The Relic: First Guardian has received widespread critical panning for its technical instability and broken state upon release [1].

The game's poor reception highlights the growing tension between ambitious indie development and the quality standards expected by the modern gaming community. As players increasingly scrutinize the use of generative tools in development, the title's struggle with polish has become a flashpoint for discussions on industry ethics and quality control.

Developed by Project Cloud Games and published by Perp Games, the action-fantasy Soulslike was scheduled for release on July 31, 2026 [1]. While the title arrived on PC and PS5, reviewers describe the experience as a shambolic effort that squanders its potential [2, 3].

Critical consensus points to a variety of systemic issues, including numerous bugs, low-quality subtitles, and poor visual fidelity [2, 4]. Some critics noted that the game feels incomplete, with flaws extending to the boss designs and overall performance [4].

There is a divide among reviewers regarding the game's core mechanics. The PSU Review Team said the combat saves the experience despite serious bugs [3]. However, Jarrett Green of IGN said the game is an energetic action title marred by its own shambolic state and broken in too many inexcusable ways [2].

Beyond technical glitches, the game faced controversy regarding its production. Some YouTubers raised alarms over the use of AI-generated assets in preview builds, though the game's director later said no AI was used in the final version [1]. This dispute added to the negative sentiment surrounding the project's development cycle.

MSN Gaming Staff said the title has glimpses of greatness but ultimately falls flat due to performance and missing elements [4]. These consistent reports suggest a project that lacked the necessary refinement before hitting the market.

“First Guardian is all of the potential it squanders”

The failure of The Relic: First Guardian illustrates the risks of releasing a 'minimum viable product' in the highly competitive Soulslike genre, where precision and polish are central to the gameplay experience. Furthermore, the friction over AI assets suggests that transparency regarding development tools is now as critical to a game's reception as the technical performance itself.