Hey there, fellow gamers! Buckle up, because I’m about to take you on a whirlwind tour of my adventures in The First Berserker: Khazan. Trust me, this game is not for the faint of heart, but if you’re up for a challenge that’ll make your palms sweat and your heart race, you’re in for a treat! With the technical Beta concluded and having spent time in Khazan’s frostbitten lands, I’d like to share some additional insights with you.
Welcome to the Dance of Death
As you may already know from my previous article “I played The First Berserker: Khazan – My First Impressions“: You’re a War General turned death row inmate, possessed by a powerful entity known as the Blade Phantom. Exciting, right? Well, that’s Khazan for you! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve bit the dust or kissed the snowy grounds, but let me tell you, the combat in this game is so exhilarating that you’ll keep coming back for more.
Pro tip: Stamina is your best friend and worst enemy. You’ll need to manage it like a pro juggler handling flaming torches. One misstep, and it’s game over, my friend!
Weapons: Choose Your Flavor of Pain
Let’s talk weapons. Imagine you’re at an ice cream parlor, but instead of flavors, you’re choosing your preferred method of dishing out pain. You’ve got three main options:
The spear: For when you want to poke your enemies from a safe distance and chain moves together for infinite combos.
The greatsword: Perfect for those “hulk smash” moments with slow but powerful attacks.
The sword/axe combo (dual wield): When you want to embrace complete frenzy with a ruthless, fast-paced slice and dice playstyle.
I personally fell in love with the spear, but hey, you do you! Each weapon has its own quirks, so don’t be afraid to experiment.
Mastering the Art of “Git Gud”
Now, I won’t sugarcoat it – you’re going to die. A lot. But here’s the thing: each death is a lesson in disguise. You’ll start noticing enemy patterns, perfecting your timing, and before you know it, you’ll be pulling off “brink guards” and “brink dodges” like a pro.
And let’s not forget about parrying. Oh boy, when you nail that perfect parry, you’ll feel like a god among berserkers. It’s all about that sweet, sweet timing.
The Yetuga Challenge: A Baptism by Ice
Speaking of learning experiences, let me tell you about my dance with Yetuga, the game’s yeti-like early boss. This frosty fellow is like a furry freight train – fast, ferocious, and hits like a truck. My first encounter? Let’s just say it was less “dance” and more “repeatedly faceplanting into the snow.”
Here’s the kicker: Yetuga is designed to teach you the hard way about stamina management. I learned pretty quickly that my dodge-happy playstyle wasn’t cutting it. This big guy will punish your combos faster than you can say “frostbite,” forcing you to rethink your entire approach.
The secret? Embrace your inner turtle. Blocking and parrying became my new best friends. It’s a drawn-out fight, thanks to Yetuga’s health bar that seems to go on forever, but man, when you finally take him down? That victory feels sweeter than a mug of hot cocoa after a blizzard.
Crafting Your Ultimate Berserker
Building your character in Khazan is like assembling a puzzle where all the pieces are trying to kill you. My advice? Don’t skimp on Willpower. Trust me, you’ll thank me when you’re not gasping for stamina in the middle of a boss fight.
Speaking of bosses, prepare for more epic showdowns like Yetuga. These big baddies have health bars longer than my list of deaths (and that’s saying something). But oh, the rush when you finally take one down? Priceless!
Branching Out: The Skill Tree of Pain and Gain
Now, let’s talk about one of my favorite parts of any RPG – the skill tree! In Khazan, this isn’t just a tree; it’s a whole forest of pain-dealing possibilities. Each weapon type has its own skill tree, which is like a buffet of destruction where you get to pick your favorite flavors of mayhem. Here’s what you can expect:
General skills: These bad boys apply to all weapons. Want to counterattack like a boss or deal damage on a perfect deflection? This is where you’ll find those gems.
Weapon-specific skills: Each weapon type has its own branch of unique skills. We’re talking extended combos, increased attack range, and other goodies that’ll make your enemies wish they’d stayed in bed. The dual wield tree focuses on complete frenzy, the greatsword tree on slow but powerful attacks and the spear tree on chaining moves for infinite combos.
Active skills: These are your showstoppers. They require specific inputs to activate, but when you pull them off? Chef’s kiss!
The best part? As you progress, you’ll unlock more of these skills, turning Khazan from a scrappy survivor into a one-man army. Just remember, with great power comes… well, more ways to accidentally deplete your stamina if you’re not careful!
Leveling Up and Progression
Alright, let’s talk about how you’re going to become the baddest berserker in town. You’ll be earning Lacrima by defeating enemies and bosses. Think of it as the currency of pain – the more you dish out, the more you earn. At Blade Nexus checkpoints, you can spend this Lacrima to level up your vitality, endurance, strength, willpower, or proficiency.
But here’s the kicker – if you die, you’ll drop all your Lacrima like a clumsy waiter dropping a tray of drinks. You’ll have to do the walk of shame back to pick it up. The silver lining? If you die to a boss, your Lacrima will spawn outside the boss room, and you’ll even earn some for your valiant attempt. It’s like the game is patting you on the back saying, “Nice try, champ. Here’s a participation trophy.”
Oh, and here’s a neat trick – you earn skill points just by swinging your weapons around. So even when you’re dying to bosses, you’re still making progress. It’s like failing upwards, but with more swords!
The World of Khazan
Let me paint you a picture of this dark fantasy world. It’s vast, it’s immersive, and it’s trying to kill you at every turn. The game is divided into different regions, each with multiple checkpoints. Once you reach the end of mission two, you’ll unlock the first Shrine of the game known as the Crevice. From there, it’s boss-hunting time to progress to the next region.
While the game is fairly linear, there are some branching paths that might lead you to chests, items, or Soul stones. It’s like a deadly treasure hunt – you never know what you might find around the corner. Just be prepared for whatever’s guarding that treasure!
The Bottom Line
Look, The First Berserker: Khazan isn’t here to hold your hand. It’s here to challenge you, frustrate you, and ultimately, make you feel like a total badass when you overcome its trials. Sure, there are some performance issues (but it’s still beta) and a few quirks that might make you want to throw your controller (looking at you, dodge mechanics), but the overall experience? Absolutely worth it.
Now, I’ve heard some folks say the game can be a bit tough for newcomers to the souls-like genre. And yeah, it’s not exactly a walk in the park – as you may remember, I wrote my stroll in the park was on Purge Day. But hey, that’s part of the charm! The satisfaction you get from finally conquering a tough boss or mastering a new skill? It’s like nothing else.
So, are you ready to dive into this brutal, unforgiving world? Remember, every scar tells a story, and in Khazan, you’re about to write an epic. Now play the waiting game until Khazan releases and then get out there, show those monsters who’s boss, and maybe pack a warm coat for your date with Yetuga! Trust me, with its stunning self-shaded archery, rich lore and multiple difficulty levels, this is one adventure you don’t want to miss. Happy berserking!
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