The First Berserker: Khazan

 PC
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 33 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 33
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 33
  3. Negative: 0 out of 33
  1. PCGamesN
    May 4, 2025
    70
    If you enjoyed Sekiro's parry-heavy combat and Nioh’s mission-based structure, The First Berserker Khazan will likely work for you. Even with few new ideas of its own and often unexciting levels, its build variety and brutal boss fights more than make this soulslike worth the effort.
  2. Gamekult
    Apr 3, 2025
    60
    Despite a certain generosity and explosive sword fights, The First Berserker : Khazan stretches so far and wide that its strings end up fraying after thirty-five hours of play. Between a retrograde avalanche of color-coded loot, damage-sponge bosses and plain level designs, Nexon has clearly studied the genre in depth yet lacks the necessary spark to coalesce varied designs into a radical proposition. In the end, you'll just find an okay action game.
  3. RPG Site
    Mar 24, 2025
    60
    The First Berserker: Khazan is a typical Soulslike-inspired action RPG that takes a lot of inspiration from Nioh, and offers nothing new that separates itself from the dozens of others out there. Even in the many aspects it takes from Nioh, it often does them worse. Its beautiful art direction is largely held back by a deliberately dull color palette. Additionally, its combat has some great animations, yet overall feels sluggish because of how restrictive its stamina system is. I was prepared to have a great time with The First Berserker: Khazan, but there’s so little that I enjoyed because it always took two steps back in every step it took forward.
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  1. 3DJuegos
    May 27, 2025
    One of the best SoulsLike ever made. It's fun even when you die and die and die. [Recommended]
  2. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Mar 24, 2025
    As someone who loves the genre, I can forgive so many of Khazan’s defects because of this fierceness. But I can’t deny that the game has plenty of weaknesses outside of those pitched battles. If it was a more concise adventure (a full playthrough will set you back around 80 hours), a lot of the issues I’ve mentioned might not seem like such a big deal. Instead, it leaves me feeling conflicted. I'm caught between lamenting its laborious (and often rehashed) campaign, while truly celebrating its gratifying, in-depth combat. There are some bruising boss fight treasures buried in Khazan for any tough-knuckled soulslike fans, it’s just a shame you have to dig through mounds of uninteresting levels and scores of samey enemies to reach them.
  3. Vice
    Mar 24, 2025
    The First Berserker: Khazan is a perfect fit for fans of Soulslike games looking for something fresh yet familiar. And it certainly holds its own among the genre’s heavyweights. [Strongly Recommended]