After a profitable demo, The First Berserker: Khazan is slated to launch on March twenty seventh for Xbox Sequence X/S, PS5, and PC (with Deluxe Version house owners getting entry on March twenty fourth). With its glossy anime aesthetic, fast-paced brutal motion and intriguing story of revenge, it may very well be a darkish horse in an in any other case packed month. Listed below are 15 issues you must know earlier than selecting it up.
Dungeon and Fighter Connection
Because it was first introduced, The First Berserker: Khazan has shared an indelible connection to Dungeon and Fighter. Dungeon Fighter On-line gamers can have encountered the disgraced normal (no spoilers on how that seems), however this story performs out throughout the Pell Los Empire’s reign. It explores Khazan’s story and his rise because the notorious berserker after betrayal.
Environments
Should you’ve performed the demo, the sheer number of environments seen up to now has been spectacular. Gamers go from a snowy cross teeming with beasts and troopers to a religious journey on the mountainside and finally, a darkish dungeon filled with dragon-like hybrids. One other location was just lately revealed in a brand new trailer – the Rovelion Imperial Theater, the “house of arts and tradition within the Pell Los Empire” (or no less than it was once). Now there are traps and nobles of the previous lurking within the darkness, seemingly creating hallucinations.
Fight
For individuals who haven’t performed the demo, The First Berseker: Khazan’s fight is actually a Souls-like. You’ve got a stamina meter, can execute mild and heavy assaults, and declare a number of websites of the Blade Nexus as checkpoints. Very similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, enemies have a posture gauge (generally known as Fortitude) that you could break to deal essential injury.
Parrying and Evasion
Parrying and dodging are a given, however timing them is essential. A correctly executed parry means much less stamina misplaced – and stamina will turn out to be important in some boss fights – permitting you to keep up the aggression. Should you dodge proper earlier than an enemy’s assault lands, you’ll execute a Brink Dodge, which may be helpful along side sure expertise.
Counterattacks
Not each assault may be parried or dodged, nevertheless, and that’s the place Counterattack is available in. Execute it completely and also you’ll carry out a Nioh 2-like Burst Counter, which staggers the enemy and regenerates all of your stamina. Mess it up, nevertheless, and you are taking tons of injury. Watch out, although, as Elite enemies can even carry out Counterattacks (which is as cool-looking as it’s scary).
Weapons and Expertise
So far, we all know of three weapons that Khazan wields – the Spear, Greatsword and dual-wielding a Sword and Axe. Every possesses distinctive assaults and playstyles, whether or not you like intensive mobility with the Sword and Axe, extra vary with the Spear or gradual however hard-hitting assaults with the Greatsword. You possibly can’t swap between weapons (no less than, not within the demo), which inspires zeroing in on a construct and playstyle.
Every weapon additionally has distinctive expertise, unlocked with ability factors, like Ruthless for quickly slashing away at any enemy with the Sword and Axe, or Breakthrough for charging at an enemy with the Greatsword earlier than bringing it down in a large swing. My favourite is Moonlight Stance, which creates afterimages for 15 seconds that deal further injury. Expertise eat Spirit, so managing it throughout a battle alongside together with your stamina and Fortitude can also be key.
Berserker Mode
A current trailer additionally revealed what appears to be Berserker Mode for Khazan, which sees him taking up the Blade Phantom’s armor and gaining new expertise, even seemingly transitioning between a number of weapon varieties. Not many particulars have been supplied, however it appears to be like sick as hell.
Summoning Allies
Whereas Dungeon Fighter On-line is thought for its multiplayer, you received’t discover such modes right here. That doesn’t imply you possibly can’t summon allies to your trigger, nevertheless. Accessible from the third degree onwards, the Spirit of Advocacy will combat by your facet (and also you’ll in all probability want it, given the boss). Nonetheless, like Nioh, there’s additionally the Remnant of Adversity, who you possibly can problem and earn drops from. In addition they drop Lacrima of Circulation, which you must summon allied Spirits.
Straightforward Mode
If the fight and general problem are an excessive amount of, The First Berserker: Khazan sports activities an Straightforward Mode, offering a way to emphasize much less and benefit from the narrative. Nonetheless, no less than within the demo, you could end the primary mission to unlock it. It’s unlikely to be totally different within the sport, however regardless, be ready.
Transmog
Although it’s not the be-all, end-all of the motion RPG gameplay, loot is necessary, and so is trying wonderful. So what occurs if you wish to change your appears to be like however retain the identical tools? Transmog is fortunately obtainable to facilitate this…after you end your first playthrough, as confirmed by inventive director Junho Lee in a Reddit AMA. Why it’s arrange like that is unknown, however it’s there.
New Recreation+
New Recreation Plus can also be obtainable, and it’ll perform extra akin to Nioh. Whilst you can take pleasure in every thing within the sport throughout the first playthrough, Lee stated larger playthroughs can unlock “extra choices and talents.” Sure “restrictions” are additionally lifted, and whereas that appears to consult with transmog, maybe there are extra game-changing options to find.
A number of Endings
One more reason to embark on one other playthrough is the a number of endings. Khazan isn’t on some informal stroll of the Pell Los Empire and as such, sure choices could affect the general narrative. Whether or not it’s as concerned as, say, the method of unlocking different endings in Elden Ring stays to be seen, however Khazan’s story seemingly has a couple of end result.
Playtime
Whether or not you’re in it for the story or taking up each problem, The First Berserker guarantees a meaty expertise. Should you pursue the True Ending, it could possibly take greater than 80 hours to complete, per Lee. How a lot it will differ relying on ability (and the quantity of grinding beforehand completed within the demo) stays to be seen, however both manner, it’s an extended sport.
Potential Publish-Launch Options
Khazan is seemingly poised to obtain DLC sooner or later, although the “path, content material, and schedule” hasn’t been finalized. Nonetheless, Lee confirmed that a number of modes are being mentioned. Potential boss rush or boss rematch options? One can actually hope.
PC Necessities
The minimal necessities aren’t too demanding, consisting of an Intel Core i3-6300 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 12 GB RAM, and a GeForce GTX 970 or Radeon RX 580 or Arc A580. This is sufficient to run the sport in 1080p/30 FPS at Low settings. The advisable necessities, however, demand a Core i7-6700K or Ryzen 5 3600, 16 GB RAM, and an RTX 2070, a Radeon RX 5700XT or Arc A750 for 1080p/60 FPS at Excessive settings. You additionally want 70 GB of set up area with a solid-state drive obligatory throughout.
