The Relic: First Guardian launches with low review scores

South Korean developer Project Cloud Games released its Soulslike action RPG The Relic: First Guardian on Steam and PlayStation 5 on July 31. The launch was met with harsh criticism, with one review giving the game a 4 out of 10 and OpenCritic reporting a 59 aggregate score, only 7 % of critics recommending it.

Critics cited numerous technical and design flaws, describing the title as “shambolic” and “rough,” while noting that its atmospheric world and Korean‑folklore inspired setting offered some appeal. The game is published by Perp Games and will later arrive on Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch.

Despite the negative reception, the community’s response on release day may still influence the game’s longer‑term perception, but early indicators suggest a challenging start for a title that had been highly anticipated.