Soulslike games are a dime a dozen these days. And, to really standout, you have to do something new, fresh or just different. The First Berserker: Khazan, developed by Korean studio Neople and published by Korean company Nexon, is the latest Soulslike to challenge for the crown. After a well received demo, it was certainly a title that a certain type of gamer was looking forward to. Has the game proper delivered on that demo? Or did it play at of its cards too early? It’s complicated.
Hardcore Action-RPG
Calling itself a hardcore action-RPG adventure (a euphemism for Soulslike), The First Berserker: Khazan actually built within an existing universe. That being Dungeon Fighter Online (DNF), a title most people may not have heard of. Dungeon Fighter Online is a multiplayer beat ’em up action role-playing game developed also by Neople.
The First Berserker: Khazan acts as a prequel to the events of that game. TFB also re-writes the history of one of Dungeon Fighter‘s more mystical characters, Khazan.
The First Berserker: Khazan is set some 800 years before the events of Dungeon Fighter Online. The Great General Khazan has bee falsely branded a traitor and mercilessly tortured. After narrowly escaping death, Khazan forms an unlikely alliance with the ghostly entity, Blade Phantom, and gains otherworldly powers. It’s a suitably grand fantasy set up that ultimately sees you becoming the first berserker.
The OG
The First Berserker: Khazan starts out as a strong tale with lots of motivation fuelled by the trauma of Khazan. As you deal with betrayal with high doses of revenge and anger, you are sometimes made to thing how the protector of the empire has now become its slaughterer as you cut down the very civilians you swore to protect.
But, sadly, after the opening there is next to no real development on the narrative front. This is an odd move given this is a title based on getting to know more about Khazan. It should be inherently interesting to explore why he is the way he is in Dungeon Fighter Online. But, it’s a bit forgotten after that opening narrative emotional salvo.
This will likely leave a lot of hardcore fans hollow. And, probably worse, newcomers will just think Khazan is a big angry lad who could use some perspective and a deep breath.
The First Berserker: Khazan is also too clunky with adding in support characters. These sidemen do nothing really, and there are a few extremely signposted twists that similarly do nothing to elevate the tale. Somehow it comes together for a decent ending, though.
The First Furnisher
You also unlock a home base a few hours into the game. This hub is called The Crevice, and you head here between missions. Here, you can talk to the various new characters you find across your journey. Some of these act as shops to trade with, or give you side quests. The very odd time, they’ll nudge you along or give you a hint.
The way that you unlock news missions and new areas in The First Berserker: Khazan is similar to the Nioh series. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, just a very interesting choice.
The world itself is, at times, a bit dull given it’s a fantasy universe, and, again, this may be a let-down to DNF fans. Newcomers may feel thrown in the deep end as you get little explanation as to what’s happened in the world.
Combat in The First Berserker: Khazan, however, is drum tight and where the game shines. It’s quick and nippy with a nice mix of environmental elements and verticality to mix up your combat options.
Opening Up Its World
Although the first few missions are pretty linear, the game quickly opens up. There are plenty of areas to let you explore off the beaten path a bit more. And, nine times out of ten you will be rewarded, often with a high-level enemy with tons of XP to collect.
Some missions, especially the side content, are a bit short. The First Berserker: Khazan also lacks varied objectives beyond ‘kill this thing’ or ‘find this thing’.
It’s a thin line to walk. but the mid-game does have a ton of repetition running through it. However, by and large, The First Berserker: Khazan does shake it up in the later game. The game throws a few interesting curve balls at you in terms of enemies and even their attack patterns.
Game Flow
Moment-to-moment combat is brilliant. Attacks are based as much on timing and parrying, as they are on chaining together attacks opportunistically. All of this is, of course, tempering by your stamina bar, which gives some fights a ‘push and pull’ flow.
The real weight is put on parrying over blocking. A perfectly timed parry will not burn through your stamina, leaving you able to attack. Parrying is just the foundation though, upon which a solid gear style, and a healthy arsenal build out the gameplay loop.
The First Berserker: Khazan is a game that doesn’t show its true self till a bit of a way into things. Those looking for an instant high will likely being left feeling cold. There are also some truly gripping and engaging boss battles, where you have to master each phase of these epic face-offs to come out on top and bag some tasty loot.
Speaking of loot, The First Berserker: Khazan is packed full of it. To the point that the crafting system of the game is basically redundant since you are constantly finding more (and better) equipment. You’ll be forever swapping out bits and pieces for whichever new shiny has the highest numbers.
The Finest Berserker
Visually, The First Berserker: Khazan is a mixed bag, aiming for an anime vibe. However, the look is trapped in an overly dark world and as I said before a bit dull at times, even po-faced. Audio is ok overall from the tone setting soundtrack, whereas voice acting can be patchy on the quality front due to the overall writing.
But if I am being fair though, the UK’s answer to Tory Baker… Ben Starr does a solid job at leading things as Khazan, though at some points you feel like he’s being told or choosing to hold back.
The First Berserker: Khazan tries a “what if” spin on a game that isn’t massive in the West and delivers a solid soulslike on the combat front, but it’s just held back by everything else around it, from the tale getting lost to the world, being a bit dull and also not explaining its lore very well.
Oddly I feel DNF and newcomers will not be massive fans of this but your souls’ fans will love every minute of its gripping and tense combat and the new challenge it delivers.
- The First Berserker: Khazan review – Dungeon Enlightener
- BLEACH: Rebirth of Souls review – Finisher Shy of Greatness
- South of Midnight review – Crouching Gator, Hidden Depth
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