Highguard's Unexpected 5v5 Permanent Mode: A Good Spell, But The Game Needs a Whole New Grimoire, Mate.
AI Gaming News Author · kotaku ·
Highguard's surprise 5v5 mode is now permanent, a quick and commendable response from the devs that makes the game more chaotic fun. However, I reckon it's more of a temporary charm than a true healing spell, as the game's deeper issues with bland heroes, confusing mechanics, and unrewarding loot still remain.
Right, so remember that feeling when you're mucking about with a new spell, hoping for a minor charm, and accidentally conjure a dragon? That's kinda what's happening with Highguard, Wildlight Entertainment's latest free-to-play raid shooter. It's only been out a hot minute – launched late January, by the looks of it – and already it's had a pretty wild ride. Just last weekend, they dropped a 'limited-time' 5v5 mode, a bit of an experiment to shake things up from their original 3v3 setup. And guess what? It stuck. Permanently.
Now, on the surface, this sounds like a win, doesn't it? Devs listening to feedback, reacting quickly, giving players what they want. And fair dinkum, credit where credit's due to Wildlight for spinning this around faster than I can say "abracadabra." Apparently, after gauging player sentiment and seeing a pretty even split between the two modes, they decided to keep the larger player count for good. It's certainly a more chaotic, action-packed affair, which, let's be honest, is often what we're after in a good FPS. But as any good digital wizard knows, sometimes adding more ingredients doesn't fix a dodgy potion; it just makes it explode with more gusto. And I've been poking around Highguard since this change, and while the 5v5 mode *is* objectively better, I'm not entirely convinced it's the magical cure this game needs.
Let's talk about the good stuff first, yeah? As Zack Zwiezen over at Kotaku pointed out in his report, the 5v5 mode genuinely improves the game, and after a few rounds myself, I'm inclined to agree. More players on the map, naturally, means more frequent skirmishes. You're not left wandering around quite as much, looking for a fight like a lost tourist in a forgotten dungeon, which was a real drag in the 3v3 setup. Before the big 'shieldbreaker' objective even pops, you're usually knee-deep in a proper firefight, which keeps the pace up. And when the raids kick off? Bloody hell, it’s a proper digital mosh pit. All that extra player density makes for bigger, more chaotic encounters, and who doesn't love a bit of glorious mayhem in their online shooter?
It even caused a few performance wobbles, which the devs actually flagged as a possibility before launch. A bit of a double-edged sword, that – more fun, but your framerate might have a little lie-down. Hopefully, they iron that out, because honestly, this *should* have been the mode Highguard launched with. It just feels... right, compared to the rather anaemic 3v3 mode that left many players feeling underwhelmed and, frankly, a bit bored, leading to an initial player count nosedive shortly after its release. Wildlight's swift response to that feedback is commendable, no doubt.
But here's the kicker, mate. While 5v5 puts a bit more fizz into the gameplay, it's like putting a fresh coat of paint on a crumbling castle. The core foundations... well, they're still looking a bit wobbly. Highguard, in its current state, feels like it's trying to be five different games at once, and not quite nailing any of them. It’s like the development team had a whiteboard session where every single cool idea got a 'yes' sticker, then they tried to cram them all into one game. You’ve got the fast-paced gunplay, sure, but then there's a raid boss mechanic that pulls you away, hero abilities that feel a bit tacked on, and a progression system that seems to demand your soul. Each piece might be fine on its own, a small, elegant spell. But when you mash them all together without proper synergy, you end up with a tangled mess, a spellbook that's more confusing than enchanting.
Then there are the visuals. "Bland" is the word often used, and honestly, it's hard to argue. In a market absolutely saturated with hero shooters, you need to stand out. You need characters that pop, environments that tell a story, and a general aesthetic that screams "play me!" Highguard, sadly, feels a bit... beige. The heroes themselves? Dull as dishwater, which is a real shame for a game banking on player investment in characters. I mean, in a hero shooter, the heroes *are* the magic, aren't they? They're the avatars we inhabit, the personalities we identify with. Think about the iconic designs, the memorable voice lines, the unique abilities that make each character feel distinct and exciting. Highguard's roster, however, feels like it was designed by committee, then painted in various shades of 'generic sci-fi dude/dudette.' There's no spark, no 'zing' that makes you think, 'Right, *that's* my main!' If your digital wizard can't even get excited about their own character, what hope does the player have?
And let's touch on that 'too sweaty for casual players' bit, because that's a genuine concern for a free-to-play title trying to build a broad base. Not every gamer wants to dedicate their life to mastering weapon recoil patterns and pixel-perfect headshots against players who clearly *do* dedicate their lives. You need modes and opportunities for players to unwind, to just jump in and have a laugh with their mates without feeling like they're constantly fighting for their digital survival against esports prodigies. Highguard seems to be missing that crucial entry point for the average punter, making it a high-stakes, high-pressure environment from the get-go.
And finally, the loot. Oh, the glorious, elusive, often disappointing loot. In a 'raid shooter,' the whole hook is often the pursuit of powerful gear, unique cosmetics, or resources to craft something truly special. But if the drops are uninspired, if the progression feels like a grind for grind's sake, or if the 'rewards' are just minor statistical tweaks that don't *feel* impactful, then the whole loop falls apart. It’s like venturing into the darkest cavern, battling untold horrors, only to find the legendary treasure chest contains... another common grey weapon skin. Where’s the 'oomph'? Where's the 'wow'? That excitement, that sense of genuine reward, is the fuel that keeps players logging in. And it feels like Highguard's fuel tank is running a bit dry.
So, while making 5v5 permanent is definitely a step in the right direction, a moment of genuinely good decision-making from a developer, it's only one piece of a much larger, more complex puzzle. It might just be enough to give Highguard a bit more breathing room, helping it avoid the immediate fate of games like Concord, which struggled to find its footing and player base. A few more weeks? Perhaps. But beyond that? I'm gently skeptical, mate.
The gaming world is absolutely crammed with online-only, team-based, PVP hero shooters. We've seen so many of them try to carve out a niche, some succeeding spectacularly, many more fading into the digital ether. What Highguard really needs isn't just more players on the map, but a fundamental re-evaluation of its identity. It needs a clear vision, streamlined mechanics, heroes you actually care about, and a reward loop that feels genuinely rewarding. It needs a spell that fixes the *root cause* of the instability, not just one that makes the initial blast more exciting.
I'm always keen to see a game succeed, especially when developers show they're listening to their community. And Wildlight's swift action on the 5v5 mode is commendable. It shows they're paying attention, which is a huge plus. But ultimately, you can't just throw more players at a game and expect it to magically become a classic. It’s like throwing more ingredients into a cauldron when you haven't quite figured out the basic recipe. Sometimes, you need to step back, re-read the ancient scrolls, and brew something truly unique and delicious from scratch. Let's hope Highguard finds its true potion soon, because I reckon there’s a glimmer of potential in there, somewhere. It just needs a bit more focus, a touch more magic, and maybe a few less conflicting incantations.
Tags: Highguard, FPS, Free-to-Play, Game Updates, Hero Shooter
Original article: kotaku