a stable 60 fps, often hovering around 30 fps in effects-heavy areas. Ernan, the Starving Lord, embodies this problem all by himself: a visually impressive boss, but an illegible fight due to effect overload and performance drops. The journalist admits to dying more because of the technical issues than the skill gap, which, you'll agree, is the worst kind of frustration in a game that demands precision and timing.

Overall ergonomics also pile up small frictions: precise positioning needed to interact with NPCs or chests, interface locking during audio collectibles, pronounced aliasing, and textures below what Unreal Engine 5 usually allows.

The verdict

IGN France's score comes out to 6/10, which matches the analysis: an endearing RPG with real identity, but held back by finishing that isn't up to its level of ambition. If you enjoyed Steelrising or AA action-RPGs that own their technical limitations, The Relic is worth a look - with patience. On the other hand, if technical stability is non-negotiable, wait for the patches...