So, Highguard is finally out with Wildlight Entertainment, breaking its silence and hosting a showcase to explain exactly what the game is. A free-to-play competitive shooter already has an uphill battle to climb, and as gorgeous as those visuals are, nothing about Highguard really stood out as unique, be it in the character design, environments, or premise. Unfortunately, once again, many players are reporting precisely what was feared from the initial trailer – that Highguard is a mish-mash of ideas from other games, haphazardly thrown together. As thrown-together and derivative as this sounds, borrowing elements from Valorant, battle royale titles, and whatnot, Highguard could have been a chaotically fun experience. But hey, credit where it’s due – at least the monetization isn’t predatory right out of the gate, and there’s a free battle pass.