For those eager to dive into a fresh single-player Action RPG that echoes the intensity of Elden Ring, The First Berserker: Khazan by Neople deserves attention. Before embarking on this challenging adventure, itβs important to have an understanding of how its difficulty stacks up against the infamous Elden Ring.
Despite offering a more accommodating level of difficulty, The First Berserker: Khazan often brings to mind the grueling challenges found in Elden Ringβs controversial Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC. However, this gameβs intricate progression systems provide ample chances for players to navigate and conquer its daunting difficulty spikes.
### Diving Into The First Berserker: Khazanβs Challenges Compared to Elden Ringβs Base Experience and Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC
#### The Boss Battles in The First Berserker: Khazan Challenge Players Like Those in Shadow Of The Erdtree
Elden Ringβs combat isnβt straightforward, thanks to its wide array of weapons, spells, and gear combinations. Players often find success focusing on a particular weapon or strategy until it becomes second nature. The First Berserker: Khazan, though offering fewer weapon types, demands mastery of both offensive and defensive skills to tackle formidable foes due to their hefty health and limited opportunities for attack.
Anyone not swiftly integrating attack and defense to seize counterattacking opportunities will likely face significant challenges, similar to those from Elden Ringβs Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. This is quite a statement, given the controversy surrounding the difficulty of Shadow Of The Erdtree among seasoned Soulsborne enthusiasts. Nonetheless, while the main bosses in Khazan present major hurdles in the linear storyline, players have the chance to advance by making use of its forgiving progression systems.
#### Generous Player Progression in The First Berserker: Khazan Outshines Elden Ringβs Standard Upgrade Mechanics
In Khazan, Lacrima replaces Elden Ringβs Runes as the currency for upgrading character attributes. Like in Elden Ring, this progression currency is dropped upon death and must be retrieved to avoid permanent loss, a classic feature in Soulsborne games. Yet, Khazan makes this less punishing than Elden Ring does with Runes.
In this game, dying during a boss encounter means your Lacrima is left outside the boss arena for easy recovery. Moreover, you accumulate additional Lacrima based on the damage you inflicted, allowing incremental upgrades with each attempt.
Beyond the standard attribute-upgrade system seen in Elden Ring and similar titles, The First Berserker: Khazan offers multiple permanent progression paths. Players can enhance their weapons and armor and invest in character and weapon skill trees for additional strength.
While early boss battles in Khazan may rival the difficulty of Elden Ringβs notorious Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC, players can alleviate this challenge. As they widen their skills and armory via the gameβs main and side quests, the previously steep difficulty curve begins to level out, offering a more manageable experience as the game progresses.