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What makes a game feel like The Relic: First Guardian?
The Relic: First Guardian is a single-player dark fantasy action RPG from Project Cloud Games, set in a ruined realm shaped by Korean folklore and ancient mythology. Its official description emphasizes recovering memories and tracing the lives of people who once lived there, alongside interconnected exploration, dungeons, artifacts, and boss encounters. The PlayStation Store lists Sword & Shield, Battle Staff, Daggers, Two-Handed Weapons, and Longsword; progression centers on discovered gear and relics rather than traditional character levels.
Its combat has a specific rhythm: creative director Inhyuk Park says attacks do not consume stamina, while defensive actions such as dodging do; skills instead use cooldowns. That makes it different from games where every swing drains a stamina bar. The publisher advertises up to 80 boss encounters, a maximum claim rather than an independently verified count of distinct fights. Park described the intended narrative tone as “like an old folktale told by a grandfather to a child; gentle, lingering, and quietly profound.” PlayStation Blog and the US PlayStation Store provide the official descriptions.
No other game below reproduces that exact mix of folklore, gear discovery, and stamina-free attacks. These picks match particular parts of the experience instead.
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#1 Best Overall
- Immerse yourself in the city of Midgar like never before, with improved textures, lighting, and background environments
- Players can switch between two game modes: "Graphics Mode" prioritizes 4K high-resolution graphics; "Performance Mode" prioritizes smooth action at 60 frames per second
- Capture and share your memorable moments from the game with a fully customizable “Photo Mode”
- Players can enjoy immersive battles by using the DualSense PlayStation 5 controller with its haptic feedback integration
- Play the brand-new episode featuring Yuffie and experience new combat and gameplay additions
Best games like The Relic: First Guardian
| Game | Best match for | Key difference | Platforms listed by GamesRadar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lies of P | Dark fairytale atmosphere and story-driven melee action | A puppet-filled wasteland and Soulslike combat; it is not presented as a match for The Relic’s Korean folklore or gear-and-relic progression | PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X |
| Nioh 2 | Fast, technical weapon-based combat | Its timing-based ki recovery and many weapon skill trees create a distinct combat-management system | PC, PS4, PS5 |
| Bloodborne | Gothic atmosphere and aggressive melee play | Health recovery rewards offense, giving combat a more attack-forward emphasis | PS4 |
| Hollow Knight: Silksong | Exploration and challenging boss fights | It is a 2D adventure rather than a third-person 3D action RPG | PC, PlayStation, Switch, Xbox family systems |
| Steelrising | Story-led action in an unusual historical setting | Its mechanical-monster take on 1789 Paris emphasizes traversal and weapon variety | PC, PS5, Xbox Series X |
Platform lists reflect GamesRadar’s guide dated 4 May 2026; they are not a guarantee of current regional availability or store listings. GamesRadar’s Soulslike guide describes the comparison titles.
Lies of P: the closest overall starting point
Choose Lies of P if the dark-fantasy storytelling and weighty melee action are what you most want to carry over. Its fairytale premise and Soulslike structure make it the strongest broad recommendation, though its setting and combat details are its own.
Rank #2
- Release date is tentative, updates will be posted on the page
Nioh 2: for combat depth and speed
Choose Nioh 2 if you want combat to be the main attraction. Its broad weapon selection and skill trees support a more technical, fast-paced style, while ki recovery asks you to manage timing in a way that differs from The Relic’s stated split between attack stamina and defensive stamina.
Bloodborne: for Gothic mood and forward pressure
Choose Bloodborne if you want a bleak Gothic world and combat that encourages pressing an attack rather than retreating. Its health recovery tied to aggressive play is a distinct mechanic, not a direct equivalent to The Relic’s cooldown-based skills.
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Rank #3
- Visceral Action Combat: Real-time combat keeps action at the forefront; Switch between jobs with a push of a button, use the powerful Lightbringer ability to push back monstrous hordes, and finish them off with a crystal crushing finishing move
- Deep Character Customization: With each enemy defeated and chest opened, uncover powerful treasure to help on your journey; Find the right combination of abilities to fit the way you play and don’t forget to customize your teammates gear for added support
- A Dark World To Discover: If you’ve played a FINAL FANTASY game before you may recognize some familiar creatures & locations, but you’ve never seen them like this; What secrets does each location hold and what manner of monster await you in the darkness
- Online Multiplayer: Having trouble with a mission. Have up to two friends join you online to overcome even the toughest challenges
Hollow Knight: Silksong: for exploration without the 3D format
Choose Hollow Knight: Silksong if the exploration and demanding boss encounters matter more than matching The Relic’s camera or action-RPG presentation. It shifts the experience to 2D, so it is an adjacent recommendation rather than a close genre substitute.
Steelrising: for traversal and alternate history
Choose Steelrising for a story-driven action game built around mechanical enemies in an alternate version of 1789 Paris. Its traversal and weapon variety make it a fit for players who want exploration and combat in a distinctive setting, rather than The Relic’s folklore-led world.
Rank #4
- INCLUDING FREE MERCENARY LOADOUT DLC: The Mercenary is a special class loadout. The Mercenary has dual-wield as a starting ability and is geared up with classic blades. Simply put, it'll let you experience the world of BIOMUTANT as classic samurai looking warrior from the start.
- A NEW TAKE ON 3rd PERSON COMBAT: The martial arts style combat system allows you maximum freedom of movement and agility while mixing shooting, melee and powers from your mutations.
- EVOLVE YOUR GAME-PLAY: You’ll be able to recode your genetic structure to change the way you look and play.
- NEXT LEVEL OF CRAFTING: Mix and match parts to create your own unique single- or double-handed slash, crush and pierce melee weapons.
- GEAR UP FOR ADVENTURE: You have full freedom when equipping your character. Not only when it comes to choosing weapons you created, but also what type of gear you wear.
How The Relic has been received so far
Store ratings are volatile player-feedback snapshots, not controlled measures of quality. On 7 October 2026, Steam showed 44% positive from 175 all-time reviews and 50% positive from 12 recent reviews; its listing also said Project Cloud Games had released 18 patches and was still working on technical and performance issues. On the same date, the US PlayStation Store showed 2.48 out of 5 from 973 global player ratings. Check each storefront for current figures before buying.
Release dates differ by platform and edition. The PlayStation Blog’s 18 December 2025 announcement gave 26 May 2026 for PS5; Steam lists 30 July 2026; Meridiem Games lists 4 September 2026 alongside its physical edition. Those dates describe different listings, not one universal launch date.
Quick Recap
Best Value
- 16 IMMERSIVE FANTASY SOUNDS: Elevate your tabletop sessions with 4 atmospheric sounds (Village, Camp Fire, Tavern, Dungeon), 5 creature calls (Dragon, Owl Bear, Orc, Ghoul, Wolves), and 7 combat effects (Chest, Potion Drink, Magic Wand, Sword Fight, Bow and Arrow, Axe, Fireball). It is the ultimate sound machine for an immersive atmosphere.
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- PORTABLE RPG ACCESSORIES: Compact and easy to use, this device fits perfectly in your pocket and next to your character sheets and dice. Much better than a shirt or socks, this sound machine will add actual effects to your next game!
- EPIC STOCKING STUFFERS FOR NERDY MEN AND WOMEN: Small enough to be a stocking stuffer but powerful enough to fill a room. It makes one of the best gifts for teens and adults alike, fitting perfectly into a stocking alongside dice and figurines.
- BATTERIES INCLUDED - The Game Master Themed Portable Electronic Sound Board Includes 3x LR44 / AG13 Batteries
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.
