The First Berserker: Khazan is an intriguing title for Dungeon and Fighter followers because it shines a lightweight on one of many extra mysterious characters in Dungeon Fighter On-line, that’s, Khazan himself. Although technically a prequel, it’s additionally an alternate retelling of the story (as evidenced by a number of occurrences that aren’t presently canon in DFO). Nevertheless, most of you’re in all probability desirous to expertise his journey after enjoying the demo and being pleasantly stunned by the fight and aesthetic. And that’s fully honest – simply be warned that the remainder of the sport doesn’t rise a lot past that stage.
The story of Khazan begins post-betrayal. After defeating the Berserk Dragon, Hismar, and being hailed as a hero by the Pell Los Empire, he’s out of the blue tortured by the Emperor and exiled. In the meantime, Ozma, his greatest pal and closest ally, has already been executed. So, for all justifiable causes, Khazan needs revenge. In his incapacitated state, the mysterious Blade Phantom ambushes his convoy in Heinmach Cross and possesses Khazan.
“Apart from a reminder right here and there that he’ll take revenge on the Emperor, there isn’t a lot introspection or character improvement. We get some flashbacks to the conflict in opposition to the Berserk Dragon, however for probably the most half, I’ve so little info on Khazan as an individual…”
By way of a number of twists and turns, the duo in the end type a pact – Khazan will borrow the Phantom’s energy to take out the Emperor and his betrayers whereas the Phantom has a car to finish duties for his grasp, Charon. There’s seemingly extra to the Phantom than meets the attention whereas Khazan should additionally cope with different troubling developments all through the Empire.
I wrote a number of months again about how revenge paired with anger provides a singular introspection into a personality’s psyche. Khazan was brutally tortured with the tendons in his limbs severed in spite of everything, and his greatest pal, and closest ally, was murdered. That’s some deep-seated and long-term trauma there, one which warrants nearer inspection and will make for compelling drama. Moreover, there’s loads of distinction to supply in opposition to Khazan’s present actions of brutally slaughtering residents of the Empire that he as soon as swore to guard.
However there’s little or no of that. Apart from a reminder right here and there that he’ll take revenge on the Emperor, there isn’t a lot introspection or character improvement. We get some flashbacks to the conflict in opposition to the Berserk Dragon, however for probably the most half, I’ve so little info on Khazan as an individual – aside from he doesn’t like being betrayed – that it’s weird. Wasn’t the entire concept of the title to flesh him out extra as a personality? As an alternative, this feels extra like Epic Medieval Fantasy Quest The Sport Starring Khazan From the Dungeon and Fighter collection.
It additionally doesn’t assist that his revenge tour meanders after the primary few missions, devolving into introducing different characters who additionally don’t develop a lot. There are perfunctory twists and turns, some pretty telegraphed and others that gained’t be in the slightest degree surprising to DFO gamers. Although it considerably ties collectively all these disparate instructions right into a cohesive function and finale, it’s nowhere close to assembly the expectations of Khazan reducing a bloody swathe on the trail of vengeance.
The voice solid, particularly Ben Starr, does their damndest to lend some gravitas and weight to those eventualities. You’ll assume Starr could be excellent for this sort of character, particularly after enjoying Clive from Last Fantasy 16, however his vary feels oddly restricted and diminished, and that makes me care about Khazan even much less. The closely marketed “rage” seems interminably, nevertheless it’s not one thing that’s actually inherently constructed upon in Khazan’s character.
“Possibly it’s as a result of a number of missions happen in dank caves with muted shade palettes that don’t go away a lot to the creativeness. Possibly the places I used to be wanting ahead to didn’t meet expectations as a result of story set-up.”
Contemplating the fantasy setting and intonations, the solid’s potential to attract you in is adequate. Even the bit gamers whose horrified voices echo their grisly fates when absorbing Lacrima are value noting. If solely the remainder of the plot helped hold the participant engaged. Whereas among the dialogue is suitable – nothing notably particular or memorable – some strains brought on a double-take at how terribly written they have been, and no quantity of unbelievable voice-acting fixes that.
On some stage, I blame the general structure of the story. As soon as your base, The Crevice, is launched, you enterprise out and full missions. Upon returning, maybe you’ll work together with the slowly rising pool of characters and repeat. With little memorable traits or room to develop, their actual purpose to exist is to offer optionally available missions to Khazan or turn into distributors. You can hassle choosing completely different dialogue decisions and listening to them out, however they not often supply something attention-grabbing, a lot much less facilitate any significant dialogue, by no means thoughts fueling some progress for Khazan.
From a gameplay perspective, the mission design – and even how new areas open up – is similar to Nioh 1 and 2. Enter right into a mission, possibly converse with one of many nothing characters who gave you the fetch quest, and transfer on. Each Nioh titles had the benefit of being set throughout a real-life historic interval in Japan. Even when the transition between plot factors wasn’t all the time easy, you could possibly level to completely different historic figures, their conduct and involvement, and floor your self within the circumstances.
The fantasy setting of Khazan makes it rather more difficult, particularly for many who know nothing about Dungeon and Fighter. Heck, even followers gained’t have a lot to go on in addition to recognizing the names of locations and numerous enemy varieties.
Developer Neople does insert some notes and letters that try to supply extra context on what’s occurring on some ranges, explaining away the corpses and/or vile experiments, nevertheless it’s not sufficient. Possibly it’s as a result of a number of missions happen in dank caves with muted shade palettes that don’t go away a lot to the creativeness. Possibly the places I used to be wanting ahead to didn’t meet expectations as a result of story set-up. Possibly it’s simply the underwhelming environmental story-telling that reinforces the easy mission-based construction.
“This brings us to maybe probably the most optimistic facet of the expertise – fight. The First Berserker is a Souls-like, leaning extra in the direction of Nioh (and the sequel’s Burst Counters), and as such, you unlock skills and chain them along with Talent Factors.”
In any other case, the extent layouts are nice. Between flattening ladders for shortcuts, deactivating obstacles with switches and ascending to the highest for an elevator that leads again to a Blade Nexus (the de facto bonfire), it’s nothing structurally completely different from what you’ve seen in different titles. Is that lone enemy within the room really alone, or is there one other enemy on both aspect of the door that can assault as quickly as I enter? Traditional Souls-like stuff, but in addition extremely cliche.
Nevertheless, the pacing feels proper, and Neople does put some first rate spins in locations, calmly enjoying with verticality and environmental hazards. Ranges begin fairly linear early on however supply extra alternate paths and optionally available issues, like Soulstone Cores or Elite Enemies that present extra XP and equipment. If solely the aspect missions have been extra attention-grabbing or assorted by way of aims. They will additionally really feel brief – I might have most well-liked fewer if it meant extra memorable duties and tales.
Repetition units across the early to halfway level of the story, particularly when the identical enemy varieties are reused. Get able to combat the identical Dragonkind, bandits, skeletons, troopers, and spiders for a wholesome chunk with the occasional Yeti, although issues start to clean up from the late recreation onwards. That’s when some really out-of-field monstrosities begin showing with new ways and movesets.
This brings us to maybe probably the most optimistic facet of the expertise – fight. The First Berserker is a Souls-like, leaning extra in the direction of Nioh (and the sequel’s Burst Counters), and as such, you unlock skills and chain them along with Talent Factors. There’s additionally a Sekiro-like bent centered on parrying and breaking by way of poise (aka Fortitude) to exhaust enemies and executives for Brutal Assaults. The core distinction is that you just don’t have an inexhaustible provide of stamina for sprinting and attacking, neither is there a Ki Burst to regenerate no matter you’ve spent on attacking.
The result’s a push and pull between the extra conventional Souls-like features and the components that need to embrace the unga-bunga. It’s as intriguing as it’s extreme as a result of the reward for correctly parrying assaults is that you just gained’t lose that valuable stamina wanted for attacking. It’s a system the place merely blocking feels insufficient, however this smoothens previous the preliminary phases. When you begin gaining some ranges, discovering larger tiers of substances, unlocking passives, and mastering your weapon of selection, Khazan’s fight begins to settle right into a groove that retains difficult you.
“The loot additionally isn’t too thrilling, offering stat will increase more often than not. Set bonuses will be one thing to construct in the direction of, although they’re as soon as once more stat bonuses, with solely a handful providing really distinctive skills.”
For instance, you ultimately need to cope with punishing standing assaults that hold constructing no matter these fancy parrying abilities. That’s when dodging begins to shine, particularly when unlocking passives like Moonlight Stance, which offers injury within the course you Brink Dodge. Transitioning between assaults and abilities, assuming you will have the Spirit Factors, additionally feels good. Even Phantom Type, which is completely terrible once you first get it, comes into its personal, regardless that it forces some completely different considering past “Rage Mode.”
It’s a disgrace, then, that you just’re pressured to give attention to a single weapon attributable to how stat scaling works. Initially, resetting your stats is troublesome as a result of the required merchandise doesn’t drop, and also you gained’t unlock the recipe to craft it till a lot later within the recreation. Whereas every weapon provides its share of nuance and ways, sticking with a single kind for therefore lengthy inevitably provides to the repetition.
Fortunately, The First Berserker doesn’t skimp on its foremost boss fights. The showdown with Viper, which begins as a sublime dance, transitions right into a brutal second section with an amazing air, particularly when issues go darkish, and solely the glow of its eyes hints at oncoming assaults. Then there’s Maluca, barely above your common Elite bandit earlier than busting out the nitoryu and Judgment Minimize Finish for an SSStylish show of harm. Certain, some bosses can really feel barely over-kitted, however even the scant few who really feel related of their total technique have numerous nuances.
Not each boss combat is ideal – there’s one that appears merely unbelievable but is totally bungled by the focusing on, and the sheer variety of threats with seize assaults is undeniably irritating. I additionally was upset after combating my first Phantom – a spin on the stellar Blade Phantom battle – and never equally going through the others, as an alternative discovering objects to unlock them. Then once more, I haven’t found all of them, so maybe different killer encounters await, however the aspect missions in any other case supply common foes become bosses.
The First Berserker can also be primarily a loot-driven recreation. You’ll obtain tons of loot, making crafting really feel pointless for a good portion of the sport since one thing higher-level or larger rarity will possible drop shortly after. The loot additionally isn’t too thrilling, offering stat will increase more often than not. Set bonuses will be one thing to construct in the direction of, although they’re as soon as once more stat bonuses, with solely a handful providing really distinctive skills. In the long run, your playstyle is set by the weapon kind and abilities past the rest, making the loot really feel two-dimensional.
“I wouldn’t contemplate it wherever close to the style’s greatest, however Neople delivers a good motion RPG higher than a number of of its nearest rivals. Some could also be left wanting extra whereas others dig in prefer it’s Souls-like consolation meals earlier than ultimately shifting on.”
As for the presentation, I fairly like how Neople has dealt with the anime stylings of Khazan, which look glossy however have this grunginess. The muted colours and lighting in some environments make it troublesome to admire all the main points, and there’s positively some visible overload in locations.
Nonetheless, it’s a robust steadiness between macabre and glossy, and the animations are extraordinarily clear, save for a little bit of jerkiness when Khazan has to the 1st step foot down from a slope. The music can also be pretty underrated – at occasions, it feels just like the orchestrals make up for the shortage of weight within the narrative, including to the darkish fantasy ambiance within the course of.
Regardless of a number of of my misgivings with The First Berserker: Khazan, it isn’t a nasty recreation and Souls-like motion RPG followers, particularly these skilled with the Nioh collection, will discover a wholesome quantity of content material. Past its fight, a number of of the boss fights, and the presentation, it feels missing in a soul – formulaic in lots of locations, repetitive in others, and downright disappointing with the general plot and Khazan’s characterization (particularly because it’s a “What if” situation to the established Dungeon and Fighter canon).
I wouldn’t contemplate it wherever close to the style’s greatest, however Neople delivers a good motion RPG higher than a number of of its nearest rivals. Some could also be left wanting extra whereas others dig in prefer it’s Souls-like consolation meals earlier than ultimately shifting on.
This recreation was reviewed on PlayStation 5.
