The First Berserker Khazan review: Souls-like done right

When it was first announced back during TGA 2023, The First Berserker Khazan did not interest me much. Although I did like the aggressiveness of the combat system as showcased in the trailer, I was more than tired of every other game trying to be the next Dark Souls that I simply "ignored" Khazan as yet another souls-like that I won't be playing any time soon.

But boy was I wrong to dismiss the game as such. Fast forward to late 2024, I tried out The First Berserker Khazan's demo, simply out of curiosity. However, despite my initial preconceived notions of the game, it immediately clicked with me. Playing through the demo made me realize it's not just another souls-like, it's something entirely else.

I was extremely impressed by the game's combat system. I did have some criticisms like the tight parry windows, weapons having less impact on gameplay compared to parry and dodge abilities, etc. However, I was overall super impressed and excited to play the full game. And now that I've done so, I can confidently say, that Khazan is "peak" souls-like.

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The First Berserker Khazan impresses with its immaculate art style and sound design

The First Berserker Khazan features a cell-shaded art style, reminiscent of the Darksiders series (Image via Nexon)

As someone who always prefers games with a more stylized art style over photorealistic graphics, I really liked the visual presentation of The First Berserker Khazan. In fact, the game's visuals are the only thing that stuck with me since its original announcement. The First Berserker Khazan's art style reminds me a lot of one of my favorite franchises, Darksiders.

Much like the Darksiders games, The First Berserker features a stylized cell-shaded art style coupled with an almost comic book-like presentation. The art style here is further bolstered by the fully mo-capped cutscenes, which look incredible in action. I also really like how the game's UI elements are presented. It's simplistic, with very little clutter.

The First Berserker Khazan, right from the very start, looks like a game that's built with a lot of passion and heart. Also, I should mention that the game features a dedicated Arachnophobia Mode. While I do like the presentation of The First Berserker, I do have one complaint regarding it, and that being the monotone nature of it. Let me explain.

Unlike Darksiders, where the cell-shaded visuals are contrasted against a vibrant backdrop, The First Berserker Khazan adopts a muted color tone throughout the entire experience. I do understand that the darker theme and esthetics go hand-in-hand with the game's narrative, but it's also something that I feel holds the game's visual presentation back.

The breathtaking visuals that accentuate the game's atmosphere (Image via Nexon)

I would've liked a bit more color and vibrancy, at least in the earlier levels. In the later parts of the game where the element of Chaos is in full display, the more darker visuals make perfect sense. The only outlier to this would be the opening region of the game, Heinmach, which looks significantly more vibrant due to it mostly being covered by snow.

Moving on from the game's visuals, I would also like to gush a bit about The First Berserker Khazan's audio design. Souls-like games, the good ones at least, more often than not are accompanied by some of the best soundtracks in gaming. Just take a look at anything from FromSoftware, Lies of P, or even lesser-known titles like Code Vein.

And much like the aforementioned titles, The First Berserker features what has become one of my personal favorite OSTs. Be it the chaotic boss soundtracks or the ambient score that plays during exploration, everything sounds perfect and compliments the game's atmosphere. If you're looking for good OSTs, I think The First Berserker Khazan has you covered.

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An incredibly refined and "fun" souls-like combat system

The First Berserker Khazan features an incredibly robust combat system, with multiple playstyles to master (Image via Nexon)

During the game's demo, I wasn't very impressed with the combat system of The First Berserker Khazan. It felt somewhat floaty, and even unresponsive, at times. While I did like the concept of skills fundamentally altering a weapon's use, the combat system here didn't really grow on me akin to the ones in Lies of P, or even 2023's Lords of the Fallen.

However, having now played the entire game from scratch, I can confidently say that The First Berserker Khazan offers one of the most refined combat systems I've seen in a souls-like since Nioh 2. While it's not as complicated as in the Nioh series, the combat system in The First Berserker is easily one of the best when it comes to skill expression.

Much like Nioh, Lies of P, or Sekiro, i.e., the pinnacle of the souls-like genre, The First Berserker's combat is mostly centered around counterattacks and defense. You aren't meant to brute force your way through the game, nor will you be able to do so. Instead, the game will encourage you to learn the combat system and master the skills it has to offer.

Much like in Lies of P and Sekiro, parrying is the primary means of defense in The First Berserker Khazan. Although blocking and dodging are also viable, they aren't nearly as important as parries. In fact, the game features two different forms of parries (counterattacks). The first is your regular parry, which is initiated by a perfectly timed block.

Dual Wield in The First Berserker Khazan (Image via Nexon)

The second is a more complex counterattack system, that requires you to hold the block button and press A or Circle, right before an enemy's attack lands on Khazan. This system is called Reflection, and while it's more difficult to time compared to the regular parry, it also offers a more devastating counterattack opportunity.

I should mention that the parry timing in The First Berserker Khazan is just "perfect." I think I haven't had this much fun playing a parry-focused game since Sekiro. The parry timings here are generous enough that they don't feel overly punishing. At the same time, it's also strict enough to make you feel rewarded for perfectly parrying an entire combo.

There's also a Burst Counter, which works somewhat similarly to the Mikiri Counter in Sekiro. Additionally, all these systems have their own skill tree, and so do the three weapon types. Talking of weapons, I was initially a bit disappointed knowing there are only three weapon types in the game. However, I think I now know why that was a good choice.

Having fewer weapons allowed Neople to optimize the game for the three choices. While yes, I would've liked a few more options, the ones the game does have are incredibly fleshed out. While the majority of my playthrough was using the Spear, I did spend some time with Dual Wield and Greatsword, and all three of these weapons feel incredibly fun to use.

The combat system shines during the boss fights (Image via Nexon)

The only nitpick I have regarding the combat system is the skill balancing. I think some of the skills of the Spear and the Dual Wield easily overpower the others, which end up forcing you toward said abilities. While there's no harm in sticking to what works, I do think the game can benefit a lot from a bit more tweaking and balancing changes.

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The boss fights are a highlight

Viper boss fight in The First Berserker Khazan (Image via Nexon)

A souls-like is as good as its boss fights. And The First Berserker Khazan doesn't disappoint on that front either. Save for a few optional encounters, I enjoyed all the bosses in the game, despite dying multiple times to each and every one of them. Also, every single boss in the main story is unique, with their own movesets, abilities, and also, special "gimmicks."

Often, souls-likes end up making a mess when it comes to balancing the spectacle and mechanical aspects of a boss fight. Most parry-focused games usually are at their best when you're fighting a humanoid boss with abilities that rival your own. As soon as you're pitted against a bigger "beast-like" enemy, the combat system fails to keep up.

For instance, in Sekiro, the combat is at its best when you're fighting the likes of Genichiro, Isshin, or Owl. However, the combat system starts showing its cracks as soon as you go up against something like the Demon of Hatred or even the Guardian Ape. The same goes for Lies of P and its bosses. However, this was never an issue in The First Berserker Khazan.

While yes, the game's combat system shines the most when you're up against a humanoid boss, such as the Blade Phantom or Maluca, it's also balanced perfectly for the beast-like bosses. While I won't spoil anything, some of the later main story bosses in the game have set a whole other standard for boss fights in the souls-like genre.

Volbaino boss fight in The First Berserker Khazan (Image via Nexon)

Also, if you're a fan of FromSoftware's games, you're going to find plenty of references to the bosses from their games, in The First Berserker. I won't spoil anything but there's a boss in the later part of the game that's very reminiscent of Sekiro's Genichiro. Furthermore, there's also a boss fight with a fake "mission complete" scene, a la Guardian Ape.

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An excellent souls-like progression system

The First Berserker features a robust build-crafting system, with a large assortment of weapons and armor to choose from (Image via Nexon)

On the surface, The First Berserker Khazan looks a lot like the Nioh series, in terms of progression. The game features randomized loot drop, a simplistic crafting system that lets you easily manage said loot, and also, an augmentation system that lets you re-roll your weapon's stats. This all seems incredibly similar to the systems present in Team Ninja's souls-like(s).

However, as I progressed through the game, it eventually became apparent that The First Berserker Khazan has much more than meets the eye. While yes, the loot progression here is definitely inspired by Nioh games, it isn't nearly as impactful here as it was in those titles. Instead, The First Berserker is more similar to games like Sekiro, than Nioh.

While yes, the loot you get is quite important as the weapons and armor you choose to equip define your playstyle. However, at the same time, the game is mostly based on your skill and your command over the combat system. The primary progression in The First Berserker Khazan isn't the loot system, but the weapon and character skills.

While the constant loot drop does feel a little intimidating at first, it slowly becomes less impactful as you progress through the game, and that is a good thing. As much as I like the Nioh games, I'm never a fan of "loot spam." In the opening hours of The First Berserker Khazan, you're constantly bombarded with loot, which reminded me of Nioh and Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty.

Weapon skills in The First Berserker Khazan (Image via Nexon)

However, once I progressed past the mid-game, I never felt the need to switch weapons and armor sets, thanks to the game's set crafting and gear augmentation systems. You can also re-roll your weapon's stats, which comes in incredibly handy to optimize your build. However, I should mention, that build optimization isn't needed in this game.

As long as you master the basics of the combat system, you won't feel the need to constantly switch to different gear. I also really like the concept of set bonuses. Essentially, if you equip a full set of armor along with the weapon assigned to said set, you get access to a series of bonus attributes, which are usually geared toward a specific playstyle.

My favorite is the Fallen Lord's set which comes with a Spear and is geared toward a more aggressive playstyle, boosting the Moonlight Stance damage and Frontal Assault. There are several of these sets that you can unlock as you progress through the main story, each comes with its own unique bonus perks and associated playstyles.

Additionally, I really like how the game's skill progression. As I mentioned earlier, The First Berserker Khazan features a robust skill tree for each weapon type, a la Nioh. I would admit, it does feel a little overwhelming at first when you take a glance at the massive skill tree(s) and are yet to fully grasp the intricacies of the game's combat system.

Boss fights offer the best avenue to test out your build's progression in The First Berserker Khazan (Image via Nexon)

However, trust me, as you make your way through the game and get in grips with the combat system it has to offer, executing the skills becomes second nature. In fact, you will find yourself looking forward to boss fights just to try out the new skill that you unlocked prior to entering the boss arena. This somewhat reminded me of Sekiro and its skills system.

Lastly, the game also features a traditional leveling system, which is the usual souls-like affair. Defeating enemies rewards you with Lacrima, which you can use to level up Khazan. The leveling system essentially dictates your base stats, and DPS, based on your weapon's scaling. However, it's not nearly as important as in games like Dark Souls or Elden Ring.

I was often under-leveled for some of the late-game areas and still managed to defeat bosses without any major issues, outside of a few dozen deaths, of course. I really like this approach, as it doesn't force you to level up and grind, while also offering enough flexibility to players who might need it. This is very reminiscent of Lies of P, which I really liked.

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A revenge-fueled tale, elevated by excellent production values

While the story starts slow, it eventually gets interesting as you progress through it (Image via Nexon)

Souls-likes often get a lot of flack for their storytelling, and I think on some levels, the criticism is deserved. While I don't personally dislike how the story is told in most souls-like games, I do think a bit more effort in not just the "lore" but also the "storytelling" can go a long way in immersing players into these immaculately designed worlds and characters.

As much as I like FromSoftware's games or even souls-likes such as Lies of P, I will admit, that storytelling is the weakest link in those titles. Knowing that The First Berserker Khazan is a souls-like, I wasn't expecting much out of it in terms of storytelling. However, let me tell you, I was genuinely surprised by how engaging I found the narrative in this title.

The First Berserker Khazan is set within the Dungeon and Fighters universe, and as someone who has no experience with the DNF IP, I was a bit skeptical going into the game, from the narrative standpoint. I was expecting to skip cutscenes and head right into the action, as I thought I wouldn't be able to understand much of the narrative.

However, that wasn't the case at all. While The First Berserker Khazan shares the same universe (and a few characters) as the Dungeon and Fighters series, it's still a standalone story, completely divorced from the DNF meta. It's a revenge-fueled story with some really intriguing characters and story beats, which kept me hooked for the entirety of my 70-hour playthrough.

The First Berserker Khazan not only features a memorable story but also an intriguing cast of characters (Image via Nexon)

You essentially play as Khazan, a War General of the Empire of Los Pellos, who after defeating the Berserk Dragon Hismar, is crowned the savior of the kingdom. However, for unforeseen reasons and conspiracies, Khazan is eventually labeled a traitor by the Emperor and subjected to endless torture, before being broken and left powerless.

However, Khazan is eventually consumed by an otherworldy entity known as the Blade Phantom, who grants him his (their) powers to get his revenge against the Emperor. I would admit, that the story starts a bit slow, and you will be required to engage in additional dialog with NPCs and read notes to fully grasp the game's narrative.

However, once you reach midway through the story, it eventually becomes much more palatable, and dare I say, enjoyable. Not delving too much into spoilers, I will say, the story of The First Berserker Khazan is full of twists and turns that you won't see coming. These twists in the narrative and character motivations are the reason I found this story incredibly compelling.

The story in The First Berserker Khazan reminded me a lot of Bloodborne and Lies of P, which also feature similar narrative twists that completely change how you perceive the game's overarching plot. Lastly, I should mention the phenomenal voice work for every single character in the game. The highlight of course was Ben Starr who voiced Khazan.

You can talk to NPCs to get more context on the game's overarching plot (Image via Nexon)

As a fan of Ben's work as Clive Rossfield in Final Fantasy 16, I was expecting no less from his performance here. He brings such power and gravity to the protagonist's voice that not only makes the character feel strong but also incredibly "cool." I should say, that listening to Khazan talking at times did remind me of Clive, and that's a positive in my books.

I also really liked Anthony Howell's performance as the voice of the Blade Phantom. For those who might not know, Anthony also voiced one of the best bosses in Elden Ring, Margit/Morgott. I think Anthony was the perfect choice for the Blade Phantom as his voice fits the character's dark, mysterious, and intimidating nature, perfectly.

All in all, I really liked the story in The First Berserker Khazan. While it might not be the storytelling masterpiece a la Red Dead Redemption or The Last of Us, it certainly isn't a pushover in that department. For a souls-like, The First Berserker offers plenty in terms of actual "storytelling" which is often lacking in most games of this genre.

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Few shortcomings

The First Berseker Khazan's PC port is incredibly polished, albeit with some minor shortcomings (Image via Nexon)

The First Berserker Khazan is easily one of the best games I've played this year, and I can definitely see myself returning to it again, in a few months, just to replay the entirety of it for "fun." Very few games nowadays get the "fun" part right, and this is especially true for souls-like, which often end up muddying the fun aspects of the game in favor of extreme difficulty.

Neople seems to have struck the perfect balance of difficulty and fun, delivering what is easily one of the most polished and engaging souls-like experiences, ever. However, while I had a blast playing the game from start to finish, it's sadly not without its fair share of issues. Some of these issues are minor, whereas some do need a bit more attention.

In terms of technicality, the game is a very polished product. I've been playing the title since the early access window, and since then, I've only had one instance where the game crashed on my PC, that too was probably due to a faulty update installation. However, one thing that still plagues the game is the usual Unreal Engine 4 stuttering.

Although there's a dedicated shader pre-compilation step every time you boot up the game, it doesn't seem to account for all the available shaders. There have been numerous instances where as I progressed through a boss fight and into a different phase, the game paused momentarily and then resumed, causing me to take damage at no fault of mine.

Despite its issues, The First Berserker Khazan is still an incredibly fun souls-like (Image via Nexon)

This issue was extremely annoying as it also happened during the final boss fight, which ended up resulting in my death, costing me roughly 10 minutes of progress. Another issue that I faced was with Nvidia Reflex, where enabling the feature in-game resulted in occasional delayed or skipped inputs, which was really frustrating.

Apart from that, my only other major complaint with the game is its steep difficulty curve. While I personally really enjoyed the difficulty in the game, I don't think it will appeal to everyone. The opening few chapters of the game do offer reasonable difficulty, but as you make your way through the mid and end-game sections, the difficulty ramps quite jarringly.

By the time I reached the end-game, bosses were capable of two-shotting or even one-shotting me with certain attacks, even when I came in fully prepared with upgraded armor and weapons. While I do think the difficulty in The First Berserker Khazan is perfectly fine, bosses being capable of one or two-shotting is a bit much, even for the end-game.

That said, if you do find the game too challenging, you can always drop the difficulty down to Easy, to help you get through the boss fights. In my opinion, The First Berserker Khaza is easily one of the most difficult souls-like games out there. However, at the same time, it is also the most accessible one, apart from Elden Ring, which is really impressive.

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In conclusion

The First Berserker Khazan perfectly showcases what a good souls-like game should feel and play like (Image via Nexon)

The First Berserker Khazan is easily one of the best souls-like games out there, right alongside the likes of Lies of P and FromSoftware's Souls titles. While it does have a few issues relating to its use of Unreal Engine 4 and the rather steep difficulty curve, those are essentially minor nitpicks to what is easily one of the best new entries in the souls-like genre.

Not only does it offer a robust combat system that's focused mostly on player skill rather than arbitrary numbers and stats, but it's also one of the most mechanically polished souls-likes out there. Above all, The First Berserker Khazan is an incredibly fun video game, something that's incredibly rare to come by nowadays.

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The First Berserker Khazan

The scorecard (Image via Sportskeeda)

Reviewed on: Windows PC (Review code provided by Nexon)

Platform(s): PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam)

Developer(s): Neople

Publisher(s): Nexon

Release date: March 27, 2025