Action RPG

The First Berserker: Khazan Review – A Souls-Like That Packs A Punch

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Title Characteristic: The First Berserker showcases elements synonymous with souls-like games, such as respawning enemies after bonfire-style checkpoints, loss of XP upon death. However, its core influences may not be as anticipated. Its combat heavily resembles From Software’s Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, but the level structure, weapon skills, and gear approach are derived from Team Ninja’s Nioh. Developer Neople infuses their unique touch, including a complex progression system and distinctive cel-shaded art style, making The First Berserker visually dissimilar to many contemporaries in the genre. This results in a souls-like game that feels recognizable yet uniquely its own, offering a challenging yet gratifying experience characterized by robust defensive combat and flexibility in gameplay choices.

In the storyline, you take on the role of the title character, Khazan. Once a revered general, renowned for thwarting the terrifying Berserk Dragon and saving the empire, he is wrongfully accused as a traitor at the start of the game. Subjected to brutal torture, with the tendons in both arms severed, and banished to a harsh, snow-covered mountain range, our protagonist miraculously escapes. He then forms an unconventional partnership with a cryptic figure called Blade Phantom, who imbues Khazan with extraordinary powers as he embarks on his vengeful journey.

From here, we delve into a rather standard storyline, lacking depth even though it’s linked to a more extensive universe. The First Berserker takes place within the realm of Dungeon & Fighter, a universe recognized by games like Dungeon Fighter Online and the latest combat game, DNF Duel. Fans of this diverse series might find Khazan’s backstory intriguing. For those new to the series, they won’t be lost, but The First Berserker may not compel them to engage with its narrative or dark fantasy setting. Characters are shallow and the story is easily forgettable, often attempting to evoke emotion from characters we barely know. However, Ben Starr lends some weight to his role as the rugged protagonist.

Essentially, the narrative serves mainly as a means to travel from place to place, and it effectively accomplishes that goal. As previously mentioned, The First Berserker shares a structural resemblance with Nioh, taking you on missions within isolated environments. Alongside the main story, there are also optional side quests, which essentially offer repeat visits to familiar locations with altered enemy types and repeated boss battles. While these side adventures do provide valuable rewards, including crucial upgrades like a blacksmith, they may not be as engaging as the main missions moment by moment. The main story missions, however, excel, whether you’re battling dangerously on the docks of a fishing village swarming with growling Dragonkin or delving into the heart of a desert labor camp, there’s a lot of visual diversity to keep things interesting.

Exploring less traveled areas yields fresh equipment, trinkets, and enhancement items, but The First Berserker’s level design generally follows a straight path. There are instances where it deviates, and these stages are particularly engaging. However, despite being linear not necessarily being a negative aspect on its own, when compared to the genre as a whole, there’s a slight sense of letdown that these locations don’t convey the same air of mystery or the intricate, interconnected layout that is characteristic of top-tier souls-like games.

In this game, the levels are primarily focused on combat scenarios, which is where The First Berserker excels. Battles involve a combination of light and heavy attacks, with dodging and blocking offering two defensive strategies. However, each move requires careful management of a stamina meter to avoid depleting it completely, leaving you exposed. Similarly, the enemies require the same strategy, resulting in a tense dance as you try to disrupt their stance for a powerful Brutal Attack, while avoiding being vulnerable yourself.

In this game, landing attacks either light or heavy reduces an enemy’s health and stamina, while a flawless block, referred to as Brink Guard, achieves the same result. The First Berserker closely resembles Sekiro in that it faces numerous aggressive enemies, each launching attack after attack, pushing you to perfectly time your blocks one after another. While dodging is an option, the timing window is narrow and missing means certain damage. Performing a Brink Guard not only provides more leeway but allows you to block even if you’re early, albeit at the expense of a good amount of stamina. It also helps break the enemy’s stance, making defense a crucial aspect of offense. Weaker opponents can often be overwhelmed without much blocking, but stronger ones require learning their attack patterns for successful defense until an opportunity to counterattack arises.

Performing a Brink Guard move is exhilarating, as the sound of clashing swords echoes and sparks fly, but it’s even more thrilling when you can do it quickly in succession. Some enemy attacks, such as grabs and Burst Attacks, can’t be blocked, so you must always stay alert to dodge swiftly out of danger or use maneuvers like a Counterattack to prevent damage. This makes defense an engaging and satisfying aspect of most confrontations, enhancing an offensive style that feels powerful and impactful, with a delightful crunch accompanying each strike – regardless of which of the three unique weapon types you prefer.

Khazan has the ability to wield a pair of weapons, such as an axe and sword, a greatsword, or a spear. While it might appear that there are limited options at first, each weapon type offers distinct characteristics and comes with its own skill tree, allowing players to gradually unlock passive and active skills that enhance The First Berserker’s aggressive combat style. You have the freedom to test different weapons, as any skill points you invest can be refunded for free and reallocated into another weapon’s skill tree. I chose the spear because of its speed, reach, and Moonlight Stance, which generates extra afterimages of attacks following a few light strikes, giving the impression of multiple Khazans. As I advanced, I unlocked several weapon skills that could be linked together with regular attacks, resulting in long and incredibly satisfying combos to obliterate enemies. The ability to unlock and combine various weapon skills becomes reminiscent of Nioh, and is even more appealing when considering the benefits associated with gear.

In this game, you’ll find various rarities of equipment from both treasure chests and defeated foes. Each item, whether it’s a helmet, gloves, weapon, or something else, has three randomly assigned attributes along with either defense or attack power. These random attributes could boost your maximum stamina or enhance the damage of Powerful Attacks. Complete sets of gear also come with five to six fixed attributes. While obtaining a specific gear set relies on some luck, you can eventually craft one, allowing you to pick a set with attributes that suit your unique playstyle. This is just one aspect of The First Berserker’s complex system for character development, where many elements combine to shape the gaming experience.

In this game, the experience points (XP) you gain from slaying enemies can be utilized to enhance various attributes like vitality, endurance, and strength, as well as offering alternative means to augment other aspects of Khazan’s skills. You’ll come across numerous Phantoms that, once found and equipped, will enhance attributes such as stamina and health regeneration. Each level contains collectibles that grant Vengeance Points upon discovery; these points can be invested in three distinct types of damage amplification. Additionally, by destroying all the hidden glowing red crystals within a level, you can boost both XP acquisition and health recovery. Moreover, you have the option to summon an NPC ally for support during boss battles, which can then be upgraded by defeating adversarial versions of the same NPC. In essence, you can customize the game’s difficulty according to your preference, and that’s not even considering the game’s easy mode.

As a player immersed in this captivating world, I can’t help but admire the formidable challenge posed by The First Berserker on normal difficulty. Each boss encounter serves as a test of my current skills, pushing me to my limits and beyond at the end of every level. Though these fights are never unjust, they demand that I learn from my mistakes, fall and rise again, growing stronger and wiser with each new attempt. The tension is palpable, and the battles are incredibly engaging.

The game’s diverse cast of bosses and common enemies keeps me on my toes. From dual dagger-wielding outlaws to horned demons, enraged yetis, incorporeal knights, and beyond, each enemy type presents a unique challenge. The cel-shaded art style used for the characters and backdrops adds an intriguing layer of depth, blending realism with illustration in a way that brings these fantastic creatures to life with striking anime-inspired clarity.

Despite a somewhat unmemorable narrative and limited level design, The First Berserker: Khazan shines with its exceptional combat mechanics. This challenging, engaging, and consistently rewarding gameplay is bolstered by a diverse array of dynamic adversaries and a flexible progression system that transcends the conventional XP model. Although it may seem familiar at times, The First Berserker manages to create an original souls-like experience within a genre that’s becoming increasingly populated.

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2025-03-24 20:40

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