If there’s one plot system that comfortably, relentlessly drives a online game plot by itself, it’s revenge. That urge of getting again on the supply of betrayal; of exacting punishment that’s a number of orders of magnitude increased. When paired with anger, it could possibly supply a novel introspection into a personality’s psyche and the morality of their actions. In others, it’s justification for beating something and the whole lot in your path to a bloody pulp.
The First Berserker: Khazan gives shades of each, however there’s much more occurring than meets the attention. The story follows the previous basic who after saving the Pell Los Empire from the Berserk Dragon is accused of treason. Whereas his pal, Ozma, suffers a horrible demise, Khazan is mercilessly tortured, the tendons in his arms severed earlier than exile.
The story picks up throughout Khazan’s transport by Mount Heinmach, a mysterious drive known as the Blade Phantom disrupts his escort, setting him free whereas concurrently possessing his physique. Its function is unknown – in the meanwhile, the participant should discover a manner out, coping with any straggling troopers and different beasties on the mountain.
The First Berserker: Khazan is predicated on Nexon’s Dungeon and Fighter sequence, with the sordid story of the previous hero set lots of of years prior. Khazan does make some appearances by Dungeon Fighter On-line, however that is primarily his brutal origin story.
Stated brutality carries over to the gameplay as properly. The First Berserker makes no bones about its roots, taking inspiration from Darkish Souls with its shortcuts, stamina meter, gentle and heavy assaults, stance breaking, bonfires (generally known as the Blade Nexus right here) and respawning enemies. Lacrima is your foreign money for leveling up, and it’s dropped upon demise. In fact, you too can dodge – correct timing will lead to a Brink Dodge.
Nevertheless, the opposite half of Khazan’s gameplay loop is like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, particularly its parrying system. The best timing means dropping negligible stamina whereas decreasing a number of the enemy’s fortitude gauge. Deplete it utterly, and you may execute a strong crucial blow. Additionally, whereas Lacrima is used to extend stats, thus affecting the scaling of weapon injury (on prime of different issues), you earn separate XP in direction of Ability Factors for unlocking new skills, which we’ll get into later.
From the outset, it sounds simple however bizarre. What makes Sekiro work is the dearth of a stamina bar, the place messing up a parry can deplete your well being and poise, thus making subsequent parries that rather more dangerous. On this case, not timing a parry and as a substitute blocking will deplete extra stamina. Working out leaves you quickly gorgeous, which generally is a demise sentence in opposition to bosses with a number of assaults. You additionally need to account for this when attacking – get too grasping, and also you won’t have sufficient stamina to cope with the enemy’s follow-ups.
And but, after going hands-on with the closed beta for The First Berserker: Khazan, consisting of its three story chapters, I’m satisfied that it’s a stable mixture of what ought to be two opposing playstyles. The result’s a difficult Souls-like – one that will not all the time really feel honest however nonetheless supplies an exhilarating rush.
In fact, the earlier descriptors solely scratch the floor. The primary chapter feels fairly measured in enemy sorts and mechanics, but it teaches you the fundamentals. All of it comes into play in opposition to the boss, Yetuga, whereas educating the participant on breaking elements, avoiding (or failing to keep away from) command grabs, and standing results.
It’s chapter 2 the place the sport actually comes into its personal. In Stormpass, Khazan should cross three trials to exorcise the Blade Phantom, which introduces the opposite weapon sorts. The Greatsword is heavy however is adept at cleaving a number of enemies with its assaults. It additionally has a shoulder assault as its sprinting assault and a charged assault, which offers in depth injury, even when it leaves you quickly susceptible.
Then there’s the Spear, my favourite, possessing extra attain and sweeping assaults. Subsequent upgrades can unlock Moonlight Stance, the place a profitable gentle combo ends in assaults dealing further injury due to afterimages. It additionally applies to all assaults – utilizing ability that permits for transitioning from a heavy assault right into a stabbing gentle assault and each deal further injury due to Moonlight Stance.
Every weapon sort has attention-grabbing abilities just like the dual-wield’s charged heavy assault inflicting a wound on enemies or the Greatsword’s means to cost gentle assaults. It will get even crazier when factoring in skills like Whirlwind, which ends up in Khazan taking to the skies and touchdown on enemies with a spinning assault, or Ruthless, a slashing combo that will get quicker with consecutive hits.
You’ll be able to unlock abilities which lead to Brink Dodges dealing extra injury on their assaults, altering utterly, and even recovering stamina, providing a technique to sustain the tempo with the axe and sword. Whereas a lot of the gameplay is grounded, its abilities strike a steadiness between trendy and brutal.
If that wasn’t sufficient, The First Berserker gives a loot grind. Although the beginning Widespread armor and weapons will improve protection and a few stats, you’ll ultimately obtain Uncommon drops, some even belonging to Gear Units, which unlock highly effective bonuses when paired with matching gadgets. It’s considerably harking back to Nioh, however that’s not the one widespread issue – ultimately, enemies will unleash Burst Assaults, that are unblockable, however you get the Counterattack means. It capabilities considerably just like the Burst Counter from Nioh 2 by way of timing, however pull it off, and your entire stamina regenerates, thus permitting you to press the assault.
Then there are the opposite Spirits you’ll be able to summon from chapter 3 onwards, with the Spirit of Advocacy providing help whereas the Remnant of Adversity challenges you to a battle. Defeating the latter yields rewards just like the Lacrima of Circulation (used for summoning) and equipment, which could be an effective way to farm gear units or shore up weaknesses. I haven’t even gotten to the Elite enemies, which appear able to executing Counterattacks on prime of packing a punch (and higher rewards).
Nevertheless, the spotlight of the expertise is the boss fights with out query. The Blade Phantom felt like an enormous problem spike between its multitude of weapons, teleporting assaults, seamless transitions between the whole lot, and delays.
And but, it taught me a lot about altering up builds, making an attempt new weapons, and totally exploiting the additional time from his Fortitude-broken state to deal extra injury earlier than exacting a crucial blow. These fearful about spectacle shouldn’t fear since Viper, the boss in Chapter 3, begins like a extra jacked-up model of these spear-wielding dragon warriors earlier than turning into one thing else fully. Its second section is horrifying but undeniably cool.
Although it’s out in early 2025, I loved a lot of my time with The First Berserker: Khazan. Its motion is undeniably crisp but punishing, however the environmental design and presentation are additionally fairly robust. Going from Heinmach and its steep drops to the halls of Embars’ temple to cease a dastardly system felt pure and clean. There have been numerous routes and non-compulsory areas to discover, some unearthing chests with loot and others providing Soulstones to destroy in alternate for everlasting buffs. The anime-esque artwork type additionally seems to be smooth whereas retaining the grim tone of Khazan’s journey.
Talking of vengeance, the closed beta gave the sensation of simply getting began on that path, with Khazan more likely to plunge additional into darkness when all is alleged and completed. As a lot as I just like the stoic portrayal, I’m curious to see him embrace the Berserker inside and provides in to anger. We’ll see how the total sport fares, however for now, The First Berserker: Khazan is already hitting all the best Souls-like notes.
