For gamers eager to dive into a fresh single-player Action RPG that echoes the thrills of Elden Ring, The First Berserker: Khazan by Neople is a solid contender worth exploring. Before stepping into the world of The First Berserker: Khazan, it’s beneficial for players to understand the kind of challenge that lies ahead and how it measures up against Elden Ring.
While The First Berserker: Khazan might offer a more adaptable difficulty level, many players find it on par with the challenging experience of Elden Ring’s Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC. Fortunately, the game includes various layered progression systems that enable players to gradually conquer the demanding hurdles presented.
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Despite the limited selection of primary weapons—only three in total—The First Berserker: Khazan’s approach to weapons remains unique and impactful where it counts the most. It’s not about quantity but rather the quality and strategic implementation of these tools.
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### Comparing Difficulty: The First Berserker: Khazan vs. Elden Ring’s Base Game and Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC
#### Tough Bosses: As Fierce as Those in Shadow of the Erdtree
Elden Ring’s combat system is notoriously complex, given the wealth of weapons, spells, and gear that players can experiment with. Success can often come by mastering a particular weapon or playstyle. However, in The First Berserker: Khazan, despite a scarcity in weapon types, gamers need to master an array of offensive and defensive strategies to face formidable adversaries, characterized by their hefty health bars and the rare window of opportunity for a clean strike.
Without mastering the art of blending offense and defense to create counterattack opportunities, players may find the major opponents and bosses in The First Berserker: Khazan quite as challenging as those in Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Considering the DLC was fiercely challenging even for seasoned Soulsborne fans, this comparison highlights the demanding nature of Khazan’s bosses. However, thanks to The First Berserker: Khazan’s generous progression systems, players have the chance to overcome these encounters, despite the game’s linear quest progression.
#### Generous Progression Systems: A Breath of Fresh Air Compared to Elden Ring
In The First Berserker: Khazan, the currency known as Lacrima functions similarly to Elden Ring’s Runes and is crucial for attribute enhancements. In both games, players risk losing their currency upon death, needing to reclaim it or face losing it permanently—a hallmark of the genre. Yet, The First Berserker: Khazan is kinder with this mechanic than Elden Ring, particularly with Lacrima management.
Should players fall during a boss battle, Lacrima is conveniently dropped outside the arena and can be retrieved easily. Moreover, players receive even more Lacrima depending on the damage inflicted on the boss during their attempts. Such player-friendly features allow gradual accumulation of upgrades despite repeated trial and error.
In addition to the typical attribute-upgrade progression system seen in Elden Ring and other FromSoftware titles, The First Berserker: Khazan offers several permanent progression systems. Players can upgrade their weapons, armor, and delve into both character and weapon skill trees, adding layers of strategy and customization.
As players face daunting enemies and bosses early on in The First Berserker: Khazan, they might note similarities to the preliminary hardships encountered in Elden Ring’s Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC. However, as one familiarizes themselves with the extensive array of progression systems and bolsters their arsenal and skills, the initially steep difficulty curve starts to feel a bit more forgiving and manageable.
