Bloody Hell, Highguard's Actually Alive! PS5 Trophies Just Dropped, Spilling the Beans on Its Silent Launch
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Highguard, the live-service hero shooter from ex-Titanfall/Apex Legends devs, has finally offered definitive proof of life with the release of its PS5 trophy list, just days before its quiet launch on January 26th. Despite an unusual lack of pre-release hype, these trophies reveal a rich, class-based PvP raid experience with dynamic objectives, mounted combat, and strategic depths that are slowly turning my gentle skepticism into cautious optimism.
Right, so remember that ‘one more thing’ from The Game Awards last year? The one that promised an arcane gunslinging hero shooter called *Highguard* from Wildlight Entertainment, featuring a bunch of ex-Titanfall and Apex Legends wizards? Yeah, the one that then pretty much vanished off the face of the internet faster than my spell-casting success rate. Well, hold onto your enchanted hats, mates, because it turns out it’s not just alive, but it’s been quietly brewing something, and its PS5 trophy list just spilled the tea.
Thanks to the keen eyes over at Eurogamer, specifically Victoria Phillips Kennedy, we've got definitive proof that *Highguard* isn't just a fever dream conjured by Geoff Keighley's theatrical announcements. The game, a PvP raid shooter where players are 'Wardens' – arcane gunslingers fighting for a mythical continent – has a full 33-trophy list for the PlayStation 5. And it's set to launch on January 26th, which, fair dinkum, is next week!
This whole *Highguard* saga has been a peculiar one, hasn't it? Ever since that initial announcement trailer, which, let's be honest, landed with more of a gentle thud than a booming magical explosion, we've heard precious little. No flashy character reveals, no tantalising gameplay snippets beyond the initial tease, and barely a peep on social media. It's almost as if Wildlight Entertainment accidentally cast a 'cloak of invisibility' on their own marketing department. Usually, a game with pedigree developers (and we're talking about folks behind some of the most fluid shooters in recent memory) would have the hype engines firing on all cylinders, blasting out teasers like a wizard’s fireworks display gone rogue. The silence had many of us – myself included – wondering if the release date was just an aspirational doodle on a whiteboard somewhere.
But this new surge of activity, first with a bit of a rumble on Steam and now with a full-blown PS5 trophy list appearing on Exophase (via Gematsu), feels like the magic is finally starting to manifest. It's a classic case of finding the digital tea leaves to divine a game's true intentions. And what do these particular tea leaves tell us about *Highguard*?
Well, for starters, the trophy list is a goldmine for anyone curious about the core gameplay loop. We're talking 'Raid Mode' being front and centre, with trophies like 'Battle-Hardened' for completing 10 matches and 'A True Warden of Highguard' for winning 20. This confirms the PvP raid shooter premise isn't just flavour text. It's the main course, suggesting sustained engagement in these objective-based battles.
Then there are the Warden classes. Trophies like 'Tip of the Spear... And My Axe' (Assault), 'You Have My Shield' (Defensive), 'All Seeing Eye' (Recon), 'Got Your Six' (Support), and 'Carved a Path' (Destruction) each require completing five Raid Mode matches with their respective Warden type. This clearly indicates a class-based system, pushing players to experiment with different roles, much like you’d expect from a hero shooter. I'm already picturing tactical team compositions, where a well-placed Defensive Warden shield might just save a flank, or a Recon Warden’s intel could turn the tide. It's the kind of strategic depth that can make or break a PvP experience.
But it gets juicier. The trophies also paint a picture of specific in-match actions that will be crucial. 'Breaking and Entering' and 'The Slow Blade Penetrates the Shield' hint at dynamic raid mechanics involving 'Shieldbreakers' and 'Domesplitters' to breach enemy bases. This suggests a multi-stage objective system, not just a simple deathmatch. Then there’s 'Saboteur' for destroying generators and 'Cordcutter' for defusing them – a classic offensive/defensive tug-of-war that adds layers to the base raiding. And for those who love a bit of chaotic fun, 'Animal Control' tasks you with eliminating 20 enemy mounts, while 'Heavy "Cavalry"' encourages you to eliminate 10 enemies *while* riding your own. Clearly, the mythical continent is home to some rather rideable (and killable) beasts, adding a unique mobility and combat element.
Other notable challenges include 'Plunderer,' requiring you to open and acquire loot from 15 chests in a single match – suggesting in-match resource gathering and potential power-ups. 'Soul Mate' (reviving a teammate) and 'Soul Eater' (destroying enemy soul orbs) point to intriguing revive mechanics and a combat loop that might involve denying enemy respawns or resources. There’s even 'Pocket Full of Vesper' and 'Go for Broke,' hinting at an in-match vendor system where you spend 'Vesper' to buy items, which could dramatically alter mid-game strategies.
The meta-game objectives are also well-represented, pushing players to master various strategies. 'One Shot, One Kill' challenges you to win five Raid Mode matches by only destroying the 'Anchor Stone' (sounds like the primary objective). 'Overwhelming Force' demands speedy victories in under 10 minutes, while 'Perfectly Balanced' requires wins without entering Overtime. These are the kinds of challenges that foster competitive play and high-level strategy, forcing teams to coordinate and execute flawlessly.
So, what does this sudden outpouring of trophy info mean for us, the curious gamers? It’s a bit like a wizard who’s been quietly brewing a potion in a hidden alcove, and now the pungent fumes are finally wafting out. The gentle skepticism I've held about *Highguard*'s silent approach is slowly giving way to a cautious optimism. It’s certainly an unorthodox marketing strategy to keep things so under wraps until the last minute, almost relying solely on the inherent curiosity of the gaming community and the tantalising hints from the trophy list.
Perhaps Wildlight Entertainment is playing a long game, banking on word-of-mouth and the raw gameplay experience to do the talking, rather than a pre-release hype blitz that can sometimes lead to burnout. Or maybe, just maybe, they've been so heads-down on development, conjuring this game into being, that they simply haven't had time for the usual marketing razzmatazz. Whatever the reason, the trophies serve as a fascinating blueprint, giving us a much clearer vision of the arcane, mounted, class-based, raid-centric action we can expect.
*Highguard* is nearly upon us, mate. The silence has been broken, not by a thunderous marketing campaign, but by the quiet clinking of digital achievements. It's a reminder that sometimes, the most interesting stories aren't yelled from the rooftops, but whispered through the very fabric of the game itself.
Original Source: Eurogamer, by Victoria Phillips Kennedy
Tags: Highguard, PS5 Trophies, Hero Shooter, Live-Service Game, Wildlight Entertainment
Original article: Eurogamer