The First Berserker: Khazan May update adds hardcore boss rush modes this week

A significant update for The First Berserker: Khazan is scheduled to launch this week on May 15th, introducing a “hardcore difficulty” boss rush mode to the game. Developer Neople has also teased upcoming updates through June.

The May 15th update will introduce two boss rush modes to cater to the desire for a more challenging experience. Creative Director Junho Lee emphasized the importance of making the mode tough yet rewarding, stating, “It had to be fun, something that’s tough but rewarding. A mode you’d be proud to conquer and eager to show off.”

The update will include a new Boss Rush (Ultimate Challenge) menu on the title screen after completing the main campaign. The two Boss Rush modes offer different difficulty levels and progression paths:

• “Great General’s Crucible” – Battle through groups of thematically organized bosses, unlocking the next theme after each victory. You will fight with designated specifications (gear, level, skills, etc.), and completing all challenges will earn you a special reward.
• “Berserker’s Bloodshed” – Strengthen your character with rewards earned from consecutive battles and strive to defeat the final boss. As a final reward, you can acquire powerful new weapons and set items.

The update will also allow players to change their appearance in the main game after completing the Blacksmith’s Heirloom mission.

Looking ahead, an update expected in late May or early June will introduce some quality of life features to address requests for shortcut resets and faster boss retries. Neople acknowledges that fulfilling these requests directly within the game structure may not be feasible. Instead, they will implement:

• New items for fast travel to the Crevice or the last Blade Nexus interacted with: Permanent items will be added to allow instant movement to the Crevice or the last Blade Nexus interacted with, eliminating the need for consumables.
• Teleportation between Blade Nexuses: Players can freely move between activated Blade Nexuses within the same mission. Interacting with a Blade Nexus will display a list of available destinations.
• After completing specific farming missions, players will now start directly in front of the Spectral Portal before entering the mission, eliminating the need for extensive travel through the Mortal World for a quick retry.

Finally, targeting late June, Neople is working on:

• [Balance Adjustment] Skill balance adjustments for Dual Wield, Greatsword, and Spear
• [Balance Adjustment] Adjustment to set effect configurations
• [New System] Skill Presets
• [New System] Gear Presets
• [New System] Increase Gear Grades
• [New System] Change Weapon Scaling
• [QoL] New Sorting Option: Sorting Items by Name
• [QoL] Storage Expansion
• And… More Special Contents Coming

For more detailed information and insights into the development decisions, refer to Junho Lee’s post on the Steam announcement page. The First Berserker: Khazan received a favorable review from us, scoring 8/10 back in March. Our reviewer Jason noted that the game is consistently enjoyable, with appealing visuals, engaging action, and impressive boss designs. Whether you seek a challenging experience akin to Soulslike games or prefer a more accessible mode, The First Berserker: Khazan offers a diverse gameplay experience.

Source: Steam