This The Relic: First Guardian walkthrough covers the Arsilthus story setup and how the semi-open route connects Sealing Stones, dungeons, and Brutal bosses, so you spend exploration time on the right detours instead of every detour. Verified August 12, 2026 · Steam.
Fact
Detail
World name
Arsilthus
Player role
The last Guardian
Map structure
Semi-open — linear route hidden by terrain
Themes
Korean and Asian folklore, memory, tragedy
Boss count
up to 80 Brutals, most optional
Playtime
20–35+ hours (estimate) for a full route
What is the story of Arsilthus?
The Relic: First Guardian opens on a world already lost. Arsilthus was once a thriving land, destroyed into a void-swallowed wasteland when its great Relic was shattered.
The last Guardian
You play the last Guardian, tasked with collecting scattered Relic fragments — described in official copy as pieces carrying the emotions and wishes of those who came before — to seal the void and restore the world. There is no character creator backstory beyond that role; the fragments themselves carry the personal history.
Every boss carries a memory
Rather than generic enemies, most named Brutal bosses have an individual tragic backstory — official and press coverage frames the roster as "tragic bosses" tied to hunger, cowardice, greed, and grief rather than pure monster design. Defeating one often yields a personal memory or journal fragment alongside loot, and no two bosses fight the same way, so a strategy that works on one rarely transfers directly to the next.
A folklore-driven tone, not a generic dark fantasy
The setting draws on Korean and Asian folklore rather than the generic medieval-European dark fantasy most soulslikes default to. That shows up in enemy design, environmental storytelling (notes and ruins doing most of the talking), and the framing of bosses as souls to put to rest rather than trophies to farm.
How does the semi-open route actually flow?
Arsilthus is a semi-open world: broad, interconnected regions rather than a single open map, with natural obstacles guiding you along a mostly linear path. Treat each region as a loop you finish before the terrain pushes you to the next one.
If you are...
Do this
Stuck on a story boss
Back out and clear a nearby Sealing Stone dungeon for more Relics first
Already full on Relic slots
Stop chest-hunting for a while and spend Relic Energy on skill-tree nodes instead
Low on Relic Energy for a node
Prioritize field events and Sealing Stone dungeons over backtracking for chests
Unsure which region is next
Follow the terrain — canyons and mountains usually gate the intended order
Do01Clear a region's Sealing Stone dungeons before pushing that region's story boss
Do02Check the map guide for what to look for while exploring
Do03Bank Relic Energy for skill-tree nodes before committing to a hard boss — see Builds
Sealing Stones lead to dungeons
Each Sealing Stone found while exploring connects to its own self-contained dungeon, separate from the overworld region around it. Clearing one is optional progress, not a story gate, so it is safe to skip a dungeon that is fighting back harder than the region around it suggests.
Field events and Relic Energy
Between story beats, field events, chests, and Relic Energy collection points reward exploring off the main path — most locations pay out around 600 Relic Energy at a time. That energy is the only thing funding new skill-tree nodes and extra Relic slots, so a region you rush through is Relic Energy left on the table.
Reading the terrain instead of the minimap
Because the world is semi-open rather than open, the map itself does most of the route-planning for you: a canyon, a collapsed bridge, or a mountain wall almost always means "not yet." If a path looks technically walkable but nothing is scaling with you, that is usually the game telling you to come back later rather than an invitation to sequence-break.
Check the map before your next region
Matched by build plan, shared topics, and guide progression — not random related links.
Most regions gate their story beat behind a named Brutal boss, but the wider roster — up to 80 across the run — is largely optional and exists to reward exploring rather than to block it.
Boss
Note
Fell Omen
First weak-point lesson before the open world opens up
Branko the Bloodstained Shield
Burning-chapel shield/parry test; detail guide available
Entom the Starved
Dodge-focused glutton; drops Memory of the Meal Left Behind
Mog, the Deserter
Polished knight swordplay; drops Shroud of Cowardly Survival
Knight of the Looter King Valsilas
Named Brutal documented in community boss videos
The Wingless Woman
Named Brutal documented in community boss videos
Story bosses vs. optional Brutals
A handful of bosses sit directly on the main story thread and cannot be skipped forever. The rest — most of the roster — are side encounters you find while exploring, and skipping one costs you a Relic and a memory fragment, not story progress.
Two early names worth knowing
Branko the Bloodstained Shield and Entom the Starved are both early-route Brutals with documented fights: Branko tests guard timing and patience, while Entom drops the widely referenced Memory of the Meal Left Behind Relic. Full strategy on each is on their own pages — Branko and Entom.
When a boss is walling you
Confirm first whether it is a story boss or an optional Brutal via the bosses hub. If it is optional, leave, clear another Sealing Stone dungeon or field event, and come back with more Relics equipped — the fight design assumes you will do this rather than grind the same attempt.
What should I prioritize while exploring?
Exploration pays out in Relics and Relic Energy, but the run has technical rough edges reviewers flagged at launch — plan around them instead of fighting the game.
Do01Sealing Stone dungeons and field events first — they pay Relic Energy faster than wandering the open terrain
Do02Chests and one-of-a-kind weapon/armor pickups second — check every unique drop at the Blacksmith before moving on
Do03Save long backtracking trips for after a region’s story boss, when fast travel options are fully unlocked
Do04Expect occasional camera, model, or fast-travel rough edges — reload or re-enter an area if something visibly breaks rather than assuming it is intentional
Mixed launch reception, strong combat core
Coverage at launch was mixed — praise for the combat and art direction alongside criticism of technical polish, camera behavior, and some reused enemy models. None of that changes the walkthrough route itself, but it is worth knowing before you assume a stutter or a strange camera cut is a puzzle you are missing.
Common walkthrough mistakes
Most walkthrough friction comes from treating Arsilthus like a fully open world or ignoring the optional side of the boss roster.
Mistake
Fix
Forcing a path the terrain is clearly blocking
Treat canyons/mountains as "not yet" — follow the intended route instead
Skipping every Sealing Stone dungeon
They fund your skill tree — clear at least the ones near your current region
Fighting every optional Brutal in order
Most bosses are optional — check bosses and skip one that is walling you
Hoarding Relic Energy instead of spending it
Spend on skill nodes each region — energy does not make hard fights easier by sitting unspent
The Relic: First Guardian walkthrough FAQ
What is the world called in The Relic: First Guardian?
Arsilthus — a once-thriving land destroyed when the great Relic was shattered.
Is the map open world?
It is semi-open — see the map guide for landmarks, Sealing Stones, and Relic Energy points.
Do I have to fight every boss on the route?
No — most of the up to 80 Brutal bosses are optional. See Bosses.
What do Sealing Stones do?
Each one opens a separate dungeon — full landmark list in the map guide.
Where is the trophy / achievements list?
All 37 Steam achievements are on the trophy guide.
Which bosses should I fight early?
Branko the Bloodstained Shield and Entom the Starved are both documented early-route Brutals — see Branko and Entom.
Is there a trainer for The Relic: First Guardian?
No official trainer is documented on Steam — third-party trainers are unsupported and can break saves. Use combat guide stamina rules and weapons for legitimate power spikes.
Last verified?
August 12, 2026
Related pages
Matched by build plan, shared topics, and guide progression — not random related links.
