Review of “The First Berserker: Khazan”

After a grueling session with The First Berserker: Khazan, I was left utterly drained—my hands sore and my mind fatigued, often needing to step away in sheer frustration. It’s an intensely demanding game, often insisting on near-flawless execution during its most challenging encounters. Reminiscent of a military boot camp, this Soulslike spin-off from Neople’s Dungeon & Fighter universe broke me down only to reconstruct me into a formidable warrior, ready to face its infernal challenges. Even when hitting seemingly impassable hurdles for hours on end, I found an odd satisfaction in the battles that stretched my abilities to their limits.

The plot of The First Berserker: Khazan hinges on a classic revenge arc. Khazan, once a revered general, is now branded a traitor by his empire. After a near-fatal betrayal, he’s resurrected and possessed by a fusion of combative spirits pushing him to carry out their will. This eerie force, known as the Blade Phantom, aims to further the interests of its underworld origins, while Khazan is driven by vengeance against the ones who deceived him. It’s an intriguing premise that links medieval politics with supernatural threats, but beyond that, the narrative remains quite thin and leaves much to be desired.

Instead of a sprawling world to explore freely, Khazan’s journey is structured around specific missions. Between missions, he returns to The Crevice, a visually captivating hub with floating stones and mysterious broken staircases. However, aside from occasionally managing inventory, there’s little to do here. The setting features distressed villagers and ethereal advisors that contribute minimally to the plot. It’s more about picking up side quests or enhancing gear than expanding the story’s richness.

As Khazan, you’ll wield a range of deadly tools, though it takes a while to truly feel powerful. Early on, you’re introduced to three weapon types: the mighty but cumbersome greatsword, a swift stamina-draining spear, and dual blades for rapid assaults. Each offers unique fighting styles, from defensive to all-out attack modes.

Khazan evolves significantly over the roughly 85-hour campaign. Each weapon has its skill tree, enhancing his effectiveness in battle. These skill trees let you tweak basic attacks, stamina use, and introduce new combat maneuvers utilizing Spirit Points. By the time I reached the campaign’s end, my Khazan felt completely different than at the start, having undergone countless hours of experimentation.

In The First Berserker, switching between your three weapons is possible but requires a complete shift in approach due to vast differences in abilities. Unlike Dark Souls, where most weapons fall back on basic attacks, the weapons here allow customization of skill trees, making in-game weapon changes cumbersome. I stuck with dual blades, constantly refining and learning after each significant encounter. You can redistribute skill points at any time, offering flexibility, but doing so is cumbersome enough to discourage mid-combat shifts.

Once you dive into the missions, you’ll find them structured similarly to other Soulslike games. Whether you’re navigating a ghostly village, a dilapidated castle, or a dreaded poison swamp, the gameplay loop is familiar. You’ll fight vicious foes, manage limited healing items, collect spoils, and level up at Blade Nexus points. While the design gets repetitive, the levels are cleverly interconnected with shortcuts, though exploration remains disappointingly limited. There are few hidden areas or surprise bosses to discover, leaving the main levels lacking in spice.

Each mission concludes with a demanding boss fight, each one a formidable obstacle in the game’s progression. The first significant challenge was the boss of Mission 2, a soul manifestation similar to Khazan, whose relentless attacks required me to rethink my strategy after several failed attempts. Another early boss, a goat demon with fiery weapons, was equally challenging, necessitating adjustments to my approach. Grinding weaker enemies to collect Lacrima—akin to souls for boosting stats—provided some aid but wasn’t a silver bullet for overcoming these obstacles.

Boss battles are exceedingly tough, especially early on, often consuming hours of effort. While smaller foes serve as practice for handling certain attacks, there’s little to ease players into upcoming challenges. Unlike in games like Elden Ring, where powering up can provide an edge against tough bosses like Margit, early grinding in The First Berserker doesn’t offer an easy escape from formidable bosses. Despite nearly quitting due to these initial struggles, I eventually came to relish these intense encounters and was glad I didn’t give up.

The bosses, initially sources of sheer frustration, turned into my favorite aspect of The First Berserker. Despite being daunting, they reveal patterns and strategies over time. Mastering the art of reading these moves, knowing when to dodge or block, became pivotal to my enjoyment. Each defeat became an opportunity to learn, and every new attempt a chance to apply fresh insights. While some attacks felt cheap and setbacks annoying, the challenge of each boss and the triumph of defeating them felt incredibly rewarding.

Overcoming these challenges was made easier by two thoughtful quality-of-life enhancements. Deaths during boss fights award Lacrima proportionally to damage inflicted, encouraging continued attempts instead of needless grinding elsewhere. Skill points earned through continuous battle, separate from Lacrima level-ups, allow unlocking new moves, proving invaluable in tough re-encounters. Properly timing dodges and blocks, alongside equipping Khazan with potent gear, became crucial in the game’s latter stages.

Gear sets—comprising weapons, armor, and accessories—enhance attributes such as fire resistance and damage reduction. Collecting complete gear sets offered stat boosts and nudged toward particular playstyles. Although they didn’t drastically alter my combat approach, they were welcome additions to my arsenal.

Side quests after main missions provided extra support, accessible via refugees at The Crevice or previously defeated bosses. These quests revisit familiar sections with added challenges and reward players with new gear, crafting materials, and upgrades while adding depth to Khazan’s backstory—elements the main narrative lacks.

Finishing the campaign unlocks a New Game+ with fresh weapons bearing elemental effects, shifting combat strategies significantly. While this twist adds post-game excitement, incorporating more varied weapon effects throughout the main game would have enhanced the initial playthrough’s dynamism.

In essence, The First Berserker: Khazan demands perseverance and tactical prowess. It’s an exhausting journey that tests both patience and skill but ultimately rewards players with a deeply satisfying experience.