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Game Information
Game Title: The First Berserker: Khazan
Platforms:
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 82 average - 80% recommended
Metacritic - 78 average - based on 4 reviews (PS5)
Critic Reviews
But Why Tho? - Eddie De Santiago - 7 / 10
Cerealkillerz - Nick Erlenhof - German - 7.5 / 10
Fextralife - Tyr - 9 / 10
Final Weapon - Alex Patterson - 4 / 5
Hey Poor Player - Shane Boyle - 4.5 / 5
Hinsusta - Pascal Kaap - German - 10 / 10
INVEN - Hongman Yoon - Korean - 8.5 / 10
Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 9 / 10
MonsterVine - James Carr - 3.5 / 5
PSX Brasil - Marco Aurélio Couto - Portuguese - 80 / 100
Quest Daily - Tom Greer - 8 / 10
RPGamer - Jordan McClain - 4 / 5
Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Unscored
TheSixthAxis - Jason Coles - 8 / 10
Thumb Wars - Luke Addison - 4 / 5
XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8.7 / 10
Game Title: The First Berserker: Khazan
Platforms:
- PC (Mar 27, 2025)
- PlayStation 5 (Mar 27, 2025)
- Xbox Series X/S (Mar 27, 2025)
Review Aggregator:
OpenCritic - 82 average - 80% recommended
Metacritic - 78 average - based on 4 reviews (PS5)


Critic Reviews
But Why Tho? - Eddie De Santiago - 7 / 10
There is plenty to enjoy about The First Berserker: Khazan, but it requires you to commit to overcoming its challenges in a way most other games do not.
Cerealkillerz - Nick Erlenhof - German - 7.5 / 10
The First Berserker: Khazan is a more than promising title for fans of Nioh, Sekiro or Dark Souls. The fast-paced battles, dark setting and mechanics such as the bonus Lacrima system provide a fresh touch to the genre. The chic cel-shaded look and the motivating revenge story also provide the necessary reason to slay enemies and bosses.
Fextralife - Tyr - 9 / 10
The First Berserker: Khazan is a brilliant blend of the Soulslike and Hack and Slash genres, offering some of the best combat in recent gaming years and an incredibly polished product. While it does have some shortcomings in its story, replayability, and occasionally borrows too heavily from past titles, if you live for action games such as Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice or Devil May Cry 5, this game will likely be your Game of the Year so far and a title we can recommend at full price.
Final Weapon - Alex Patterson - 4 / 5
The First Berserker: Khazan is the best Soulslike I've played since Lies of P. The game can sometimes overstay its welcome, but the excellent combat, boss fights, and stellar presentation more than makeup for that. If you're hungry for a new hardcore action RPG, Khazan is the game to pick up.
Hey Poor Player - Shane Boyle - 4.5 / 5
The First Berserker: Khazan is a brutal, beautiful delight. Its elegant parry system, demonic boss battles, and flexible yet approachable take on character development have come together to create a package that may pull directly from many sources in the genre but ultimately delivers a standout experience that easily stands amongst the stiffest competition the genre has to offer. Its early hours may suffer from linearity, and its parry-heavy combat system may not sit well with everyone, but if you’re up for the challenge and willing to adapt to how The First Berserker: Khazan requires you to play, then you’re in for an absolute treat.
Hinsusta - Pascal Kaap - German - 10 / 10
The First Berserker: Khazan is an outstanding Soulslike that proves to be the ultimate hardcore action RPG of recent years. The game combines the best the genre has to offer and delivers a gripping mix of dark atmosphere, precise combat system and challenging enemies. Especially for fans of Soulslike games, The First Berserker: Khazan is an absolute must-buy.
INVEN - Hongman Yoon - Korean - 8.5 / 10
The First Berserker: Kazan is a game that most action RPG fans will likely enjoy. While it has its flaws and falls short of being a masterpiece, it delivers exactly what was expected. At the very least, it’s a solid and well-crafted title.
Loot Level Chill - Mick Fraser - 9 / 10
The First Berserker: Khazan has a massive focus on rewarding the player’s perseverance, whatever their skill level.
MonsterVine - James Carr - 3.5 / 5
The First Berserker: Kahzan features a fun combat system, an interesting world, and an enjoyable revenge tale, but tedious and overly long boss fights make what should be the most exciting part of the game too frustrating to enjoy. It's unfortunate, as the rest of the experience is a ton of fun, but when the main selling point of the genre is the weakest part of the game, it weighs down the entire experience.
PSX Brasil - Marco Aurélio Couto - Portuguese - 80 / 100
The First Berserker: Khazan is yet another great action RPG that, although it uses concepts from the soulslike formula, is still able to deliver intense and satisfying combat to make it unique. Some decisions in the art direction make its visuals a little repetitive in the final stretch of the campaign, but overall it is a game easily recommended for fans of the genre.
Quest Daily - Tom Greer - 8 / 10
The First Berserker: Kahzan is a game that doesn’t mess around. It’s tough, flashy, and brimming with style, but it does have its rough patches... If you’re looking for a game that lets you live out your berserker fantasy — complete with tough-as-nails combat and jaw-dropping visuals — this one’s definitely worth the ride. Just be prepared to die... a lot.
RPGamer - Jordan McClain - 4 / 5
All in all, The First Berserker delivers an uncompromisingly tight combat experience that is further buoyed by an interesting, if somewhat unevenly paced, plot and a gorgeous presentation that is equal parts relentlessly grim and oppressive.
Rock, Paper, Shotgun - Unscored
A hack 'n' slash soulslike with an uninspiring plot and tedious level design but its satisfying combat and tough boss fights might make it worth trying.
TheSixthAxis - Jason Coles - 8 / 10
The First Berserker: Khazan is a great action game that's not reinventing anything by any means, but is consistently fun to play. The visuals are lovely, the action is a lot of fun thanks to ever-evolving skill trees, and the boss designs are great too. If you're after a Soulslike challenge, it can fit that bill in some ways, but it should also have a broader appeal thanks to the easy mode and more.
Thumb Wars - Luke Addison - 4 / 5
A beginner’s introduction to difficult games, The First Berserker: Khazan has many of the accessibility options Soulslikes/Action RPG fans have cried out for, and it does it all with an excellent combat system, interesting lore and story, and some fine visuals.
XboxEra - Jesse Norris - 8.7 / 10
The First Berserker: Khazan is an excellent action-focused Soulslike. A few minor quibbles and a predictable story aren't enough to hold back one of the most brutally difficult games we've ever played.
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