The First Berserker Khazan: How to change difficulty

The method to change difficulty in The First Berserker Khazan is quite different from most souls-like games. In this game, rather than weakening enemies or modifying their aggressiveness, the difficulty presets adjust your defensive stats to affect your survivability. The game begins on Normal difficulty by default. However, if you have trouble with it, there's also an Easy mode that lets you tank more damage without really altering the gameplay.

Whereas most action RPGs allow you to freely switch between several difficulty levels, The First Berserker Khazan commits you to your selection once altered. Let's take a closer look.

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How can you change difficulty in The First Berserker Khazan?

The option to change difficulty in The First Berserker Khazan (Image via Nexon)

If you decide to change the difficulty preset, the game allows you to do so in two ways:

1. Automatic prompt: If you die too many times to the same boss or enemy, the game will offer to lower the difficulty to Easy mode.
2. Manual change: From the Options menu, select the Accessibility tab and change the difficulty level from there.

There’s an important restriction, though — once you switch from Normal to Easy, you can’t go back. The change is permanent for that save file, meaning if you want to play on Normal again, you’ll need to start a fresh playthrough.

Difficulty options explained

The game starts you off in Normal mode. However, after repeated deaths against the same enemy or boss, you'll be asked if you want to switch to Easy mode. Unlike ordinary difficulty choices, the Easy mode does not weaken enemies or decrease their aggression levels — it simply boosts your defensive attributes, so you can absorb more damage before you're defeated.

For veterans, playing on Normal provides the most well-rounded experience. But for newcomers to souls-likes, toggling to Easy mode can soften up the game while keeping combat mechanics.

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Additional accessibility & difficulty modifiers

The First Berserker Khazan also has some other mechanics that can make the game easier for you without needing to change difficulty settings:

• Leveling system without limits: You can grind Lacrima as much as you want to power up before facing a tough boss.
• Spirit-summon mechanic (Spirit of Advocacy): Similar to Elden Ring’s Spirit Ashes or Lies of P’s specters, this AI companion can be upgraded to increase its HP, attack power, and endurance, helping you in battle.

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Does changing difficulty affect trophies?

Yes, if you’re aiming for the "The Expert’s Journey" trophy, which requires completing the game on Normal difficulty, switching to Easy mode will void the achievement. To earn it, you must avoid using the "change difficulty" option and stay on Normal throughout the entire game.

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