It isn’t uncommon for developers to begin their game dev journey with one genre and then release a completely different one further down the line. That is the case withThe First Berserker: Khazan,with Neople developing an RPG hack-and-slash title, before trying their hand at one of the most widely respected genres on the planet.
Khazantakes many of the lessons learned from industry titansto create a truly unforgettable experiencethat uses a lot of the DNA found within traditional Soulslike games, adapts mechanics, and introduces plenty of new and exciting additions that make the game feel familiar in many ways but distinct as another excellent entry into the catalog of exceptional Soulslikes.
Art Direction
A New Perspective
For the most part, whether it is a close replicator of the genre like the originalLords of The Fallenor an attempt at a slightly different perspective likeMortal Shell, the majority of Soulslikes follow a fairly similar visual style, keeping things semi-realistic and creating a world in an alternative medieval setting, with a few exceptions taking on Sci-fi, Japanese aesthetics or Victorian.
Khazankeeps the setting fairly familiar but adopts a more cartoony/anime-style approach to the art and design, with characters looking as though they belong in a hand-crafted manga and the environments feeling alive with their color and unique aesthetic. It is a nice change when compared to ultra-realistic graphics and high fidelity, which helps the game run far smoother and feels like an entirely new experience.
Missions
Mixing Up The Gameplay Flow
In traditional Soulslikes, hand-holding is gone in place of free exploration, with little to no guidance or direction. It makes it feel like a real adventure, as the player is forced to press on into each area that all blend together and combine into a perfect, living world. But withKhazan,the openness is slightly lower,as each section of the game is broken up into missions, containing a variety of enemies, bosses and secrets to uncover.
This isn’t the first time this kind of story progression has been introduced to the genre, as games likeNiohchose to break up the game into more manageable chunks, and it is certainly a nice way of enjoying the game in parts when compared to the more uncertain approach seen in FromSoftware titles.
Spin-off
Adapting An Existing Universe
Games don’t always come out of pure imagination, and sometimes they are adapted from existing source material, whether in the form of a story, book, or another game universe. When it comes to the mainlineSoulsgames, those were obviously original creations that redefined the gaming world, but as it turns out, sometimes taking a concept or story from elsewhere and bringing in the hardcore action and gripping fights of a Soulslike can be just as effective at creating a great video game.
Khazan is a character adapted from the smash-hitDungeon Fighter Onlineuniverse, an immensely popular Beat’em up title from the same developer that garnered a player base of over 850 million players and over $22 billion in revenue as of 2023. It isn’t the first time a world from elsewhere has been adapted, butKhazanis a huge departure from theDFOgameplay and a risk that has certainly paid off.
Parry/Stagger Mechanic
Close To Perfect
Like any good Soulslike, gameplay comes first and each title attempts to distinguish itself from others by taking a new approach or adopting previous strategies and elements that worked well in the past. Ever since the release ofSekiro,the gaming world has gone parry mad, with so many titles attempting to replicate or capture even a small aspect of the perfection that FromSoftware created.
Khazanuses parrying and staggering mechanics with its own unique twist, allowing the player to deflect and deal posture damage like other games but letting the player weave in significantly more abilities and combos to keep the fights feeling fast-paced and responsive and rewarding players for mastering the mechanics. It might not be as fast asSekiroor as satisfying asBloodborne,but it finds a fine line between all styles, pumping hearts and keeping the action intense until the bosses fall.
Weaponry
Variety Is The Spice
Weapons are some of the most memorable parts of any game, having character, lore, flavor, and being downright amazing to wield.Khazanlooks to shake up the weapon approach bylimiting player’s choices to just three subclasses, with each containing a long list of powerful armaments that each fit into a specific gameplay style and combat approach.
The skill tree is also split into a few categories, similar toWukong,letting players decide on exactly what kind of build they want to follow but letting them freely swap between them at no cost. It’s refreshing to have some variety within set constraints that keeps builds feeling fun and exciting without overwhelming the player with 1000 different combinations and weapons that are impossible to choose between.
The World
Diverse And Full Of Flavor
Gameplay is one thing, but it can only work as well as the environment that is played in.Khazanbreaks up the map in multiple waysthat feel distinct from other entries in the genre. Rather than having an open-world map that can be freely traversed between, players instead access each individual mission via the hub area and can jump into specific parts of each to replay bosses or specific segments whenever they choose.
It gives a lot of freedom to the player, and being able to go back and redo bosses over and over adds a lot of replay value and doesn’t lock certain missions from being accessed once they have been completed. The other aspect is the collectibles and other its scattered across each stage, which can often be awkward to get back to in other titles. All that frustration is removed here, as if a player misses a Soulstone or another important item, it only takes a matter of seconds to collect before they can jump back into the main action.
Camera Angles
Up Close And Personal
It might seem like a small detail, but perspective is everything when it comes to fast-paced, reaction-based titles like Soulslikes. The standard approach is a third-person camera at a fair distance to allow players to see plenty of the environment at once, as well as track incoming blows from some of the larger enemies.
Khazanshifts the camera a tad bit closer to the player, which makes each encounter feel more personal and intimate and feel like a real 1v1 battle. Boss battles in this iteration are perfect, and players can see just enough on-screen at once to be able to dodge and deflect, with handy sound-queues playing a big role in the ability to fight back against the harder fights. It’s a small detail but one that changes how the gameplay feels in a new and interesting way.
Armor Sets
The Perfect Wardrobe
Weapons might be flashy and give a lot of flair to a game’s feel, but armor is just as important whendefining a character and a playthrough. Helmets, chestplates, and everything in between are a great way of expressing the player’s personality, as well as giving powerful benefits to help compete and stay powerful at each point in the game.
Khazangives players a lot of choices on what armor they can choose to equip. Whether they prefer a lighter, more agile build or want to stay tanky and sustain more damage, the options are all there. On top of this, there is an incentive to wear armor and weaponry from a specific set, providing extra stat bonuses with each piece equipped which adds an extra level of depth to the already expansive armor system.
