Khazan’s Controversial Achievement: Are Summons CHEATING?!

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The game “The First Berserker: Khazan” might seem challenging like FromSoftware’s Soulsborne series, but it offers a less brutal experience overall. Despite some tough opening scenes and early boss battles, the game is designed to be more approachable in terms of difficulty compared to Soulsborne games or other Soulslikes, thanks to several accessibility features.

Due to the growing popularity of Elden Ring, Soulsborne and Soulslike games have seen an increase in attention, leading to a heated discussion about their difficulty among both seasoned gamers and new enthusiasts. One aspect that has caused the most controversy in Elden Ring’s difficulty is the option to call upon NPCs for assistance during challenging encounters. Although discussions about this feature have subsided, The First Berserker: Khazan has rekindled this contentious issue by implementing its own version of NPC summons and offering an achievement for completing the game without their aid.

The First Berserker: Khazan’s ‘No NPC Summons’ Achievement Reignites Elden Ring’s Difficulty Debate

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FromSoftware’s Soulsborne series has consistently been recognized as one of the toughest action RPGs. However, the latest entries in this sub-genre have made significant strides towards making it more approachable with increased customization options for difficulty level. Consequently, many games inspired by FromSoftware’s renowned IPs have adopted these recent changes in accessibility to cater to a wider audience.

Spirit of Advocacy Summons Come With a Catch

In contrast to games like Elden Ring and other Soulsborne titles, The First Berserker: Khazan is typically less challenging. One method players can adjust the game’s difficulty in The First Berserker: Khazan is by utilizing optional Spirit of Advocacy NPC summons, which appear to be inspired by Elden Ring’s Spirit Ash NPC summons. However, unlike other accessibility features and customizable difficulties in The First Berserker: Khazan, summoning these NPCs will bring about certain unforeseen consequences. For instance, calling upon NPC summons will prevent players from earning the Standing Alone achievement for that playthrough, thereby marking their online gaming profile as someone who sought aid during boss fights.

Although many modern adaptations of Soulsborne and Soulslike games have incorporated numerous accessibility enhancements, such as The First Berserker: Khazan’s Spirit of Advocacy function, some enthusiasts maintain that the authentic gameplay involves enduring its challenging nature with minimal use of assistance features. Overreliance on features designed to diminish difficulty may not grant players the opportunity to sharpen their skills sufficiently, potentially impairing their overall gaming experience.

The First Berserker: Khazan Is in the Same Boat as Elden Ring

In light of the recent discussions surrounding the challenge of Elden Ring, it’s possible that the ‘Standing Alone’ achievement in The First Berserker: Khazan, which recognizes players who complete the game without using NPC summons, might have gone unnoticed or not been implemented at all. However, considering the ongoing debate about cooperative play in games and tracking the use of Spirit of Advocacy NPC summons, this achievement now seems poised to stir up controversy.

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Ultimately, it’s regrettable that the success of “The First Berserker: Khazan” continues to fuel a discussion that has excluded and limited fans from exploring Soulsborne and Soulslike games. Notably, “The First Berserker: Khazan” offers players multiple options for tailoring their gaming experience, but linking the Spirit of Advocacy summons with an all-or-nothing achievement rekindles the debatable issue of how to balance difficulty and accessibility in these games.

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2025-03-30 01:34