I remember the first time I picked up Khazan's spear in The First Berserker - that moment completely changed how I approached combat games forever. For years, I'd been stuck in that cycle of button-mashing through fights, never really feeling like I was mastering the mechanics. But this game? It's different. You start with what might seem like limited options - just three weapon types: the dual wield combo of axe and sword, the massive greatsword, or the elegant spear. Three choices initially made me raise an eyebrow, thinking the developers were being a bit stingy. Oh, how wrong I was.
What makes these weapons truly special isn't the number but how distinctly each one handles. I spent my first few hours switching between them, feeling how the dual wield combo offered aggressive, rapid strikes while the greatsword delivered those satisfying, bone-crushing heavy blows that sent enemies flying. But it was the spear that ultimately won me over - something about its perfect balance of speed and range just clicked with my playstyle. That initial experimentation period taught me something crucial: in The First Berserker, your weapon choice isn't just about damage numbers; it's about finding the combat rhythm that matches your personality.
The real magic unfolds when you dive into the skill trees. Each weapon has its own extensive progression system where you gradually unlock both passive bonuses and active skills that completely transform how you fight. I probably spent about 45 minutes just reading through the spear's skill tree, planning my build like some military strategist. What's brilliant is the game doesn't punish you for experimentation - any skill points you spend can be refunded for free and redistributed. This freedom encouraged me to try wild combinations I normally wouldn't risk in other games. I must have respecced my character at least seven times during my first playthrough, each time discovering new synergies that made combat feel fresh.
Let me tell you about the moment I fell in love with the spear's Moonlight Stance. After landing three consecutive light attacks, your character enters this ethereal state where additional afterimage attacks automatically trigger. The first time it happened, I was facing three armored soldiers in a narrow corridor. As my spear connected with the third strike, suddenly there were these ghostly copies of my attacks appearing, striking enemies from angles I hadn't even aimed for. It created this beautiful chaos where it genuinely felt like there were multiple versions of me fighting simultaneously. That single ability turned what would have been a difficult encounter into an elegant dance of destruction.
The combat system really opens up around the 15-hour mark when you've unlocked several weapon skills. I discovered I could chain these abilities between regular attacks, creating these magnificent, flowing combos that felt like I was conducting an orchestra of violence. There was this one particular sequence I perfected - starting with three quick jabs to activate Moonlight Stance, followed by a spinning sweep that knocked enemies airborne, then immediately using Piercing Thunder to dash through them while they were vulnerable. The entire combo took about 8 seconds to execute but felt like the most satisfying puzzle I'd ever solved. Watching health bars evaporate as I seamlessly strung together 12-15 moves never got old.
What's fascinating is how clearly you can see Nioh's influence once you start mixing and matching weapon skills. The depth of customization reminds me of those classic action RPGs where your build truly feels unique to your playstyle. The gear system amplifies this further - I recently found a helmet that increased my spear damage by 18% and reduced skill cooldowns by 12%, which completely changed how aggressively I could approach battles. These systems work in concert to create that "just one more try" addiction where you're constantly tweaking and optimizing.
I've probably put around 75 hours into The First Berserker at this point, and what keeps me coming back is how the combat evolves with you. That initial concern about only having three weapon types seems laughable now - each one offers enough depth and variety that they could practically be their own game. The spear alone has 34 different skills to unlock and master. Sometimes I'll watch gameplay videos from other players using the same weapon but with completely different skill allocations, and it looks like they're playing an entirely different game. That's the beauty of this system - it respects your intelligence as a player while giving you the tools to create truly spectacular moments. If you're tired of repetitive combat systems and want something that grows alongside your skills, this approach to weapon mastery might just be what you're looking for.