I can’t be the only one who is getting “Soulslike Fatigue” after playing through many uninspired games that don’t do enough to build upon the mechanics laid out by FromSoftware.
When I originally saw The First Berserker Khazan, I dismissed it as being another generic Soulslike, but I’m glad I tried out its demo and came away majorly impressed by what Neople has been working on for the past few years.
Now that I’ve played the full game, I can safely say my initial hesitation and dismissal were completely unwarranted. The First Berserker isn’t just an extremely polished Soulslike; it’s a solid action game in its own right.
There’s a Ghost In Me
In The First Berserker, we take on the role of Khazan, an exiled general of a powerful army that is transporting him to his perpetual exile, deep in the snowy mountains of Heinmach. Things don’t go their way as Khazan is possessed by a powerful entity called the Blade Phantom, which effortlessly slaughters everyone around him.
We later find out that this Blade Phantom is a legion of warriors that serve Charon of the Netherworld. Despite disagreements, Khazan and the Phantom form an alliance to assist one another on their quests. It’s the opposite of The Exorcist, where instead of endless torment caused by possession, you get cool flashy anime powers instead.
The First Berserker: Khazan has an actual campaign with a story and plenty of side missions too. I wouldn’t call the story super memorable, but it’s fun enough to follow and I never felt like skipping through the cutscenes or dialogue.
It has its anime flavor, but it avoids being needlessly cheesy by being unashamedly cool. Despite the grim setting and our hero’s predicament, I’d place it closer to Hellsing than Berserk. Humanoid bosses have these heavily stylized flashy moves that open portals in the sky, Khazan’s armor is somehow always practical but fashionable at the same time, and characters say things like “Concur”.
It’s a world filled with blood, stylish characters, and plenty of memorable bosses. The story won’t blow you away, but nothing about it feels disposable either.
More Than One Way To Stab
Combat is the real meat and potatoes here, and you’ll immediately feel its weight and polish the moment you pick up a weapon. If I had to compare it to another game in the genre, I’d say it’s closer to Wo Long and Nioh than Dark Souls. There are three distinct weapon classes, which might seem like a limitation, but with the extensive skill tree available for each, I think focusing on fewer weapons turned out for the better.
What surprised me most was the sheer depth beyond just weapon choice. There are perfect guards, counterattacks, dodges, reflections, parries, and several other mechanics that make Khazan feel more like an action game protagonist rather than a traditional Soulslike character.
Even though dodging is viable, the game is designed around the Brink Guard, which is essentially a perfect dodge. You’re meant to be fearless and aggressive in both offense and defense. Simply dodging every attack will only drag fights out.
You’re expected to perfectly guard incoming attacks, retaliate with your own, and stay locked in this constant clash rather than playing it safe. That said, not every situation calls for unrelenting aggression and sometimes it’s wiser to hold back. For the most part, though Khazan is built for an aggressive playstyle, and most aspects of his kit reinforce that.
As you make your way through the world, you’ll unlock dedicated skills for your weapons as well. These add combo potential to your existing moves, similar to something like the Nioh series. I like that you can just use your points for the regular tree and the dedicated weapon tree that you’re interested in and call it a day. If you change your mind about the weapon class, you can always respec your build to suit that.
After I became comfortable with the combat, regular enemies didn’t pose much of a challenge. The same can’t be said for the bosses, and I think this is a strength. Bosses are tough but fair, and there is plenty of variety on display here. I also like that there are actual weak points that can be exploited during a fight, and you’re not just going to town on their giant foot.
I also want to give credit to the superb work done by the animation team. Even though this game has some anime aesthetics, I want to emphasize that the enemies don’t behave like anime characters in combat. Characters have very readable attack animations, and you’re rewarded for keeping an eye on how they attack, react, and behave during a fight.
This might sound like something minor but think of the many times you felt like a cheap attack got to you in another Soulslike. I barely had any issues like that here, and this is largely due to the excellent work in the animation department.
Overall, the combat, boss fights and the animation work in particular are a highlight. It’s an extremely satisfying combat system to master and you’d be hard-pressed to find many faults in it.
Trust Me To Get Lost
Finally, I think the department The First Berserker suffers a bit in exploration and level design. It’s completely serviceable, and that’s not something you’d want in a Soulslike. Whether you like it or not, exploration and level design are now strong pillars of the Soulslike genre because they offer something for players to enjoy in when they aren’t engaged in combat.
Sadly, in The First Berserker: Khazan, levels feel too linear and sort of blend into each other because of a lack of variety within a level. I don’t think this part is terrible or anything, but compared to everything else the game gets right, it’s a bit disappointing that this aspect wasn’t given as much love.
You’ll still enjoy the excellent art and composition in the levels, but it’s a far cry from something we’ve come to expect from the genre. Also, why can’t Khazan jump? It doesn’t make any sense to me. We’ve come so far in this regard, and it’s a bit weird that even though there is often verticality in the level design on display, a small platform is where Khazan draws the line.
Verdict
Minor nitpicks aside, The First Berserker: Khazan is a fantastic Soulslike adventure, packed with tough bosses that offer solid variety, an excellent combat system that blends the best elements of Soulslikes and action games, and standout art direction that’s unapologetically cool. It may not have the best exploration, but the dynamic between Khazan and the Blade Phantom remains entertaining throughout the campaign, and I can’t wait to see what Neople comes up with next.
- Excellent combat system with plenty of variety
- Challenging and memorable boss fights
- Great art direction that extends to the enemy design, gear and world
- Entertaining campaign that never feels too cheesy
- Exploration is a bit lacking
Published: Mar 24, 2025 3:09 PM UTC