After a successful demo, The First Berserker: Khazan is slated to launch on March 27th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, and PC (with Deluxe Edition owners getting access on March 24th). With its sleek anime aesthetic, fast-paced brutal action and intriguing tale of revenge, it could be a dark horse in an otherwise packed month. Here are 15 things you need to know before picking it up.
Dungeon and Fighter Connection
Since it was first announced, The First Berserker: Khazan has shared an indelible connection to Dungeon and Fighter. Dungeon Fighter Online players will have encountered the disgraced general (no spoilers on how that turns out), but this story plays out during the Pell Los Empire’s reign. It explores Khazan’s story and his rise as the infamous berserker after betrayal.
Environments
If you’ve played the demo, the sheer variety of environments seen thus far has been impressive. Players go from a snowy pass teeming with beasts and soldiers to a spiritual journey on the mountainside and eventually, a dark dungeon full of dragon-like hybrids. Another location was recently revealed in a new trailer – the Rovelion Imperial Theater, the “home of arts and culture in the Pell Los Empire” (or at least it used to be). Now there are traps and nobles of the past lurking in the darkness, seemingly creating hallucinations.
Combat
For those who haven’t played the demo, The First Berseker: Khazan’s combat is essentially a Souls-like. You have a stamina meter, can execute light and heavy attacks, and claim several sites of the Blade Nexus as checkpoints. Much like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, enemies have a posture gauge (known as Fortitude) that you must break to deal critical damage.
Parrying and Evasion
Parrying and dodging are a given, but timing them is key. A properly executed parry means less stamina lost – and stamina will become essential in some boss fights – allowing you to maintain the aggression. If you dodge right before an enemy’s attack lands, you’ll execute a Brink Dodge, which can be useful in conjunction with certain skills.
Counterattacks
Not every attack can be parried or dodged, however, and that’s where Counterattack comes in. Execute it perfectly and you’ll perform a Nioh 2-like Burst Counter, which staggers the enemy and regenerates all your stamina. Mess it up, however, and you take tons of damage. Be careful, though, as Elite enemies can also perform Counterattacks (which is as cool-looking as it is frightening).
Weapons and Skills
Thus far, we know of three weapons that Khazan wields – the Spear, Greatsword and dual-wielding a Sword and Axe. Each possesses unique attacks and playstyles, whether you prefer extensive mobility with the Sword and Axe, more range with the Spear or slow but hard-hitting attacks with the Greatsword. You can’t swap between weapons (at least, not in the demo), which encourages zeroing in on a build and playstyle.
Each weapon also has unique skills, unlocked with skill points, like Ruthless for rapidly slashing away at any enemy with the Sword and Axe, or Breakthrough for charging at an enemy with the Greatsword before bringing it down in a massive swing. My favorite is Moonlight Stance, which creates afterimages for 15 seconds that deal additional damage. Skills consume Spirit, so managing it during a battle along with your stamina and Fortitude is also key.
Berserker Mode
A recent trailer also revealed what seems to be Berserker Mode for Khazan, which sees him taking on the Blade Phantom’s armor and gaining new skills, even seemingly transitioning between multiple weapon types. Not many details have been provided, but it looks sick as hell.
Summoning Allies
While Dungeon Fighter Online is known for its multiplayer, you won’t find such modes here. That doesn’t mean you can’t summon allies to your cause, however. Available from the third level onwards, the Spirit of Advocacy will fight by your side (and you’ll probably need it, given the boss). However, like Nioh, there’s also the Remnant of Adversity, who you can challenge and earn drops from. They also drop Lacrima of Circulation, which you need to summon allied Spirits.
Easy Mode
If the combat and overall difficulty are too much, The First Berserker: Khazan sports an Easy Mode, providing a means to stress less and enjoy the narrative. However, at least in the demo, you must finish the first mission to unlock it. It’s unlikely to be different in the game, but regardless, be prepared.
Transmog
Though it’s not the be-all, end-all of the action RPG gameplay, loot is important, and so is looking amazing. So what happens if you want to change your looks but retain the same equipment? Transmog is thankfully available to facilitate this…after you finish your first playthrough, as confirmed by creative director Junho Lee in a Reddit AMA. Why it’s set up like this is unknown, but it’s there.
New Game+
New Game Plus is also available, and it’ll function more akin to Nioh. While you can enjoy everything in the game within the first playthrough, Lee said higher playthroughs can unlock “more options and abilities.” Certain “restrictions” are also lifted, and while that seems to refer to transmog, perhaps there are more game-changing features to discover.
Multiple Endings
Another reason to embark on another playthrough is the multiple endings. Khazan isn’t on some casual stroll of the Pell Los Empire and as such, certain decisions may impact the overall narrative. Whether it’s as involved as, say, the process of unlocking other endings in Elden Ring remains to be seen, but Khazan’s story seemingly has more than one outcome.
Playtime
Whether you’re in it for the story or taking on every challenge, The First Berserker promises a meaty experience. If you pursue the True Ending, it can take more than 80 hours to finish, per Lee. How much this will vary depending on skill (and the amount of grinding previously done in the demo) remains to be seen, but either way, it’s a long game.
Potential Post-Launch Features
Khazan is seemingly poised to receive DLC in the future, though the “direction, content, and schedule” hasn’t been finalized. However, Lee confirmed that several modes are being discussed. Potential boss rush or boss rematch features? One can certainly hope.
PC Requirements
The minimum requirements 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 enough to run the game in 1080p/30 FPS at Low settings. The recommended requirements, on the other hand, 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 High settings. You also need 70 GB of installation space with a solid-state drive mandatory all around.
