A Dark Fantasy Action RPG Inspired by Korean Myth
The Relic: First Guardian is shaping up to be a must watch title for PC gamers who love dark fantasy, monster hunting and moody storytelling. Drawing clear inspiration from The Witcher series, this upcoming action RPG swaps European folklore for a world built around Korean myths and legends.
Revealed in a new trailer during the PC Gaming Show: Most Wanted, The Relic: First Guardian puts you in the boots of a spellsword roaming a war torn land. Your job is not just to fight monsters but to uncover the tragic stories that created them in the first place.
The trailer focuses on the mystery of a fallen soldier and the family he left behind. As the hero investigates a devastated village, you see flashes of the past in sepia colored memories and feel the weight of grief through the narration of two family members who lost him. This is not just hack and slash combat. It is detective work in a world full of sorrow and demons.
Stylish Combat and Over 70 Boss Fights
The action in The Relic: First Guardian looks fast, weighty and cinematic. The spellsword hero chains together powerful dash and slash attacks that slam into hulking monsters, staggering them and shaking the environment around them. Every swing looks designed to feel impactful, which should appeal to anyone who loves tight combat in action RPGs.
The trailer ends with a dramatic showdown against a haunting boss that seems to be the twisted form of the missing soldier. The creature rises from the water as a raging wind demon, clutching a huge blade behind its back before unleashing a furious roar. It looks like the kind of fight where the story behind the boss matters just as much as the battle itself.
This is not a one off encounter either. The developers at Project Cloud Games are promising more than 70 boss fights across the game world. Each boss will have its own backstory and lore that you uncover through special boss journals that drop when you defeat them. That should give players plenty of reasons to explore and re explore areas as they dig into the mysteries behind each monster.
Earlier gameplay footage shown at the PC Gaming Show Tokyo Direct already hinted at how the combat system works. Project Cloud Games seems determined to offer both depth and flashiness. Attacks look stylish and dramatic on screen, but there is also a focus on systems and player choice so you can shape your own fighting style instead of just button mashing.
Gear Focused Progression and Semi Open World Exploration
One of the most interesting design choices in The Relic: First Guardian is the way character progression works. Instead of the usual level based system where your power mostly comes from experience points, this game takes a gear first approach.
Your effectiveness in battle depends on your weapons, runes and crafted items rather than on your character level. That means your playstyle can change dramatically depending on what you equip and how you build your gear. It also suggests that smart crafting and loot hunting will be just as important as mastering combos in combat.
For PC players who enjoy tinkering with builds and experimenting with different weapon types, this kind of progression system can be very rewarding. It encourages you to think about every upgrade and to customize your character in a way that fits how you like to fight rather than simply chasing the next level up.
The Relic: First Guardian is set in a semi open world. You will be travelling through war ravaged villages and other dark locations inspired by Korean history and folklore. The world is not just a backdrop but a key part of the experience, filled with visual storytelling such as ruined homes, stormy weather and clues hidden in the environment that tie into each boss and quest.
The overall tone is gloomy and atmospheric. There are constant storms, heavy rain and a sense of loss hanging over the land. If you enjoy games that mix combat with emotional storytelling and tragic backstories, this setting is likely to pull you in and keep you there.
The Relic: First Guardian is planned for release in early 2026 and will be available on PC via Steam. You can already add it to your wishlist to follow updates and keep an eye on new trailers and gameplay reveals as launch gets closer.
For PC gamers hungry for another rich, story driven action RPG with challenging boss fights and a fresh cultural perspective, The Relic: First Guardian looks like a game to watch very closely.
Original article and image: https://www.pcgamer.com/gaming-industry/events-conferences/battle-very-very-sad-bosses-in-the-relic-first-guardian-a-witcher-like-rpg-rooted-in-korean-folklore/
