The First Berserker: Khazan is so hard devs had to patch in easier Easy mode

The First Berserker: Khazan was one of the most highly anticipated Soulslikes of 2025, and it hasn’t disappointed in terms of both gameplay and the soul-crushing difficulty players are looking for. The only problem is that they made it a little too hard.

To be clear, Khazan released with an Easy mode for players who wanted a bit less challenge but still wanted to experience the game. The difficulty barrier is a big one for FromSoft’s infamously hard games, so other devs who give their take on the genre either lean into it (looking at you Lies of P) or try to find ways to make things a bit more easy and accessible. Khazan has done the latter.

However, even when playing on Easy mode, it was still too difficult for most players to overcome the first few levels.

As a result, release day has come with a patch that made the existing Easy mode even easier and came with nerfs to some bosses.

The First Berserker: Khazan gets even easier Easy mode

On the day of its official release, a patch arrived for those who didn’t fork over the extra cash to play the game a few days early. And, based on the initial response from players who were really struggling with the game’s early levels, the full release has been adjusted.

NEXON

A section of their release day patch reads as follows:

“Although we offer various difficulty adjustment options, we received a great deal of feedback from players who still found themselves unable to overcome certain challenges—even after switching to Easy Mode as a last resort,” the devs explained.

“To address this, we’ve made some changes to the benefits provided in Easy Mode. These adjustments are designed to provide a clearer sense of support for players who choose this option, without significantly affecting the experience of those playing on Normal difficulty.”

Easy mode in the final release version of the game will now give players even more health and stamina than it did before, and it’ll also give the player an even bigger damage boost.

Additionally, several bosses have had their difficulty levels adjusted, with Viper being the most relevant to the early game. He’s acting as one of the few great filters for early game players, requiring you to really nail parry timings and stamina management. He’s being nerfed to make getting into later sections of the game a bit smoother for everyone.

The First Berserker: Khazan has been almost universally praised for its tough but fair approach to difficulty, though there were a few who were discouraged by how hard the game was even on Easy mode. Those people can now enjoy the game a bit more, thanks to these nerfs.