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Highguard

Released: 1/26/2026

Critics
64
vs
Users
45

Score Breakdown

64.0

Critic Average

14 reviews

45

Steam User Score

37,701 reviews

25

Metacritic User Score

260 reviews

Disparity Breakdown

Steam Disparity
+19.2

64 vs 45

Metacritic Disparity
+39.0

64 vs 25

Combined Disparity
+29.1

Average of both sources

Review Disparities

Positive = critic higher than usersNegative = critic lower than users

Each point represents a critic review. Hover for details. Positive = critic higher than users. Negative = critic lower.

2/8/2026

Launch Window

Highguard is a fresh take on the multiplayer hero shooter, featuring balanced gunplay and thrilling raid mechanics that had me saying, "Just one more match." Throw in strong art direction with a high fantasy setting, and it gets an easy recommendation from me.

85

85/100

Read

2/6/2026

Launch Window

Highguard sets a strong foundation for something more interesting to come down the line, if given the proper time and feedback. The core of what's there is solid, it just needs more refinement.

60

60/100

Read

2/5/2026

Launch Window

Is Highguard a bad game? Debatable. It’s not the worst game ever and the absolutely hateful reviews the game has received from people who haven’t even played it are baffling, but it is… remarkably unremarkable.

55

55/100

Read

2/5/2026

Launch Window

There is definitely fun to be had in Highguard, especially with a group of friends, but as it stands, I wouldn’t bet on it becoming the new Apex of the genre because it’s nowhere near that level.

60

60/100

Read

2/3/2026

Launch Window

I'm not saying Wildlight should've simply made an entirely different kind of FPS, but I do think it could benefit from not taking itself so seriously. We're shooting AK-47s from bearback, smashing walls with hammers, and playing keep-away with a sword—that's the fun I wish Highguard leaned into.

65

65/100

Read

2/3/2026

Launch Window

Despite its clear flaws, Highguard is far from the failure that some would have you believe.

60

60/100

Read

2/2/2026

Launch Window

A free shooter that doesn't make the most of its best ideas: the potential is there, but at the moment it suffers from balance, performance, and repetitiveness issues.

55

55/100

Read

1/31/2026

Launch Window

Highguard is successful because it knows its limits and designs around them. It doesn't try to be too big or flashy to be understood. Besides, it gives you a tightly constructed tactical experience that is based on purpose and clarity. A single design theory is supported by all systems.

70

70/100

Read

1/31/2026

Launch Window

Wildlight Entertainment's debut game Highguard is a thrilling blend of other shooter games that could become your next multiplayer obsession.

80

80/100

Read

1/30/2026

Launch Window

Highguard has potential, but it's not quite being met yet. As it stands today, this is a fun yet bloated shooter that lacks the spark you'll find in other games in the genre, like The Finals. It'll play to the tactical players out there, and it seems that Wildlight is committed to improving the game. But with a game mode that crams every type of shooter into a single experience, Highguard is a jack of all trades and master of none.

60

60/100

Read

1/29/2026

Launch Window

Whether you're judging it on its own merits or comparing it to the very best on the market, Highguard has little to offer, and even less to keep you hooked.

40

40/100

Read

1/29/2026

Launch Window

A new shooter with lots of familiar elements.

60

60/100

Read

1/26/2026

Launch Window

Wildlight Entertainment has actually created a concept with immense potential to revolutionize the industry, combining multiple game modes and elements into something truly unique. However, the whole thing crashes and burns due to a shaky foundation of gameplay mechanics and a multitude of other issues. To put it simply, Highguard was a gamble that was revealed a little too early and needs much more time in the oven to become the next big thing.

60

60/100

Read

1/26/2026

Launch Window

Quote not yet available

86

86/100

Read