The First Berserker: Khazan, A “Hardcore Action Game”, Might Be Getting Difficulty Settings

Summary

• Emphasis on difficulty in The First Berserker: Khazan, a Soulslike game.
• Neople considers adding difficulty settings for wider audience appeal.
• Conflict within development team on difficulty options for players unfamiliar with action games.

The First Berserker: Khazan, a Soulslike action RPG set in the Dungeon and Fighter universe, is set for release early next year. The game will have a big emphasis on difficulty, with the word 'hardcore' repeatedly cropping up in the game's marketing materials.

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However, while challenge is key to the team at Neople, in a recent chat with TheGamer at Tokyo Game Show, they refused to rule out adding difficulty settings to help attract a wider audience.

"We Also Want To Reach Players Who Aren't Really Familiar With Action Games"

Speaking to The First Berserker: Khazan's creative director, Junho Lee, in Tokyo, I asked him whether he believed a game like this should have difficulty settings and if the team would consider implementing them.

"The difficulty we strive for is a very important element in the composition of our game," he said, adding, "The most important thing in this genre is the challenge and achievement."

However, with 29% of respondents to a recent beta survey saying the game was too difficult, Lee was forced to consider how true he wanted to stick to the formula and whether difficulty options would be appropriate. "We also want to reach players who aren't really familiar with action games and very difficult games. So we are in discussion about providing a way to lower the difficulty for these types of users, and maybe reflect that into the system of the game," he told me.

We are in discussion about providing a way to lower the difficulty for these types of users.

This issue has clearly conflicted the development team, as Lee went on to say, "Importantly, we don't want players to just breeze through the game and see the ending, right? We just want to make sure we have a device for players who aren't familiar with high-difficulty games so that they can be challenged and build a sense of achievement through playing Kazan. So that is in discussion.”

So, while Lee was unable to commit to an answer on whether The First Berserker: Khazan would have difficulty settings, he never ruled it out, implying that there would at least be some kind of system in place to make things easier for players.

The First Berserker: Khazan

WHERE TO PLAY

The First Berserker: Khazan is a hardcore action role-playing game. The player will become Khazan, the great general of the Pell Los Empire, who overcame death, and sets out to reveal the incidents that led to his downfall and seek vengeance on his enemies.

Khazan and Ozma, the heroes who saved the Pell Los Empire from Hismar the Berserk Dragon and the Dragon Legion. However, General Khazan, falsely accused of treason, becomes a wretched outcast as he is condemned to exile beyond the empire through brutal torture.

YOU MUST PREVAIL
Survive the relentless pursuit of imperial forces, navigate conspiracies aimed at killing Khazan, and overcome the harsh environments you encounter.

YOU MUST REMEMBER
You were once a hero in the history of Arad, a once-in-a-lifetime figure. Recall the forgotten skills of battle learned through brutal torture and slay the enemies who defame and stand against you.

YOU MUST RECLAIM
Find all potential enemies, reclaim everything that was taken from you, seek revenge, and regain the honor and glory that rightfully belong to you.

Story
The First Berserker: Khazan is a game that adapts the universe of DNF (one of Nexon's globally known intellectual properties), dealing with the story of Ozma and Khazan.
The player will become the hero "Khazan," the ancestor of all Slayers and the one who defeated Hismar the Berserk Dragon, proceeding to uncover the truth of his downfall within the empire.

Action
The First Berserker: Khazan is a hardcore action role-playing game.
Experience DNF's frantic hack and slash style mixed with hardcore action as Khazan's devastating battles await you.

Growth
The First Berserker: Khazan is an RPG with various equipment and perks to customize your own way of growth.
Play as the protagonist "Khazan," upgrading not only character abilities but also combining different types of weapon and armor abilities to match your playstyle.