If you were watching The Game Awards 2025, you likely remember the “one last thing” that left the internet scratching its head. Wildlight Entertainment—a studio packed with the veteran DNA of Titanfall and Apex Legends—shadow-dropped their debut title, Highguard, this past Monday.
Positioned as a free-to-play “PvP Raid Shooter,” it’s a bizarre cocktail of hero abilities, mount-based traversal, and base-sieging mechanics. But does this fantasy-meets-firearms experiment stick the landing? We’ve scoured the early reviews to see what the critics (and the vocal Steam community) are saying.
I’ve not had chance to get stuck-in yet, but I’m intrigued for sure. It does seem that Highguard might need to explain what it’s trying to be, a little better. But critically, people are at least positive.
The Critical Consensus: “Fresh, but Frustrating”
While mainstream critics generally appreciate the “buttery smooth” gunplay you’d expect from former Respawn devs, there is a clear divide on whether the game’s unique “Raid Mode” actually works.
IGN (Travis Northup)
“Highguard channels the battle of Helm’s Deep as the meat and potatoes of its one and only game mode. Fighting your way through the enemy’s ranks to plant and defend a bomb deep within their territory is exactly as thrilling and tense as it sounds.”
The Verdict: A promising start with “snappy” gunplay.
Game Informer (Matt Miller)
“Taken piece by piece, there’s nothing profoundly complicated. But I’ll admit I felt completely lost for the first several matches—unsure where to put my attention, when to engage, or how to contribute. It’s a complex match structure that rewards strategy, but it lacks the breadth of options I’d expect from a major live-service launch.”
The Verdict: Review-in-progress; intrigued but confused.
GameSpot (Jordan Ramée)
“The weapon selection is small, but each feels incredibly well-tuned… I have a few qualms about balance, but there is something exciting and fresh about the overall experience.”
The Verdict: Positive; a hybrid shooter that could inspire future titles.
The Steam Community: A Rough Landing
Despite peaking at nearly 100,000 concurrent players on launch day, the reception on Steam has been “Mostly Negative.”
- The Map Size Dilemma: Many players feel the 3v3 format is far too small for the expansive maps, leading to long stretches of “looting and walking” with very little action.
- Performance Woes: Reports of stuttering on PC and issues with Easy Anti-Cheat (making it unplayable on Linux/Steam Deck) have fueled the fire.
- Directionless Design: Several user reviews characterize the game as “confused,” claiming it tries to mash too many genres (MOBA, Hero Shooter, Survival) into one blender.
Overall
It’s clear that Highguard has the “feel” right—sliding and shooting feel as good here as they did in Apex. However, the “Raid Shooter” loop is a massive gamble. By removing the traditional Team Deathmatch and focusing solely on a complex, phased objective mode, Wildlight has created a high barrier to entry that casual players are currently struggling to climb.
If you’re a fan of Titanfall’s movement or Rust’s base-raiding tension, there is something here for you. Just be prepared for a bit of a learning curve—and maybe bring two friends so you aren’t left at the mercy of the 3v3 matchmaking.