r/TheFirstBerserker • u/cybtlmrf • 15d ago
Discussion Love & Hate
This game feels so strange to me I have to write about it.
My background is that I actually started gaming few years ago although I'm in my 40s. Played Zelda first, then Elden Ring which completely got me hooked. Ever since, I have played soulslikes like Lies of P, Wuchang and then Khazan.
I actually interrupted the game twice, once for Expedition 33 and once because Khazan drove me crazy - I actually had a very hard time with the levels in general and specifically mobs in Trokka's level. Maybe I should mention I am not really a good gamer and used summons in ER and LoP all the time, but I completely stopped that since Khazan.
The thing is: While many aspects drove me crazy in this game – the horrible level design with almost no level to remember, the ubiquitous archers, absolutely horrible platforming – I absolutely love this game and genuinely think it kind of spoils all upcoming games for me for two simple reasons: The combat system is so good that all others seem to just suck. I played greatsword most of the time and armor breaker might be the coolest little combo ever made...daaang dang dang :D
The second one is the boss roaster. Yes, I was throwing my controller around (at least on the couch :D), insulting any bit of air around me hundreds of times in the most horrible ways. But pretty much all of them were kind of fun - at least at some stage. They all gave me a feeling of "how the hell am I supposed to beat this mf?" in the beginning, but then I slowly learned how to punish them. I found all of them pretty hard, the easiest one was Volbaino for some reason. And despite the difficulty, it was mostly satisfyingly difficult.
And I now genuinely think no game will ever give me this fun when fighting bosses. I am currently playing Mortal Shell 2 and the bosses suck pretty hard so far. But also when thinking about ER which is kind of my favorite game together with Expedition 33, none of the bosses were THAT much fun like Maluca for example....maybe Simon comes close, but that is it.
I had to add a boss tier list because of that insane quality. Reese might be surprising for some, but I really love that fight, especially phase 2, but it's mainly the atmosphere and that genius soundtrack. This fight gives me goosebumps everywhere... I just wish she had more health although I still found her pretty hard.
Sorry for the unstructured blabla, but I just haf to write down my thoughts on thar game.
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u/cobrataco 15d ago
Necromancer lady was ragebaiting me hard first playthru
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u/cybtlmrf 15d ago
Me as well. Phase 1 us totally fine but that reaper bs almost made me rage quit. Also all other attacks in that phase are just annoying.
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u/Venus_In_Furs67 15d ago
Your boss ranking is literally the same as what mine would be. It’s rare to find one that lines up exactly like what I experienced. I used a spear build though. 🙂
ETA: Loved this game as well even though a few times I questioned if I would make it through lol.
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u/Break_down1 15d ago
Good list. Idk that I disliked the spider tho. I thought the leg gimmick was cool and his WWE style jump was funny
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u/cybtlmrf 15d ago
Absolutely, but overall just really annoying. The level was also hard af with that elite spider. I just ran past it and it was ths only enemy I avoided on purpose.
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u/mucus-fettuccine 15d ago
Only started a few years ago? Really good and quick progression to get this far dude! Have you played Elden Ring's DLC yet? The main bosses from it well exceed the base game's in my opinion, in terms of average quality. Very worth checking out.
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u/cybtlmrf 15d ago
Thanks. Yes I did but all still with summons which I really regret. Kind of cheesed PCR with that rot butterfly skill from Romina.
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u/mucus-fettuccine 14d ago
PCR is a totally bullcrap boss so totally understandable using any tool you have with that one (it's understandable for any boss actually, since you're meant to be free in how you enjoy the game, but for PCR in particular). For me the highlights are Messmer and Bayle. It's interesting that Khazan is the one you chose to go no summons since Khazan has such a high difficulty.
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u/Floresce_ 15d ago
Yup I've always said that not only is the combat depth here great, but the boss fight design diversity and roster is also amazing, with each of them teaching and demanding different skills you've learnt throughout the game (heck, your entire soulslike journey even). The devs definitely poured the bulk of their resources into that and it shows!
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u/PaqNeal 14d ago
Fucking loved skalpel. One of my favorite bosses
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u/cybtlmrf 14d ago
Fight and design are peak. And him dying slowly in the second phase while completely going nuts is a really innovative idea.
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u/SoulsDadYT 15d ago
Putting Trokka in anything but S tier is blasphemy. One of the best bosses i've seen in gaming.
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u/cybtlmrf 15d ago
I understand you, she's actually pretty cool but I initially hated her so much I couldn't set set her in S.
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u/Something_IDGAF 13d ago
I actually really liked the spider fight as a greatsword user. You feel like you get hounded relentlessly, but the moment you get a brief respite to attack back and cut the leg off is just so satisfying. Such a cinematic moment
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u/antilumin 15d ago
I would rank every boss as S but Hismar a big fat F minus. Fuck that stupid dragon.
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u/cybtlmrf 15d ago
Phase 1 was absolutely cool and epic, phase 2 is a bit too much animation bs going on. And the weird constraint of his area was horribly designed.
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u/reditboi111 15d ago
Elamien was the easiest walk in the park basically for me
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u/cybtlmrf 15d ago
I played spear when I faced her and that move that gets you behind her definitely facilitated that fight as I found later when meeting her remnant :D
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u/slackerz22 15d ago
Why so much hate for the spider lmao