(Dev Note) Khazan's Next Step: April Update Preview
Hello, Berserkers.
This is Junho Lee, Creative Director of The First Berserker: Khazan.
First, I want to sincerely thank everyone who's been enjoying Khazan.
Every time we watch gameplay clips shared on platforms like YouTube and TikTok, the entire dev team—including myself—is both amazed and deeply moved. Since Khazan is a game where the rhythm of combat and overall enjoyment vary greatly depending on how you use combos, we find ourselves watching a lot of combo videos. Every time we see your creative combos and awesome battle scenes, we're not only impressed—we're learning from them, too.
And to everyone who's shared feedback on Discord and other communities with the hope of making Khazan an even better game—we truly appreciate it.
Main Features of the Upcoming Patch
The next patch is ready and is currently awaiting final QA and platform review. We'll share the full details in the patch notes, but for now, here's a quick look at a few of the changes we think you've been most looking forward to.
Fix for the "Standing Alone" Achievement
We think this might be the one most of you have been waiting for. The achievement has been updated so that it can now be completed as long as you don't summon the Spirit of Advocacy during your second playthrough—even if you summoned it in your first.
This is also in response to a question from Discord user hayyeeQQ.
Honestly, we'd love to go in and manually complete the achievement for everyone who's already met the condition, but we've found that doing so would require platform-level account changes, which are outside the dev team's control... We're truly sorry about that.
Once the patch goes live, all records of having summoned the Spirit of Advocacy will be reset. From that point on, if you defeat the final boss without summoning the soul, the achievement will unlock.
Even if you've already completed a third run (NG++), you won't need to start a new game—you can still earn the achievement. Likewise, as long as you defeat the final boss again without summoning the Spirit of Advocacy, the achievement will be completed.
Difficulty Change From Easy to Normal
You can now switch from Easy to Normal difficulty at any time.
Likewise, you can switch from Normal back to Easy whenever you want. (Of course, that part was already possible...)
Please keep in mind you can't make changes during your playthrough of the final mission and in the ending zone.
Improved Visibility of Hidden Danjin's Jars
Previously, there was a feature that used sound and vibration cues when you approached a hidden jar. However, players using a keyboard and mouse could only rely on the sound. To make them easier to find, this patch adds visual indicators to help you spot hidden jars.
In addition, both the strength of the vibration and the sound cues have been fine-tuned for improved detection.
"Khazan's Memories" Improvements
A tutorial has been added to guide players the first time they enter the Khazan's Memories menu.
You can now navigate Khazan's Memories using both a mouse and the D-Pad.
If you have completed Khazan's Memories or have enough Vengeance Points to upgrade abilities, a red dot notification will appear.
A new reset button has also been added, allowing you to redistribute your ability points.
Main Menu Improvements
You can now open the main menu at any time during a mission to check your Soulstones, collected Danjin's Jars, and any lost Lacrima.
Red Dot Notifications
(When upgrades are available) A red dot will now appear when you can claim rewards or enhance through systems like Phantom, Khazan's Memories, or the Spirit of Advocacy. Now you won't need to open each menu one by one just to check anymore.
(When new crafting recipes are available) If new recipes are registered by speaking with Blacksmith Duimuk, any newly added craftable items will also be marked with a red dot.
Elemental Resistance Now Affects Environmental Status Effects
Khazan's elemental resistances will not affect status effects that cover an area, such as burning fields or poison swamps, reducing their impact.
Improved Character Growth Experience
After the patch, leveling up one Phantom will make it faster to raise the next. We've improved the progression experience so players can grow various Phantoms more smoothly and build up their characters more efficiently.
We've also adjusted the skill proficiency gain system so that skilled players—or those who focus on dodge mechanics—won't be at a disadvantage when increasing their skill mastery.
World Map Mission Indicators Improved
We've fixed the issue where it was unclear whether missions shown on the world map had been cleared.
Daphrona's Codex Improvements
Now, when you discover a new monster and it's added to the bestiary, its elemental weakness information will also be displayed.
Gear Screen Improvements+
A new "Sort by Performance" option has been added. Weapons can now be sorted by Attack, and armor by Defense. (Please hang in there just a bit longer for the "Sort by Name" option...!)
If a gear item grants a skill through a unique or set effect, you can now view the skill's description and a preview video via the "Help" option. When a new skill becomes available through gear, you'll now have the option to equip it immediately.
Also, you can now quickly check the current status of your set items. If you have other set items that are not currently equipped, they'll be marked with a white icon.
(Even if those items are stored in your warehouse, they'll still appear with a white icon. If you can't find them in your inventory, be sure to check the storage!)
Lock-On System Improvements+
The lock-on system has been reworked to function more practically.
A new option has been added in the "System - Settings" menu that lets you choose whether the lock-on direction is based on the camera or your character. We've set the default to camera direction as it tends to be more intuitive. However, if you prefer, you can switch the setting so that lock-on aligns with the direction your character is facing.
Also, the "System - Settings" menu now includes a toggle for the camera reset function. When you attempt to lock on but there's no valid target, the camera will automatically reorient to match Khazan's facing direction. You can choose to enable or disable that feature.
There's a lot more coming in this update, so be sure to check out the full patch notes for all the details.
Our Update Philosophy
When preparing updates, our top priority is ensuring nothing breaks your immersion during gameplay. That's why we focus first on minimizing unexpected bugs and lag, while also enhancing the quality of existing systems. At the same time, we're working on new content you'll be able to enjoy right after.
Of course, we know it's frustrating to wait for fixes to the issues you're facing, and we apologize for the inconvenience.
But thorough testing is absolutely essential to prevent a small fix from leading to a bigger problem. The First Berserker: Khazan is packed with content, so even a single change needs to be carefully checked for highly specific scenarios or unexpected situations. We're doing everything we can to ensure every patch makes the game more enjoyable and more stable.
Thank you so much for your patience.
Thank you so much for your support.
And thank you so much for having fun with us.
We're working hard every day to repay that support with gratitude.
We'll be back soon with news on what's coming next.
Sincerely, Junho Lee