Compare The First Berserker: Khazan vs Split Fiction

Reviews note an easy mode, summon help, and an arachnophobia toggle, giving players several ways to soften the challenge.

Accessibility receives positive notice for enemy-damage toggles, checkpoint skipping, camera help, and QuickTime-event options, though one review found a QTE option bug.

Age appropriateness is supported by T-rated content with some language, blood, darker themes, and relationship-testing difficulty.

Enemy and combat animations are repeatedly praised as smooth, expressive, and satisfying in motion.

Animation quality is supported mainly by technical praise that characters look good and animate effectively.

The cel-shaded, hand-drawn-inspired presentation stands out as one of the game’s clearest strengths.

Art direction is a standout, with repeated praise for gorgeous, varied, imaginative environments across sci-fi and fantasy spaces.

A bleak palette and tense environmental presentation reinforce the revenge story’s grim mood.

Atmosphere is colorful, kinetic, and entertaining, helped by broad genre shifts and energetic presentation.

Bosses are widely seen as the highlight—demanding, readable, and memorable—though a few reviews still call out frustrating mechanics.

Bosses are generally imaginative, cooperative, and memorable, though some fights can include cheap deaths or frustration.

Technical issues seem limited overall, with one review seeing no glitches and another reporting only a few minor bugs.

Bug frequency is generally low but not absent, with reviews citing clipping, small snags, and one serious QuickTime-event bug.

Camera impressions are mixed: some found it solid and helpful, while others mention occasional trouble in specific situations.

Camera behavior is mostly positive, with one reviewer praising perfect tracking and another noting some perspective shifts made play harder.

Khazan and the broader cast are often seen as underdeveloped, with arcs and growth that do not fully capitalize on the setup.

Character development is mixed-positive, with some reviewers praising Mio and Zoe’s arc while others found it slow, predictable, or limited.

Checkpoints placed right before bosses are a major quality-of-life win and sharply reduce runback frustration.

Checkpoints and respawns are a clear strength, frequently described as generous, instant, and frustration-reducing.

Co-op experience is the strongest attribute, with broad agreement that communication, teamwork, and shared surprise are the heart of the game.

Combat is the game’s defining strength, consistently praised for its speed, depth, and rewarding parry-dodge interplay.

Combat is varied and generally enjoyable, using swords, guns, shooter sections, and action-platforming rather than one fixed battle style.

Summoned allies can help as distractions, but their AI is often described as unreliable and sometimes wasteful.

Content variety is one of the strongest consensus points, with constant shifts across genres, perspectives, mechanics, side stories, and set pieces.

Movement and combat inputs are consistently described as smooth, responsive, and precise.

Controls are generally responsive and intuitive, with only platform-specific or sequence-specific issues appearing in a few reviews.

The mission-to-boss structure successfully recreates a satisfying soulslike loop even when it feels familiar.

The core loop is built around constant cooperative reinvention, with reviewers praising the way new tools and surprises arrive before old ideas grow stale.

Couch co-op quality is repeatedly praised, with local play, shared screens, and relationship-testing cooperation seen as core strengths.

Crafting is straightforward and easier to understand than some genre peers, though its full utility opens up a bit later.

One long-play review reports a couple of crashes across roughly 60 hours, suggesting minor but real instability.

Cross-play support is repeatedly praised as generous and player-friendly, especially when paired with Friend Pass.

Dialogue is mixed: one review found it thoughtful and believable, while several others found it cheesy, cliched, or grating.

The difficulty is rewarding for many, but boss balance is one of the most divisive parts of the game.

Difficulty is more demanding than It Takes Two, but generous checkpoints, respawns, and assists make it forgiving for many pairs.

Emotional impact lands for many reviewers through friendship, trauma, creativity, and player connection, even when story execution is imperfect.

Enemy variety is generally strong, though some later impressions say repetition can creep in over long play sessions.

Levels and locales are repeatedly described as detailed, attractive, and enjoyable to move through.

Environmental detail is praised through vast, varied levels and backdrops that make short-lived worlds feel substantial.

Exploration offers worthwhile secrets and shortcuts, but several reviews still say stages are fairly linear or limited in optional discovery.

Exploration is limited and sometimes hurt by invisible walls, despite occasional optional side stories and environmental curiosities.

Facial animation evidence is limited but positive, especially around character models and lip syncing.

Family friendliness is positive for capable co-op pairs and families, though the challenge and darker tone may not suit complete beginners.

Returning to checkpoints or missions is convenient, and the hub structure makes travel between objectives fairly painless.

Flying is exciting in some sections, but at least one reviewer found dragon flight floaty and less precise than other mechanics.

Performance is usually steady, with little to no frame-rate trouble outside occasional rare drops.

Frame rate stability is excellent on most consoles, while Switch 2 reviews note lower targets and occasional stutter.

Even skeptical or genre-weary reviewers say the game is consistently exciting and hard to put down.

Fun factor is very high across positive and mixed reviews, with many emphasizing laughs, surprise, and pure game feel.

Reviewers consistently describe a fast-changing suite of mechanics that keeps play inventive, though a few felt individual mechanics could be forgettable or uneven.

Raw fidelity is seen as good rather than best-in-class, with visual appeal driven more by style than technical showmanship.

Graphics quality is strong on main platforms and still attractive on Switch 2 despite compromise, with reviewers calling presentation gorgeous or stunning.

The one Steam Deck-focused review says the game is verified and plays very well on the device.

Handheld suitability is a Switch 2 advantage, with portable play and tabletop mode valued despite visual and performance tradeoffs.

Immersion is supported by high-stakes set pieces and worlds that remain thrilling even when mechanics are simple.

Khazan adds some smart twists, but most reviews still see it as heavily derivative rather than especially original.

Innovation is a major strength, especially in cooperative design, set pieces, finales, and constant genre-switching ideas.

Early bosses and systems can be harsh, and several reviewers say the game teaches its ideas abruptly.

The learning curve is approachable but steeper for casual players who must handle cameras, timing, and fast genre shifts.

Level design trends positive overall, especially once the game opens up later, though some mission layouts can feel samey.

Level design is widely praised for audacious set pieces, memorable scenes, and strong environmental variety.

Load-time evidence is limited to Switch 2 texture pop-in when loading into new areas, so this is a modest technical caveat rather than a core strength.

Loot is plentiful but generally manageable, with enough gear and sets to support build tinkering without becoming overwhelming.

Supplemental tools like the relationship map help flesh out the setting and backstory for players who want more context.

Mission maps and shortcut-heavy layouts are helpful, but backtracking and mission-reset behavior can be clunky.

Matchmaking is a limitation: reviews note no random matchmaking and crossplay setup friction despite Friend Pass convenience.

Menu usability evidence is limited to crossplay setup friction through outside apps and websites.

Mission and chapter design are structured around changing subgenres, world rhythms, and side-story detours that keep objectives fresh.

Side stories and mission variety are repeatedly praised as surprising, funny, creative, and often among the best parts of the game.

Movement earns strong praise for improved jumping, momentum, and timing, helping platforming and set pieces feel approachable.

Multiplayer design is central to the game and praised for being purpose-built around two players and standout co-op structure.

The revenge premise and setting are engaging enough to keep players moving, but the story rarely matches the strength of the gameplay.

Narrative quality is split: reviewers like the premise, AI/creativity theme, and some human beats, but many criticize predictable or thin story execution.

Tutorials help, but the opening hours and early bosses do not always showcase or teach the game cleanly.

Online stability is praised across several reviews, with smooth connectivity, low latency, and online play performing like local play.

The game is mostly linear; reviewers note that this focus supports pacing but limits open-world freedom.

Originality is debated: some call it deeply original and inventive, while others argue it remixes familiar ideas with exceptional execution.

Pacing is usually energetic and brisk, but some reviewers felt certain scenarios or structure beats drag or climax unevenly.

Across platforms, reviewers frequently describe performance as polished, stable, and well-optimized.

Performance optimization is strong on PS5/Xbox/PC evidence and more compromised on Switch 2, but most reviewers still found it functional or polished.

Platform-specific features are useful, especially Switch 2 Game Share and Friend Pass, though unsupported single Joy-Con play hurts local convenience.

Platforming is repeatedly described as precise, accessible, and immediately satisfying, especially with air dashes, wall runs, and forgiving assists.

Reviews consistently present Khazan as a notably polished release with strong presentation and solid overall finish.

Polish is broadly strong, especially on main platforms, while some reviews mention uneven stretches or Switch 2 compromises.

Lacrima rewards, skill growth, and multiple advancement layers make repeated attempts feel productive instead of wasted.

Progression relies on chapter abilities and side-story discovery rather than collectables, levels, or long-term customization.

Khazan’s setup is strong, but some reviewers still find him flat or emotionally distant as a lead.

Protagonist appeal varies sharply; some reviewers bonded with Mio and Zoe, while others found them flat or slow to like.

Puzzle design is a major strength, with reviewers highlighting cooperative problem solving, smart escalation, and partner-dependent solutions.

Replay value is decent thanks to NG+, weapon differences, and build experimentation, though customization limits cap long-term variety.

Replay value comes mainly from swapping characters, trying different partners, and returning to missed side stories rather than long-term progression.

Autosaving appears dependable, with one reviewer specifically noting that crashes did not cost meaningful progress.

Save and progression reliability is supported by same-save switching and non-host progression carryover.

Server reliability evidence is limited but positive, with no noticeable connectivity issues reported in Switch 2 online play.

Supporting characters are often described as underused or too slight to leave much of an impression.

Side character depth is mostly weak because reviewers repeatedly describe the villain as one-dimensional or underdeveloped.

Weapon-specific trees are a major strength, offering meaningful abilities, combos, and build direction.

Weapon impacts, combat audio, and environmental sound all earn strong praise for adding weight to fights.

The soundtrack is well-liked and effective at supporting bosses and dramatic moments.

Soundtrack quality is mixed: some praise sci-fi and fantasy musical identity, while others found the score ambient and forgettable.

Split-screen quality is mostly strong, including online split-screen visibility, but portable Switch 2 play can make small details harder to read.

Stealth appears as one of the sci-fi gameplay styles, but evidence is limited to its inclusion rather than deep stealth-system praise.

The tutorials are clear, helpful, and generally unobtrusive.

Onboarding is praised where reviewers describe the game teaching mechanics and escalating them clearly before new twists arrive.

Gear and character upgrades are broad and useful, though some reviewers note they come online a bit later than ideal.

Reference tools like the compendium and encyclopedia make systems easier to parse and support experimentation.

Interface evidence is limited and negative around crossplay setup explanation rather than the main HUD or menus.

Reviews that address price directly frame the game as worth buying at full cost.

Value is strong when viewed through Friend Pass and one-copy play, though some aggregate evidence notes it is shorter and more expensive than its predecessor.

Combat and boss effects are repeatedly highlighted as a good match for the game’s stylized presentation.

Visual effects and technical spectacle are praised for high-impact finales, resolution, and sequences that keep up with rapid shifts.

Voice acting is a consistent positive, with several reviews singling it out as strong or believable.

Voice acting gets limited and mixed evidence, with some reviewers calling performances weak or unable to elevate the writing.

The DNF setting, factions, and supernatural backdrop help the world feel broader than the revenge plot alone.

World-building is praised for using Mio and Zoe’s imagined worlds to reveal personal histories and support the AI/creativity theme.

World interactivity appears in co-op props, environmental manipulation, and small interactables, though it is not a deep sandbox.

Writing impressions are mixed, landing between entertainingly edgy and formulaic.

Writing quality is the biggest divide, ranging from strong emotional praise to repeated criticism of cliches, quips, and amateurish dialogue.