After a month of waiting and a lot of speculation, Highguard is finally here, and players across the globe are all jumping in to see what the game is all about. Criticisms aside, the game actually has a lot of interesting mechanics and components that make it genuinely stand out from other games in the hero shooter space. For one, the developers have attempted to create an entirely new genre, dubbed a "raid shooter," and although the influences are clear, there is still a distinctive identity and feel that cannot be found anywhere else.
Highguard is Picking a Really Weird Day to Tell People More About the Game
After going dark for over a month, Wildlight Entertainment announces an in-depth showcase for Highguard, though the timing is a bit odd.
Whenever a new shooter comes out, it is easy to compare it to other popular games, and the multiplayer space specifically is arguably one of the hardest areas to break into, as not only do the devs have to convince players to actually play the game, but they also have to keep them invested for months down the line. As it stands right now, Highguard is showing a lot of promise, and it certainly wasn't afraid to take some bold steps in a new direction and try something new that could potentially become the next big thing.
Shooter Focus
No More Relying On Spells
Details:
- Abilities supplement combat
- Raw aim will always win the fight
Most hero shooters use their character roster as the main marketing factor, showing off all the cool abilities and powers they have that become the driving force for the action within the game. In Highguard, however, the Warden skills actually become secondary to the gunplay, and at no point are players going to be able to rely on anything other than their mechanical prowess.
This doesn't mean to say that the abilities aren't important, as characters like Mara can provide an insane amount of utility to their team that can easily change the tide of a match. But for the most part, players are going to need to aim for the head and shoot on sight if they want any chance of being successful, both out on the battlefield and back at their home base.
Mounts
Riding Into Battle
Details:
- Seamless transition between running and mounting
- Faster open area movement
One of the coolest aspects that many players instantly gravitated towards in the Highguard trailer was the mounts. Now that the game can actually be played, the riding mechanic has become much more obvious as a fundamental tool that governs how midfights play out and how players move around the open areas.
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Also, because there is only a brief cooldown between dismounts and remounts, players are free to hop on and off over and over, giving them a lot of control over when to go fast and when to prepare for a fight. The ability to shoot whilst riding is just another great aspect that brings with it plenty of outplay moments and adds yet another layer of skill to an already challenging shooter.
Game Phases
More Than Just A Single Objective
Details:
- Different sections to break up the gameplay
- Strategic options at all stages
A lot of shooters focus on one single gameplay loop that often either follows the exact same formula every single game or keeps playing, constantly fighting from start to finish. Here, however, the game follows a very different structure where it isn't just a mad dash to a single objective, and instead, players can make small victories in a variety of ways.
When the game begins, it isn't instant action; rather, players have to fortify their base and choose their initial loadout before even seeing an enemy. Then, after a brief looting phase, the main game begins, and all of that prior strategy and planning comes into full effect, rewarding those who plan out their routes and strategically work together to cover ground and take out the enemy one by one.
Weapons Across Characters
Letting Everyone Shoot As Much As They Like
Details:
- Universal loadout for all players
- Tiered system to add match progression
Guns are the lifeblood of any great shooter game, but in a lot of cases, players are either restricted by class choices or are unable to access certain weapons until later on. Highguard instantly removes all these limits and lets players pick up basically any weapon they want from the starting set.
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Stronger guns are obviously found later into the match, but this access to different playstyles right from the start makes the whole game feel much more enjoyable to play, as rather than waiting to grab a sniper or to wield a heavy shotgun, players can just run out to the fight with whatever firearm they choose, without ever feeling at a disadvantage.
Maps Vs Bases
Choosing Where To Defend Each Time
Details:
- Base choice is independent of the map
- Varied layouts
Map design is an integral component of how matches play out and how players engage with one another on the battlefield. For a game to be successful, the loop has to function well across a range of different settings, and Highguard actually succeeds in making each match feel distinct by more than just a location switch.
When players load in, not only are they presented with a new fighting ground, but they are also given a choice of several different bases that each have a different layout. This allows teams to strategically pick and perfect a defensive style on a specific choice, something which would be interesting to see down the line at the higher levels.
Distinctive Characters
A Use Case For Everyone
Details:
- Some utility, others full damage
- Very little crossover
Highguard's roster of characters right now is pretty concise, but that is to be expected for a game that just came out. With eight different wardens to choose from, there is actually a good amount of variety already, as rather than having two different healers or multiple damage dealers, each character has a distinct identity in terms of their gameplay.
Scarlet brings a stealth element as well as an interesting piece of wall utility, while Una focuses more on area control, having much more power in defensive scenarios. The crossovers are pretty much non-existent, which means that players can pick any character in any situation, without worrying about having too many supports, smokes, or tanks all at once.
Escalating Loot
Constantly Getting Stronger
Details:
- Going from low level to high naturally over time
- Incentive to actively hunt for drops
Loot mechanics in shooters come in all shapes and sizes, and gaining access to stronger and better gear is an important fundamental idea that players need to learn in order to win the game. The developers themselves actually worked on Apex Legends, which takes a much more random approach to its loot pool, meaning that luck becomes a much bigger factor than it probably should be.
With Highguard, however, the looting mechanic is much more streamlined, as not only is the gathering and collecting pretty simplistic, but it also lets virtually any player acquire decent gear without any trouble. Also, as the match goes on, every player is able to become stronger over time, with no unhealthy snowballs that can often lead to pretty unfun matches if things get out of control.
Offense/Defense
Rewarding On Both Sides
Details:
- Balanced to give both teams a fair chance
- Games can vary in length
Across all the different hero shooters, there is a huge number of game modes out there that all offer a new and interesting way of playing. Some focus purely on kills, others on specific objectives, but Highguard seems to strike an interesting balance, where individual frags are important, but larger targets still remain the primary goal.
On top of this, the disparity between attackers and defenders is far less wide, as the team that wins the first encounter is effectively "rewarded" with a chance to attack the base, but the defense team still has an equal chance of coming back, even taking some HP off their enemies if they manage to successfully push them back. The ebb and flow feels pretty damn great, and at no point is one team in a significantly better position than the other, opening the doors for plenty of comebacks and turnarounds from teamwork and skill combined.
Highguard
- Released
- January 26, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Wildlight Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Wildlight Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
