Now that players have finally had a chance to try Highguard, there has been a pretty mixed reception to the game and the new style of FPS gameplay it is attempting to create. Some players love it, others are more hesitant and only see potential, while many flat-out hate the game, citing numerous issues related to performance, visuals, gameplay, and just about everything in between.
All Characters in Highguard
Highguard is a challenging PvP Shooter Arena, and knowing every Warden in the Roster will help you reach the top! Check out this full character guide!
With such a large percentage of players all citing the same problems, it is clear that Highguard has a long way to go before it can compete with the biggest names in the genre. A lot of the fixes are quite simple additions that could improve the overall feel of the game, but others are more drastic, and only time will tell if the devs manage to address these complaints and polish out their product to fulfill that goal they set out to achieve in the first place.
Better Optimization
Even High-End Rigs Are Struggling
Details:
- Removal of motion blur
- Fix resolution issues
Modern games are often plagued by one single issue that can turn an otherwise great game into a terrible one: poor optimization. Highguard is yet another example of a game that, for whatever reason, just doesn't consistently run very well, regardless of whether the player has a top-of-the-line rig or one that falls in line with the recommended specs.
This is the first major hurdle that the devs need to tackle right away, as it doesn't matter how good the actual gameplay is if players are unable to enjoy it without stutters, crashes, or other issues. Another thing that would help is having more system-oriented options that show hardware usage, so players have a better idea about what kinds of settings their setup can run before the game even starts.
More Graphics Options
Ironing Out Those Visual Issues
Details:
- No forced DLSS
- More video settings tweaks
Graphics are always a topic of debate when a new game is released, as appearances are almost as important as gameplay. Highguard isn't a photorealistic masterpiece, but it does have an interesting visual style that looks pretty distinctive in what is otherwise a pretty contested genre full of cartoony shooters and realistic military ones as well.
Should You Play Highguard With a Keyboard or Controller?
With guns, character abilities, and mounts all jumbled together, is it best to use a controller or keyboard in Highguard?
One of the biggest asks for many players is the ability to turn DLSS off or have more control over how the setting functions. Also, motion blur is a pretty contentious feature, so having a toggle for that, among other settings, could make the whole experience feel just a bit better, as each player can tailor the visuals to their taste without being forced into a preset.
QOL Features
Holstering Weapons To Scoreboards
Details:
- Simple changes that make a big impact
- More information available in-game
Shooter players want QOL features that let them have complete control over how they engage with a game. In this situation, many folks are asking for some basic sliders and toggles that can give them exactly what they want, without breaking any of the core mechanics.
ADS/Crouch toggle has already been confirmed as an extra addition, but some players have also mentioned wanting weapon holstering and more seamless scope swapping to make the combat and traversal feel just a bit more enjoyable overall. Also, a basic scoreboard could go a long way, as it is always nice to know how well the player is doing and whether teammates need some extra help.
Mining Overhaul
It's Never Fun To Sit Around Swinging
Details:
- Change how players gain resources
- Speed up the process
Within a match of Highguard, one of the core mechanics revolves around mining Vesper to unlock weapons, armor, utility, and just about everything else they could need for a fight. However, the actual method of harvesting leaves a lot to be desired and effectively boils down to pressing a button a few times, then moving on to the next spot.
Suggestions have come in all forms, but the most common request is to just change it to a single hit, which still gives the feature an actual input needed without forcing players to stand around waiting for the animation to finish. Alternatively, the costs of items could be raised to make the mining feel far more rewarding, encouraging players to actually go out of their way to get better gear, as opposed to just opening a chest.
More Map objectives
Something Else To Fight For
Details:
- Secondary objectives like jungle camps
- Reasons to actively explore
The maps in the game are pretty large overall, and a lot of that space remains fairly empty and lackluster, meaning that if players want to actually get into a fight and start shooting, then they need to run pretty far without any reason to stop in between.
Best PC Settings for Highguard (Fix Locked FPS)
Players are experiencing performance issues while playing Highguard on PC, so here are some best graphics settings you can try to optimize it.
A good way of fixing this is by adding in a few extra points of interest or mini-objectives for players to focus on in between the action. Supply drops already exist, so it could be nice to have a small NPC boss or some extra loot containers that spawn in, adding more substance to the maps without changing the primary gameplay loop.
Large Team Sizes
3v3 Just Isn't Enough
Details:
- 6v6 or even more potentially
- Large maps feel empty with smaller teams
Shooter games choose their team sizes very wisely, often thinking about map size, objectives, and the overall feel that comes with having more or fewer players in the same lobby. Highguard reduces the countdown to 3v3, which, for many, just doesn't feel like enough.
Because of how big the maps are, even at the base, there is no reason why a 5v5 or even more mode couldn't work, which would add even more teamplay and make those outplay moments all the more impressive. It also brings it in line with virtually every other esports game on the planet, which have all shown that 10-player matches seem to be the ultimate sweet spot.
Text Chat
Communication Is Never A Bad Thing
Details:
- Some players prefer text chat
- No harm in adding it for PC at least
Communication is a very important aspect of any online game, and if players aren't playing with a group of friends on the mic, there is no guarantee that their random teammates will want to have a chat mid-game or coordinate strategies for that final push.
Highguard already has voice chat implemented into the matches, but some players prefer not to use a mic at all. Adding text chat would mean teammates can communicate easily with one another, even if they want to keep quiet verbally, and would improve the overall quality of most matches, especially at the higher tiers.
Bigger Incentives To Loot
One Chest Is Normally Enough
Details:
- Different items in the pool
- Potentially more random drops
The looting loop in Highguard is frankly too basic. Players grab their initial loadout, run out, and loot a few chests, and at that point, there is no real reason to gear up any further until the next round.
It would be nice if there were better drops within the crates that didn't just feel like alternative options, and taking things a step further, the devs could take a page out of their Apex Legend's book, and add random rarities into the mix, adding much more value to the looting that is currently being overshadowed by simply buying loadouts at the base.
Condensed Game Mode
Removing The Midfights
Details:
- Attack/Defend focus
- Changing the game into a more back and forth mode
The game mode that exists in Highguard right now is fairly unique. The core idea of fighting over an objective and then having to either attack or defend is pretty cool and opens the doors for plenty of insane strategies and opportunities for teamwork.
However, the time in between the high-stakes gunfights can drag on for too long, especially when the teams are evenly matched, and they constantly swap sides. One fix that could help this is to remove the open segment entirely and just have the game be a fast-paced alternating bomb planting mode, without any unwanted pauses that stop and start the action over and over.
Weapon Stats
The Devil Is In The Details
Details:
- Kill thresholds and damage numbers
- Accuracy details matter a lot
The weapon selection in Highguard is pretty nice at the start. Players can decide whether they want to run around with an SMG or stay back with a sniper, giving them multiple playstyles to choose from right out the gate.
The problem is that as the items increase in power, the only indication of their strength is some small buff tooltips like faster reload speed that don't really feel that great to pick up. If weapons instead had damage numbers, fire rate, and armor penetration values, then suddenly, players could make much more educated purchases and decisions about their loadout, adding another layer of complexity to reward those willing to take a closer look.
Highguard
- Released
- January 26, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- Wildlight Entertainment
- Genre(s)
- FPS, Action, Multiplayer
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
