The First Berserker: Khazan Review

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Whenever a fresh Soulslike game drops, gamers will inevitably find themselves drawn to make comparisons with FromSoftware’s almost impeccable collection of titles.

Is it equally difficult? Are the details equally complex? And does it offer the same level of character customization and depth found in games like Elden Ring and Dark Souls?

Instead of focusing solely on comparing it with the old favorites, it’s crucial to ponder whether this fresh game offers something unique and different from what we’ve seen before.

Khazan unequivocally agrees, offering an exceptional and distinctive gaming encounter that secures a place among the top-tier Soulslike games in recent times.

Although Khazan has its strengths, it’s not without flaws that prevent it from leading the genre. There are doubts about certain decisions, particularly in the areas of character build customization and level design. These inconsistencies may cause hardcore Souls fans to feel frustrated during their roughly 40-hour journey through the game.

Nevertheless, the work Neople has produced in The First Berserker: Khazan is truly thrilling, and anyone who enjoys Souls games or action RPGs ought to experience it for themselves.

In this analysis, we delve into both the missteps and strengths of The First Berserker: Khazan.

A Similiar Structure, With Differentiating Elements

Initially, players are likely to recognize the resemblances between The First Berserker: Khazan and other games within the same genre straight away.

In this game, known as Blade Nexus, you’ll quickly encounter a feature we refer to as the “bonfire” mechanism. Essentially, it serves as a reset point for the entire level, offering a secure area where players can enhance and develop their characters.

In contrast to the “checkpoints” found in previous Souls series games, The First Berserker: Khazan’s Blade Nexuses serve multiple purposes beyond merely providing an opportunity for character advancement.

Players have the ability to acquire Phantoms and delve into Khazan’s Memories, two features that bring additional complexity to character personalization.

Phantoms are unseen companions who travel with you throughout your adventure, offering various enhancements to Khazan. These improvements could involve an augmentation of Health Recovery, a reduction in damage taken during Guard Stamina, an escalation of Ranged Attack capabilities, and so forth.

In essence, Phantoms are invisible allies that boost Khazan’s abilities as you progress on your journey.

As a gamer, I can tell you that though we can only wield one weapon or ability at a time, we’ve got the freedom to swap between them on the fly, provided we’ve got the necessary key items to activate each one.

Moreover, every Phantom offers a unique progression route that demands uncommon and elusive items, motivating players to delve deeper into the game world to enhance their character’s strength.

In Khazan’s Memories, players can utilize Vengeance Points they earn from completing tasks to enhance key attributes such as Stamina Damage, total Damage, and Damage Multiplier. This additional method of character advancement gives a sense of continuous progression that extends beyond the conventional leveling system.

As a gamer at Blade Nexus, it’s not just about leveling up my character. Khazan’s Memories gives me the chance to relive past missions through replayable cutscenes, catch up on journal logs, and delve deeper into the game’s characters and lore via an intricate relationship menu.

In Souls games, figuring out the puzzle on your own adds a unique charm and mystique. However, in The First Berserker: Khazan, the clear presentation of character relationships through a dedicated menu simplifies the process, allowing players to better appreciate the lore Neople has crafted.

Levels Can Grow Bland Fast

Khazan’s first Berserker level designs offer enjoyable exploration experiences, yet they lack sufficient detail to make a lasting impression or stand out within the Souls-style genre.

It’s worth noting that the initial stage, which was accessible even before the official release, seems to be visually the most impressive setting throughout the whole game.

After reaching the 10-hour point, you’ve essentially become familiar with the visual theme that each subsequent level will present.

Khazan” maintains a hazy and repetitive visual style for most of its playtime, with only a few instances providing variety, making the overall experience potentially less engaging than it might have been.

As you progress past the 10-hour point, you’ve generally become familiar with the visual theme of each level.

In contrast to other Souls-like games like Lies of P and Lords of the Fallen, which introduced distinct levels as you progressed, The First Berserker: Khazan opted for a more conventional approach.

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It seems that either budget limitations or an emphasis on the boss designs and combat might be the reasons. However, it’s challenging not to feel let down by the appearance of these levels.

Despite some differences, the design of the game’s levels is impressive and reminiscent of a Soulslike experience. You’ll find labyrinthine hallways, concealed shortcuts leading back to the Blade Nexus for rest periods, lethal traps to circumvent, and narrow pillars for cautious navigation.

The Most Incredible and Hardest Boss Fights in the Genre

Currently, let’s discuss a topic that many have been eagerly anticipating: What are the bosses like in The First Berserker: Khazan? I must say, these boss battles are among the most challenging and rewarding I’ve encountered in any Souls-like game so far.

Allow me to share another point: The bosses in this game are among the toughest I’ve encountered in any video game, hands down. The First Berserker: Khazan’s main antagonists will push your reaction speed to its limits, with very little margin for mistakes.

In contrast to the Souls series, which allows you to triumph over bosses by strategically choosing between blocking or dodging, The First Berserker demands mastery of all skills to overcome its formidable adversaries.

Conquering a boss who’s been hindering progress for hours upon hours leaves you with a sense of triumph that surpasses the victories in most modern Souls games.

To master the game, you should focus on learning how to effectively defend, improve your blocking technique, know when to evade, manage your inventory, conserve your energy, and remove any debuffs that might affect you.

In this game, every one of its primary bosses will challenge your endurance and resilience, often requiring multiple attempts, ranging from about 20 to even 30, before you can finally conquer them. The number of attempts needed may vary based on your gaming expertise.

You won’t believe it, but nothing compares to the thrill! The sense of accomplishment you feel after overcoming a boss that held you back for countless hours in a game is more intense than the latest Souls games have offered.

With every try, players will make steady advancements. As they grasp the boss’s move pattern, discern when to strike and when to tread carefully, they’ll notice the colossal health bar shrinking more with each pass compared to the last one.

This task necessitates undivided focus from the player and continuous learning, as repeated failure will result if it is not thoroughly understood.

Despite the fact that these bosses can defeat you swiftly, they are fair and free from any added challenge unrelated to skill. The game is designed to encourage players to triumph.

Every time the player perishes when confronting a boss, they receive Lacrima – a useful resource for enhancing their abilities – which helps them prepare for the subsequent try, meaning there’s no need to venture off to gather resources.

Fortunately, although the battles with the game’s bosses are incredibly tough, the path leading to them isn’t too challenging. The usual enemies encountered during the levels primarily serve as Lacrima and can be swiftly defeated using a hack-and-slash approach reminiscent of Devil May Cry.

An Overwhelming Amount of Loot

As a hardcore gamer, let me share my thoughts on The First Berserker: Khazan. Frankly, the aspect that leaves me wanting more is the loot system and how it interacts with character build customization. You see, I find myself limited to just three weapon choices when I’m out there battling it out.

It’d be great if there were even more types of weapons, not just the ones we currently have, because it would keep the character’s move set fresh and prevent combat from becoming repetitive over time.

A more unusual design decision is that the gear system in The First Berserker: Khazan resembles a looter-shooter game, an element typically unseen in Soulslike titles.

It’s quite strange that the equipment system in The First Berserker: Khazan is similar to a loot-shooter game, which isn’t common for Soulslike games.

Rather than locating particular gear, the game distributes items randomly and frequently showers the player with loot.

Every item dropped by foes has unique attributes and enhancements, and because you gather a lot during a single mission, it’s often tiring to repeatedly check the menu, switch between your current equipment and the newly obtained items for comparison.

Refining the First Berserker: Khazan would have been enhanced by having fewer items to collect, allowing for a more significant effect on the player’s overall character build. This change would make discovering new gear more rewarding. However, the current design results in an excessive amount of average equipment being accumulated instead.

In contrast, the game incorporates an intelligent feature where it lessens the fatigue caused by an excessive accumulation of loot. In your sanctuary, known as The Crevice, you can convert surplus items into Lacrima. This process can serve as a speedy means of advancing to higher levels.

Closing Thoughts:

As a hardcore gamer, let me tell you about my recent experience with “The First Berserker: Khazan”. This Soulslike game is nothing short of spectacular, boasting some of the most challenging bosses ever crafted in the genre. It’s a game that will push your patience to the limit and demand your undivided attention, or else you’ll be facing the infamous ‘game over’ screen more often than you’d like.

Despite its brutal nature, “The First Berserker: Khazan” maintains a sense of fairness throughout its 40-hour journey. As the levels progress, they start to blend aesthetically, and the sheer volume of loot can be overwhelming at times. However, despite these minor drawbacks, “The First Berserker: Khazan” is a welcome addition to the Soulslike genre. I’m eagerly anticipating what developer Neople has in store for this new IP next.

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2025-04-05 18:10