Review of “The First Berserker: Khazan”

Let me tell you, diving into The First Berserker: Khazan is no walk in the park. It left me physically and mentally drained, my fingers sore from gripping the controller, my brain buzzing from trying to crack its relentless challenges. It’s one of those games that demands you get everything just right, pushing you to the edge countless times. Yet, much like a rigorous military boot camp, this addition to Neople’s Dungeon & Fighter universe breaks you down only to build you up stronger. The journey is grueling, but even when faced with seemingly unbeatable foes for hours on end, I found a strange joy in battles that continually tested my limits.

This game unfolds a classic tale of vengeance. The story follows Khazan, a once-vaunted general who is backstabbed by his own empire, branded a traitor, and left for dead. Miraculously, he is brought back to life, his body inhabited by a consortium of fierce warrior spirits—collectively known as the Blade Phantom—that urge him to carry out their sinister agendas. While these spirits aim to fulfill their underworld objectives, Khazan is driven by a thirst for retribution against those who did him wrong. It’s a promising setup that interweaves medieval politics with otherworldly forces, but once it gets rolling, the narrative sadly turns more one-dimensional and lacks depth.

Khazan’s quest for revenge unfolds through a series of missions rather than providing a sprawling world to explore. Between these missions, he returns to a hub called The Crevice. Visually, it’s captivating as a floating stone fortress hovering in the skies with enigmatic broken staircases and isolated platforms, but it doesn’t offer much beyond serving as a pitstop to sort out your inventory before diving into the next bout of action. Despite interacting with villagers in distress, otherworldly mentors, and past military colleagues, the actual depth of the story feels scant and mostly serves as a backdrop for picking up side quests or enhancing Khazan’s gear.

As a seasoned warrior, Khazan wields a selection of deadly tools for dispatching enemies, though it takes time to truly master his capabilities. Early in the game, you’re introduced to three distinct types of weapons: the mighty but lethargic greatsword, a swift yet stamina-draining spear, and the rapid-fire dual blades. Each weapon offers a unique playing style—some defensive and methodical, others aggressive and fast-paced, allowing for different approaches to combat based on personal preference.

As the campaign nears its 85-hour conclusion, Khazan’s evolution is profound, and that’s largely due to a diverse skill tree that enhances his combat prowess. Each weapon’s skill path lets you adjust basic attack behaviors, change stamina costs for actions, or unlock brand-new abilities powered by Spirit Points. By experimenting with these options, you can tailor Khazan’s combat style to suit your inclinations, transforming even the toughest battles into opportunities for mastery and personal growth.

A neat feature in The First Berserker is the ability to swap between your three weapons on the fly, but the lack of common ground between their abilities means that switching them isn’t always seamless, sometimes making it more of a chore than a convenience. Unlike games like Dark Souls, where weapons share basic attack mechanics, The First Berserker has you managing an arsenal with numerous unique Spirit attacks and detailed skill trees, leading to a more bespoke experience. I found solace in my dedicated use of dual blades, constantly enhancing and adjusting them throughout intense skirmishes. Reassigning skill points is possible if you dare to switch gears—although the process can be cumbersome, it’s reassuring to know it’s there if you want to try something new.

When you embark on the core missions, the structure aligns closely with typical Soulslike offerings. Whether you’re traversing a decaying village or a toxic swamp, you’ll encounter formidable foes, scavenge spoils, and find sanctuaries known as Blade Nexuses to level up. Though the level design is competent, offering interconnected paths, there’s a noticeable absence of hidden areas or bosses off the main trail. This lack of optional exploration means many levels feel more like a straight run from one endpoint to the next than a labyrinth of adventure.

Each mission climaxes with a harrowing boss battle, with each enemy serving as a formidable gatekeeper that tests your patience and skill. One memorable challenge came from the second mission’s boss, a manifestation of the souls haunting Khazan—its punishing melee onslaught necessitated a strategy overhaul just to endure. In another encounter, a menacing goat demon with fiery weapons tormented me with relentless attacks, often surrounding the arena in fire. Initially, I attempted to level-up by grinding weaker adversaries for Lacrima—the in-game currency equivalent to souls. This strategy helped but didn’t quite get me across the finish line. When that failed, I reconsidered my build, opting for a more defensive approach, but even that had its limitations.

These bosses are some of the toughest aspects of the game, acting as giant roadblocks in the early stages. Though smaller enemies offer insights into a boss’s tactics, jumping from those subtle hints to the full fury of a boss fight is jarring. There’s no shortcut to victory either—no extraordinary item or significant stat boost to make these encounters any easier. Even with its infamous difficulty, games like Elden Ring allow some leeway to power up before tough early-game bosses like Margit. Unfortunately, while grinding Lacrima and accumulating levels help, it’s not a one-size-fits-all answer to every challenge.

Initially, these daunting hurdles almost turned me away, but as I persevered, I began to see the bosses as the game’s standout feature. Eventually, you learn to read them like an open book; telegraphing moves and strategies allow you to adapt your playstyle. Learning to dodge and block effectively becomes essential to navigating these seemingly impossible odds, turning each defeat into a stepping stone toward victory. It became less about frustration and more about discovering the joy in understanding each boss’s mechanics and finally achieving hard-earned triumphs.

What started as a point of aggravation eventually became my favorite aspect of the game. The bosses are hard, sure, but they teach you to read the battle, identify tells, and react accordingly. It’s a learning process that comes to define the entire experience, transforming what feels like an unbeatable challenge into a satisfying conquest.

Neople made some smart decisions with The First Berserker to enhance the struggle into a learning journey. After repeated deaths at a boss, you still earn Lacrima based on how much damage you dealt, allowing incremental progress, while skill points are gained through consistent battle engagement rather than level-ups alone. Unlocking new skill options can turn the tide where a level boost might not.

Stronger equipment gains importance as the campaign progresses, with gear enhancing attributes such as fire resistance, stamina regeneration, or damage reduction while blocking. The most powerful gear comes in sets with synergy bonuses, encouraging specific combat strategies. For instance, the Beastslayer set augments the Whirlwind spirit attack, bolstering direct attacks. Although these sets don’t drastically alter playstyles, they add interesting layers to character development.

Completing main missions unlocks a variety of side quests through items in The Crevice or original mission bosses. These remix previous levels with new challenges, offering valuable rewards like gear blueprints, crafting materials, and healing item upgrades, alongside character insights that enrich Khazan’s story.

Wrapping up my initial playthrough, I dove into New Game+ only to savor fresh classes of weapons with elemental attributes, which I wish had been available sooner. These additions would have transformed my initial run, injecting new life into combat strategies and making encounters more dynamic.

In essence, The First Berserker: Khazan pushes you hard but offers a whole lot of rewards in return. Its challenges are genuine, its combat systems intricate, and its bosses unforgettable—making it a demanding but ultimately rewarding adventure in the gaming landscape.