Why Players Shouldn't Skip The First Berserker's First…

In a move that mimics many other Soulslikes, The First Berserker: Khazan features a large tutorial area at the game's outset that quickly acclimates players to most of the game's central mechanics. By the time players make it to the first major boss in The First Berserker: Khazan, the Blade Phantom, they should have a firm grip on essential evasive maneuvers like Khazan's last-minute dodge or the parry-like Brink Guard if they're to have any chance of besting the foe. After emerging victorious, there might be a temptation to proceed full steam ahead into the game's next main mission, but that would be a mistake.

After defeating the Blade Phantom, players get access to The First Berserker: Khazan's hub area, The Crevice, from which they can launch any of Khazan's main and optional missions. The first visit to The Crevice notifies players that the game's first optional mission has opened up, which is essentially just a boss fight against another phantom known as Keshta: The Unyielding. There's a strong case to be made for players challenging Keshta as soon as possible, thanks to his place as a stronger, more aggressive version of the Blade Phantom that acts as a trial by fire for The First Berserker: Khazan's most critical mechanics.

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By Ollie Tuscarny

Keshta: The Unyielding is a Tougher Version of The First Berserker: Khazan's Blade Phantom

The First Berserker Khazan Blade Phantom

In what quickly becomes a trend among most of The First Berserker: Khazan's optional boss encounters, Keshta: The Unyielding is essentially a harder version of a boss that players just defeated; in this case, the Blade Phantom. Not only does this make sense from a narrative perspective — with Keshta one of several Phantoms that Khazan will need to defeat as part of increasing the Blade Phantom's power — it's also a clever way to upend player expectations by lulling them into a false sense of security. Regardless of how easy or difficult players find the Blade Phantom, Keshta ups the ante significantly.

While the two do share most of the same moves, Keshta is faster, more aggressive, and applies more damage to Khazan's health and stamina, especially when mis-timing the Brink Guards that are essential to surviving the fight. The battle with Keshta is a trial by fire that arguably does a better job of being a tutorial encounter while also serving as a serious skill check to make sure that players have a firm grip on the mechanics that will quickly become essential to survival in The First Berserker: Khazan's brutal world.

Why Players Should Challenge Keshta Immediately After Beating the Blade Phantom

There might be a temptation to skip Keshta and come back to fight him later under the pretense of either the fight being easier after leveling up or focusing on the main story before clearing up optional content, but this would be a grave miscalculation on the player's part. The second major area in The First Berserker: Khazan presents a major difficulty spike that makes the initial hours seem pale by comparison, and Keshta is the ideal warm-up round to make sure that players test their mettle before proceeding.

Additionally, defeating Keshta unlocks the first of several Phantom Abilities that players will acquire throughout the game, which are passive buffs to Khazan applied by his connection to the Blade Phantom that can make or break certain combat scenarios. Missing out on Keshta's Phantom Ability, which gradually replenishes Khazan's stamina, could make the journey through The Forgotten Temple that much harder, and that's without even factoring in the area's steep difficulty curve.

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