The First Berserker: Khazan ($59.99 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S) is a hard-core action-RPG set within Nexon's Dungeon Fighter Online universe. It pivots from the franchise's beat 'em up roots to embrace weapons-based, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice-like action, but retains the melee mayhem that makes the original side-scroller so memorable. However, the game stands apart from its inspirations by leveraging cool anime-style aesthetics and environments filtered through stylized comic book shading. The result is a beautiful and challenging title with the chops to stand alongside Sekiro and the genre's other top entries.

What Is The First Berserker: Khazan?

In this action-RPG, you play as the titular Khazan, a doomed general from the fantastical Pell Los Empire. He's betrayed by the leadership that he swore an oath to and sentenced to death. An evil spirit rescues and possesses him, marking the start of Khazan’s supernatural journey for revenge. The story takes him through brutal, trap-laden dungeons, warring villages, and ancient ruins, where he must master offensive techniques and precise defense to stay alive.

The First Berserker tells the bulk of its story through event scenes and comic panel-style artwork. There's plenty of cinematic flair, but the excellent voice work hammers home the game's setting and atmosphere. Ben Starr, who also voiced Clive Rosfield in Final Fantasy XVI, is Khazan, and he depicts the character as an honorable man reluctantly coming to grips with his tarnished legacy.

(Credit: Nexon/PCMag)

Parry-Based Gameplay

Mechanically, The First Berserker resembles Sekiro in that you're encouraged to parry incoming blows by timing blocks in sync with incoming enemy attacks. Khazan has a stamina gauge that determines how many consecutive attacks or blocks you can perform before he pauses to recover. By performing parries (known in the game as Brink Guards), you retain Khazan's stamina. The hideous enemies also follow these rules. However, Khazan has a powerful finisher you deliver to stunned enemies, just like in Sekiro. The constant weapon clanging action and counter-heavy gameplay are tremendously rewarding, especially when used against a massive enemy or boss. Expertly deflecting damage and catching enemies off-guard never gets old.

Of course, the game throws plenty of curve balls to keep the action engaging. Enemies mix their attack timings and have unblockable blows you must evade. Khazan has techniques to mitigate those, too. You can interrupt those unblockable Burst Attacks by entering a well-timed counterattack stance. Likewise, he also has a true parry input, called Reflection, which interrupts your attacker. You can forgo defense and rely on Khazan’s footwork, dodging attacks and retaliating when your opponent is open. Overall, the First Berserker's fight mechanics are easy to understand, challenging to master, and fair.

The exception is boss fights, due to their bloated health. The First Berserker's boss encounters require experimentation until you find the right solution. For example, you can stun Viper, the Dragonkin leader, if you perfectly guard every strike in his special attack. However, you won't discover that if you miss the timing or opt to evade. All boss fights have numerous mechanics you can leverage, but you'll die a lot while discovering them—and the fights drag on if you don't. 

RPG Elements

Much like Nioh and Nioh 2, The First Berserker features a mission-based structure. You run through labyrinthine levels, avoiding traps, felling monsters, and solving puzzles as you make your way to the stage boss. The game's central hub and mission design have a familiar Demon’s Souls vibe, though The First Berserker's levels are not quite as complex. 

It even peppers in brutal instant-death traps, just to remind you that combat isn’t the only thing on the menu. You must void spike pits, deep water, crushing boulders, and more as you fend off roves of relentless monsters. Traps are annoying since The First Berserker uses a Souls-style checkpoint system rather than the quick saves seen in most modern action titles. That aside, the more than a dozen uniquely themed levels each took 1-2 hours to clear. This length, and optional quests that remix older zones, make The First Berserker a sizeable game.

Defeated enemies and treasure caches reward you with weapons and armor. Gear comes in varying rarities, with unique stats and set bonuses, similar to the Nioh games. For example, you can adopt a heavier tank build by trading mobility for enhanced defense and damage resistance. Or, you can choose superior stamina recovery and agility, at the cost of lower defense. Experience points earned through combat enhance your stats toward this end. In a nice touch, you can mix and match gear to get desired perks and develop your stats alongside these for maximum customization options. 

Unlockable skills are powerful tools in Khazan's arsenal. They're typically more powerful than your basic attacks but consume Spirit, a secondary meter you recharge by fighting (like Stellar Blade's Beta Skills). However, you earn a finite number of skill points throughout a playthrough, so you must consider how you invest them in weapons and abilities. Although The First Berserker doesn't have as robust a leveling and customization system as Elden Ring, the game is granular enough that your development feels meaningful and satisfying.

That said, The First Berserker falters in the music department. Most levels have a subdued musical ambiance punctuated by more dramatic elements during combat. Boss music is considerably more energetic, but only a handful are memorable among those.

(Credit: Nexon/PCMag)

PC Specs and Performance

To play The First Berserker on PC, you need a gaming rig with at least the Windows 10 operating system; an AMD Ryzen 3 1200 or Intel Core i3-6300 CPU; Arc A580, AMD Radeon RX 580, or Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 GPU; 12GB of RAM; and 70GB of storage. The recommended system requirements include Windows 11; an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 or Intel Core i7-6700K CPU; an AMD Radeon RX 5700XT, Arc A750, or Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070 GPU; and the aforementioned RAM and storage.

The game looks and feels great despite a handful of stiff animations. The First Berserker runs on Unreal Engine 5 but sidesteps many of the shortcomings associated with it. You still get the occasional low-res texture and odd pop-in, but the game runs well. I saw minimal stuttering (perhaps once per level) and a near-locked 60fps frame rate throughout my playthrough (at 1440p on High graphics settings).

The First Berserker supports keyboard, mouse, and gamepad controls. It's Steam Deck verified and runs at a smooth 45fps on medium graphics settings. 

Verdict: An Exciting New Action-RPG

The First Berserker: Khazan draws inspiration from the acclaimed Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice but offers just enough uniqueness to stand on its own merits. Its skill system and speedier action bring it closer to Stellar Blade on the action spectrum, but its randomized loot and mission-based structure feel very Nioh-like. Add excellent graphics, presentation, and PC performance, and you have a terrific title that could be the foundation for a new action-RPG series.