The First Berserker: Khazan
Standing Out from the Pack
Soulslike games come in many flavors. Some emphasize parrying enemy attacks like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, while others completely rely on dodging them, like Black Myth: Wukong. When I played The First Berserker: Khazan, I was looking forward to seeing where its mechanics fell within the Soulslike spectrum. It turns out that it’s squarely in the middle.
Many Inspirations
The combat feels like it takes inspiration from a variety of contemporaries in its subgenre, especially Sekiro. Khazan can parry enemy attacks in order to reduce their stamina and break their stance. He can also dodge incoming attacks like in Black Myth: Wukong and timing them perfectly lets Khazan inflict quick counterattacks. This makes The First Berserker’s combat feel like the best of both worlds, but that comes with a major downside.
Growing Pains
While the combat is mixed, The First Berserker’s level design is top-notch, filled with accessible shortcuts to make getting to bosses easier. Lowering drawbridges, finding keys to locked doors, and activating elevators all felt immensely satisfying after fighting my way through hordes of monsters.
Level Design and Mission Structure
The game’s level design is top-notch, filled with accessible shortcuts to make getting to bosses easier. However, the mission structure is where the game falls short. Players progress through levels and dungeons as usual, unlocking save points along the way. However, Khazan can’t warp between any of them. This isn’t inherently a problem, but it’s compounded with one incredibly baffling mission structure decision: If you want to go to a new level, the entire progress of the current level is reset.
Equipment and Stats
Equipment like weapons and armor are dropped by enemies or found in chests, and The First Berserker’s loot system is one of the most manageable I’ve played in recent memory. It doesn’t overwhelm players with new drops every five seconds like other Soulslike games, such as Nioh, do, and there are plenty of ways of using old equipment you don’t wear anymore.
Conclusion
The First Berserker: Khazan will frustrate you to no end, but it’s still worth its weight in broken controllers. The game’s balanced combat and beautiful art style make it a standout in the Soulslike genre. However, its mission structure and stamina management issues hold it back from reaching its full potential.
