If you want better core gameplay loop
Choose Tom Clancy’s The Division Resurgence. It scores 4.8 vs 2.2 for core gameplay loop, with a 4.0 overall score.
Highguard Review
Bottom Line
Choose it for crisp gunplay, fluid mount movement, and a genuinely fresh raid concept—especially with friends. Skip it if you hate downtime, sparse maps, limited launch content, or rough performance.
Best for
Best for competitive shooter players who enjoy coordinated objective play, fast movement, and unusual attack-and-defend matches, especially with a regular group.
Not for
Skip it if you want constant combat, rich solo play, a large content library, or consistently polished performance without waiting for post-launch refinement.
Verdict
Highguard has a genuinely interesting core: crisp shooting, fluid sliding and mounts, and a raid format that can turn Shieldbreaker fights and base assaults into tense, memorable swings. Its best moments explain why several players kept queuing, especially with coordinated friends. The problem is everything between those peaks. Oversized maps, repetitive looting and mining, long respawns, thin launch content, uneven Warden balance, and inconsistent performance make the game feel less finished than its gunplay. The 5v5 option improves the sense of activity for several reviewers, but opinions remain split on whether added chaos helps the tactical design. Rapid updates and a friendly free-to-play model give Highguard room to improve, yet the current package still asks players to tolerate too much downtime and roughness to reach its strongest firefights.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
65 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.07 (11%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.415 (23%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.413 (20%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.423 (35%)
-
Very negative below 1.57 (11%)
Pros
-
Movement is a standout strength. Sliding, traversal, ziplines, and instant mounts make crossing the battlefield fast and fluid.
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Even many critical takes admit Highguard can be genuinely fun, especially once the fighting starts; raids, mounts, and close engagements create its biggest highs.
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As a free-to-play game, Highguard is easy to sample and repeatedly described as offering little financial risk for curious players.
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The raid-shooter concept is widely recognized as fresh and unusual even by critics who think the execution needs work.
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Gunplay is one of Highguard's clearest strengths, frequently described as crisp, smooth, tense, and satisfying, though a minority found it clunky or disconnected.
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Wildlight's rapid patches, updates, and ambitious roadmap inspire optimism, though some doubt whether long-term plans can be fully realized.
Cons
-
Highguard's mode is unusual, but its characters, aesthetics, and borrowed shooter ingredients often feel derivative, leaving its overall identity muddled.
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Maps are repeatedly criticized as too large for 3v3, producing empty stretches and long travel even with fast mounts.
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Optimization is one of the most consistent technical complaints, particularly on PC where strong hardware can still struggle.
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The launch build frequently feels unfinished, with descriptions such as rough draft, beta, rushed, or lacking polish appearing across the set.
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Launch content feels thin, with limited modes, maps, weapons, and characters making repetition arrive quickly.
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Looting is one of the most criticized systems, often called repetitive, predictable, or unnecessary despite a few positive takes on round-based upgrades.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other Video Games, this product is above average in grind level, monetization fairness, value for money, near average in combat system, fun factor, below average in lore depth, haptic feedback integration, world interactivity.
Comparison summary
65 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher10 (15%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts12 (18%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower43 (66%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| lore depth | 1.0 | 4.1 | -3.1 |
| haptic feedback integration | 1.0 | 4.1 | -3.1 |
| world interactivity | 1.0 | 3.9 | -2.9 |
| world-building | 1.5 | 4.2 | -2.7 |
| performance optimization | 1.7 | 3.9 | -2.2 |
| originality | 1.6 | 3.8 | -2.1 |
| online stability | 1.0 | 3.6 | -2.6 |
| content variety | 1.6 | 4.0 | -2.4 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better art direction
Choose Monster Hunter Wilds. It scores 4.8 vs 3.0 for art direction, with a 3.6 overall score.
If you want better performance optimization
Choose Arc Raiders. It scores 4.9 vs 1.7 for performance optimization, with a 4.1 overall score.
If you want better movement feel
Choose Dragon Ball FighterZ. It scores 5.0 vs 4.3 for movement feel, with a 4.0 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
Apex Legends
- Similar: shield durability and time to kill The reviewer dislikes having to dump full magazines into shields, likening it to Apex Legends.
- Similar: weapon feel Highguard's weapons are said to control, sound, and feel very similar to launch-era Apex Legends.
- Worse: gunplay feel This reviewer prefers Highguard's smoother, more forgiving gunplay to Apex Legends.
Apex
- Better: repetition and staying power Highguard is described as more repetitive and less able to sustain attention than Apex.
Deadlock
- Better: overall quality The reviewer explicitly recommends Deadlock as the better title.
FAQ
Is Highguard's gunplay good?
Usually, yes. Gunplay is one of the most consistently praised parts, often described as crisp, responsive, smooth, and satisfying, though a minority found it clunky or disconnected.
Is Raid mode worth playing?
Raid mode creates Highguard's best moments, especially the Shieldbreaker fights and base sieges. Its biggest drawback is the slower looting and travel between those peaks.
Is 5v5 better than 3v3?
Several sources preferred 5v5 because the larger maps feel busier, while others thought 3v3 preserves more tactics. The larger mode helps activity but can add chaos.
Is Highguard beginner-friendly?
The basics become understandable after a few matches, but onboarding is a common weakness. New players can feel overwhelmed by the phases, objectives, and experienced opponents.
How is the free-to-play monetization?
The model is generally viewed favorably because spending is optional and cosmetics dominate the paid offerings. Some cosmetic prices still drew criticism.
How is performance and stability?
Results vary by platform and hardware. Console impressions include smooth play, while PC coverage repeatedly mentions optimization problems, frame drops, stutters, disconnects, and launch server trouble.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
Video Reviews
YouTube - Mujin
- Review score
- 1.0
Article Reviews
thecourieronline.co.uk
A first look at the new PvP Raid Shooter, 48 hours after launch...
- Review score
- 1.3
gamingnexus.com
Go to GamingNexus.com for news and reviews on video games, consoles, and PCs.
- Review score
- 4.7
techradar.com
The creator of Gears of War has taken to social media to post about the negative culture surrounding new live-service games.
- Review score
- 4.0
thexboxhub.com
Pros: Strong gunplay Impressive and unique match structure Ambitious and stunning design Cons: Huge pacing issues Technical roughness that...
- Review score
- 2.6
ign.com
Compelling gunplay and a unique raid mode help this FPS stand out.
- Review score
- 3.7
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