The Relic First Guardian Release Date: Switch 2 & Platform Guide

There are plenty of games trying to capture the magic of the soulslike genre, but very few manage to stand out before launch. The Relic: First Guardian is one of those rare projects that immediately caught my eye. It’s not just another title with gloomy castles and oversized monsters—it feels like a game that’s actually trying to rethink some of the mechanics we’ve all gotten used to over the years.

Developed by Project Cloud Games and published by Perp Games, this dark fantasy action RPG has slowly built a loyal following thanks to its striking atmosphere, unusual progression system, and combat philosophy. After watching gameplay footage, reading player impressions, and following the latest announcements, I honestly think this could become one of the surprise hits of 2026 if everything comes together.

If you’re wondering when The Relic: First Guardian launches, whether the Nintendo Switch 2 version is coming soon, and what actually makes the gameplay different, here’s everything worth knowing.

The Relic First Guardian Metacritic Score: Predictions, Reviews, and Gameplay Breakdown

The Relic: First Guardian Release Date

The developers aren’t launching every version at the same time. Instead, they’re rolling the game out across multiple platforms during the summer.

Here’s the current release schedule.

For most players, July 31 is the big day. PC and PlayStation 5 owners will be the first to explore the ruined world of Arsiltus, while Xbox players will have a slightly longer wait. The good news is that the delay isn’t expected to be very long, with both Xbox and Switch 2 planned for later in the same season.

Personally, staggered launches never bother me too much when developers use that extra time to polish performance. A smooth release is always better than rushing every version out at once.

What About the Nintendo Switch 2 Version?

One of the biggest topics surrounding the game has easily been its confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 release.

That’s exciting for a couple of reasons. For starters, action RPGs with detailed environments and large bosses haven’t always translated perfectly to Nintendo’s handheld systems. The upgraded hardware changes those expectations quite a bit, giving developers far more room to maintain visual quality without sacrificing performance.

Project Cloud Games has already confirmed they’re optimizing the game specifically for Nintendo’s new console rather than simply producing a quick port. That gives me confidence this won’t be an afterthought.

The exact release date still hasn’t been announced, but it’s expected to arrive later in Summer 2026 alongside the Xbox version. If you primarily play games in handheld mode, this could end up being one of the better showcases for Nintendo’s latest hardware.

Combat That Encourages Aggression

After watching multiple gameplay demonstrations, the combat is probably what impressed me most. At first glance, it looks familiar. You dodge, block, parry, and battle intimidating enemies, but one mechanic completely changes the rhythm of every encounter.

Attacking Doesn’t Consume Stamina

Instead of draining stamina every time you swing your weapon, attacks are completely unrestricted. Only defensive actions use stamina.

That might sound like a small adjustment, but it completely changes how fights flow. Rather than constantly watching a green bar before committing to offense, players are encouraged to stay aggressive and only worry about resource management when avoiding damage.

I honestly like this direction. Traditional stamina systems create tension, but they can also slow combat down considerably. This approach feels faster without making encounters easier, because good defense still matters—you just aren’t punished for experimenting offensively.

Skills Use Cooldowns Instead of Mana

Another mechanic I wasn’t expecting is the complete removal of mana management. Special abilities simply recharge over time.

That means players don’t need to carry mana potions or constantly monitor another resource bar. Once a skill is used, it enters cooldown before becoming available again.

The result looks much more fluid. Instead of saving abilities ‘just in case,’ you’re encouraged to weave them naturally into every fight. For an action RPG, that’s a design philosophy I can definitely appreciate.

No Character Levels? That’s Actually Interesting

Perhaps the boldest decision is eliminating traditional RPG leveling entirely. There are no experience points, no strength stat, no vitality upgrades, and no dexterity investment.

Instead, progression revolves around collecting powerful Relics, mysterious artifacts tied to the forgotten history of Arsiltus. Each Relic offers unique passive bonuses, and combining them allows players to shape completely different builds.

Some Relics favor aggressive melee combat, others improve defensive playstyles, while certain combinations even alter how abilities function altogether. From what has been revealed, there are more than 70 different Relic effects, creating a huge amount of customization without relying on traditional stat allocation.

As someone who’s played countless RPGs over the years, I find this system refreshing. It feels like your build evolves because of the discoveries you make rather than simply because you’ve gained another level.

Loot Actually Feels Meaningful

Modern action RPGs often drown players in equipment. You pick up dozens of swords, most are slightly stronger than the last, most are instantly dismantled, and then you repeat the process endlessly.

Thankfully, The Relic: First Guardian goes in a completely different direction. Every weapon and armor piece is unique.

• No random stat rolls
• No duplicate weapons
• No rarity color grind
• No endless inventory cleanup

Every item has its own history and identity. Instead of farming the same sword hoping for slightly better numbers, finding new equipment becomes an actual event.

Honestly, I wish more RPGs would embrace this philosophy. Quality over quantity almost always creates more memorable adventures.

Five Weapon Types With Plenty of Variety

Although equipment is unique, players still have plenty of options. The game starts with five primary weapon categories, each supporting extensive customization through dedicated skill trees.

Different weapons naturally encourage different styles.

• Fast, evasive melee fighters
• Heavy defensive warriors
• Balanced all-round builds
• Long-reach specialists
• Technical combo-focused fighters

Since each weapon class has its own progression path, replayability should remain strong even after completing the main story.

Exploring the Broken World of Arsiltus

Setting matters just as much as combat in dark fantasy games. Thankfully, Arsiltus looks genuinely fascinating.

Rather than presenting a generic medieval kingdom, the world draws inspiration from Asian mythology while telling a tragic story about civilization collapsing after the destruction of an ancient relic.

The player becomes the First Guardian, searching for scattered fragments capable of restoring balance. Instead of relying on long cinematic cutscenes, much of the storytelling comes through exploration.

You’ll uncover forgotten histories by examining locations, reading journals, and piecing together the fates of the people who once lived there. That’s exactly the kind of environmental storytelling I enjoy in games like this. Finding answers yourself always feels more rewarding than having everything explained through dialogue.

Massive Boss Battles Look Like the Main Attraction

Boss fights appear to be the centerpiece of the entire experience. The developers have promised more than 70 unique major encounters, each designed around its own tragic backstory.

Rather than creating monsters simply for spectacle, many enemies represent people whose lives were destroyed by the world’s catastrophe. That approach gives battles additional emotional weight.

Of course, we’ll have to wait until release to see whether every encounter delivers, but the early gameplay certainly suggests plenty of memorable fights ahead.

Early Community Reactions

So far, community impressions have been largely positive, although not without criticism.

Many players have praised the following aspects of the game.

• Fast-paced combat
• The stamina-free offense
• Creative Relic progression
• Atmospheric world design
• Distinct boss concepts

The biggest criticism has centered around the game’s visuals. Some viewers feel certain environments lean too heavily on darkness, muted colors, and dense visual effects, occasionally making enemies difficult to read during combat.

Personally, I don’t mind darker art styles as long as clarity isn’t sacrificed. Hopefully, the final release strikes a better balance between atmosphere and visibility.

Final Thoughts

I wasn’t expecting The Relic: First Guardian to climb so high on my personal wishlist, but the more I learn about it, the more interested I become. It borrows ideas from familiar action RPGs while making enough bold changes to avoid feeling like another copy of the genre’s biggest names.

Removing offensive stamina, replacing character levels with Relic customization, and making every piece of equipment unique are exactly the kinds of design choices I like seeing. They suggest the developers want players to experiment instead of simply following the same progression formula found in countless other RPGs.

Whether the game ultimately lives up to its ambitions remains to be seen, but it’s certainly one of the most intriguing dark fantasy releases arriving in 2026. If the combat stays satisfying, the boss encounters deliver, and the world rewards exploration, this could easily become one of those games that quietly earns a devoted fanbase long after launch.