Nexon shares gameplay deep dive for The First Berserker: Khazan, plus Q&A with creative director Junho Lee

Nexon and Neople have released a new guided gameplay video for The First Berserker: Khazan, introducing combat, skills, weapons, and more for the upcoming action RPG.

Additionally, RPG Site had the chance to ask a few questions to Creative Director Junho Lee about the game, its connection with the Dungeon & Fighter universe, combat, level design, and more. You can find our Q&A below.

The First Berserker: Khazan is set to release in Early 2025 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Steam). In case you missed it, Nexon recently showcased a new trailer and screenshots from its Opening Night Live showcase.

Get a glimpse of Khazan's combat system and core mechanics, showcasing the introduction of the spear and greatsword. Watch as Khazan displays stylish, skill-based combat while facing off against two powerful bosses in extended battles.

The First Berserker: Khazan is a hardcore action RPG based on DNF (Dungeon & Fighter) Universe that will be available on PC Steam, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. As Khazan, the great general of the Pell Los Empire who overcame death, players will unveil the incidents that led to his downfall and seek vengeance on his enemies.

Q&A With Creative Director Junho Lee

RPG Site: The premise for The First Berserker: Khazan seems to be deeply intertwined with the background lore for Dungeon & Fighter. How will the game provide context for players who have never played Dungeon & Fighter before?

Junho Lee: Even new players who aren't familiar with Dungeon & Fighter will be able to understand Kazan's story throughout the game. The story is composed of a simple theme, vengeance. In the main story, players will go through Khazan's life and his road to revenge, rather than a complicated story intertwined with the background lore of DNF. So, to enjoy the game at its base level, no context is needed for players.

RPG Site: Since The First Berserker: Khazan chronicles the origin story for one of the most popular classes in Dungeon & Fighter, will other recognizable characters from the DNF universe (aside from Ozma) appear in the game?

Junho Lee: There are some familiar characters, including Ozma, but Khazan intends to reconstruct something new rather than solely follow the original story. Players will meet and interact with new faces that DNF fans will not always be familiar with. However, if players are familiar with various classes from Dungeon & Fighter, they can look forward to finding some notable aspects.

RPG Site: The Ozma Raid in Dungeon & Fighter consists of a multi-layered dungeon with many different mechanics, such as a color-matching segment and a chase sequence. Will that dungeon make an appearance in The First Berserker: Khazan and will the game exhibit any of these mechanics from the iconic Dungeon & Fighter raid?

Junho Lee: Khazan’ s gameplay is inspired by a variety of content from Dungeon & Fighter. Such inspired dungeons and gameplay are made to provide a captivating experience for our upcoming 3D console action game.

RPG Site: There seems to be a big focus on the story for The First Berserker: Khazan. Can you tell me anything about how the game will present it? Will it be through individual stages or a big open-world?

It leans towards a closed-level design. While Khazan prioritizes the enjoyment derived from action, we are also preparing various elements and content to provide the pleasure of adventure and exploration.

RPG Site: The First Berserker: Khazan has been in development for quite some time and undergone different iterations throughout the process. I’m curious to know why Neople decided to turn it into a “hardcore action RPG” and if there will be any different difficulty modes when players begin the game.

Junho Lee: After receiving high praise from Nexon, to elevate the gameplay as a 3D action game to the highest level, we thought that a greater focus on the character’s actions was needed. Consequently, we decided to strengthen these aspects by creating a console game using the DNF IP. We pursue the seamless integration of difficulty levels into the content rather than offering them as system options.