Dark Souls Meets The Witcher In Stunning New Fantasy RPG

Published Jul 30, 2026, 7:00 AM EDT Known as 'Cyberpunk 2077's' biggest fan, Angharad is a Welsh games writer who thrives in anything related to digital storytelling. If a video game explores the intricacies and horrors of womanhood, she is there. Thanks to previous work at GAMINGbible, GameByte, The Loadout, Game Luster, Angharad has built a strong understanding of both the digital world and what fans want from it and is eager to share her thoughts and expertise with readers. Combining the dark fantasy world of the likes of Dark Souls with the open-world adventures of The Witcher franchise, The Relic: First Guardian is an upcoming Korean-inspired action RPG from developer Project Cloud Games. Set to launch on 31 July, The Relic: First Guardian takes place on the once-prosperous Arsilthus following an apocalyptic event that has turned the landscape into a shadow of its former self following the destruction of a great relic. But through the silence we began to hear breaths that have not yet faded, faint whispers carried on the wind: promises, waiting, fear, and love. These forgotten voices are Relics; fragments imbued with the emotions and wishes of those who lived before. Relic: The First Guardian Looks Incredible Now, with the power to use the relic's abilities, you will be able to honor the memories of those who came before and lead the world back into prosperity. As such, you are Arsilthus' last hope, and you will need to collect memories in the form of Relics (Runes) in order to gain their effects. With each Relic offering 70 unique passive effects, these can be used to reshape skill behavior, alter combat tempo, and enhance specific weapon styles. As a result, players will be able to choose which Relics to equip, building their playstyle from the ground up. On top of that, the combat system in The Relic: First Guardian is as unique as its story, allowing "freedom in attacks and intensity in survival". With skills operating on cooldown, the ability to adapt your own playstyle and rhythm, and stamina only draining when defending and dodging as opposed to attacking, the aim for smooth combat has been a top priority for Project Cloud Games. This Is One For Dark Souls Fans As such, The Relic: First Guardian is the perfect game for those looking to relive the magic of a Dark Souls game, whilst getting to enjoy a brand-new story in the meantime. Much like Dark Souls, which weapons you wield is important, and none takes this more seriously than The Relic: First Guardian. "The Relic reimagines the traditional RPG loot structure by ensuring that every weapon and piece of armor exists only once in the game world," the official game description reads. "Each item is a unique artifact, such as the final blade of a legendary knight who defended hundreds or a shield representing a family's ancient vow. When acquiring equipment, players inherit the unique history and powerful story it has lived through." As such, each weapon has been designed with emotional themes and, on top of that, each of the five weapon types comes alongside twelve exclusive skill trees. With up to 80 punishing bosses to face, The Relic: First Guardian is similar to Dark Souls in more ways than one, but one thing for sure is that this upcoming RPG is not one to miss out on when it launches tomorrow. Systems Released September 22, 2011 ESRB M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Partial Nudity, Violence Developer(s) From Software Publisher(s) Namco Bandai Engine Havok