The First Berserker: Khazan interview - Berserk warrior

When looking for inspiration, it was hard for the people at Neople to go past the Dungeon & Fighter character Khazan and his classic revenge tale.

“His intense need for revenge is an integral part of Dungeon & Fighter,” Junho tells us. “Khazan has a compelling story that allows players to empathise with him and become deeply immersed in his journey. As the great general of the Pell Los Empire, he overcame death and sets out to reveal the incidents that led to his downfall and seek vengeance on his enemies.”

While players don’t need to be familiar with Dungeon & Fighter, fans may discover the odd bonus.

“Players don’t need any prior knowledge of the Dungeon & Fighter universe to enjoy The First Berserker: Khazan,” Junho reassures us. “The game is designed to be engaging even for players unfamiliar with the universe.

“At the same time, fans of the original series will discover new dimensions of the lore, with intricate details and perspectives that weren’t fully explored in the original Dungeon & Fighter.”

Dungeon & Fighter has a distinct anime-styled look to it, and it was challenging to settle on the art style for The First Berserker: Khazan.

“Our goal of evolving the Dungeon & Fighter universe and expanding it globally with a console launch inspired us to create a fresh new art style for the franchise,” reveals Junho. “While many hardcore action RPGs and Soulslike games lean toward surreal, complex art with high-end design and graphics, we aimed to bring an anime-inspired style to Khazan.

“This choice stays true to the Dungeon & Fighter aesthetic, while also refreshing the look for western audiences who may be less familiar with the universe. Our aim was to achieve a cinematic quality for Khazan that is often found in mature-audience animation, focusing on two primary elements: bold, gritty, and intense battle scenes, paired with high-quality rendering to immerse players in a dark, atmospheric setting.”

Taking the hack-and-slash gameplay that the series is known for into 3D posed some challenges.

“From a gameplay perspective, transitioning the 2D-based Dungeon & Fighter style into a 3D environment was quite challenging,” admits Junho. “From the camera to controls, maintaining the original’s sense of speed and thrilling action while also implementing a deep combat experience in a 3D space.”

“It wasn’t just about transferring the original gameplay into 3D but also optimising the gameplay for single player while considering the multiplayer aspect, as well as keeping in mind the trends of console action games. One particular focus was ensuring that the game was fun - so much so that both attacking and defence are enjoyable.

“We put a lot of effort into creating strategic, tactical action that goes beyond simple button-mashing, allowing players to analyse monster patterns and respond strategically.”

The team at Neople are proud to give their own evolution to the action RPG/Soulslike genre.

“I’d say the key difference is the evolving action experience. The game begins with Khazan, who, due to severe torture, is unable to access the abilities he had in his prime. At this point, the gameplay feels reminiscent of a Soulslike experience. However, when Blade Phantom joins and Khazan grows stronger, gaining abilities beyond his prime, the game shifts closer to the hardcore action RPG experience we’re aiming for.

The team hope that those who play The First Berserker: Khazan take much away from their time with the game.

“We wanted to offer players an experience beyond just simple combat,” Junho enthuses. “Khazan is not just a game with high-difficulty action, but one that combines a deep story with intense battles.

“We designed the game so that the story and gameplay intertwine seamlessly, allowing players to feel Khazan’s inner conflicts throughout his journey. When players complete the game, we hope they don’t just feel the accomplishment of defeating bosses, but also deeply empathise with Khazan and share in his emotions.”

Three tips

Junho kindly shared three things for players to keep an eye out for as they venture deeper into The First Berserker: Khazan...

• Many people might overlook that the items used to obtain Lacrima can also restore health.

• There’s also a skill called "Execution” that I believe is one of the best skills in the game.

• After completing the side mission where you encounter Danjin, you can collect hidden jars and receive special rewards. These are marked by unique sounds in the environment, and you’ll feel a vibration on the controller when you're near them.”