Nexon-Neoflow’s big project ‘First Berserker: Kazan,” has recently undergone a Closed Focused Test (FGT) to prove its gameplay and potential. The game’s intense action and stunning graphics were particularly well-received, and many are wondering if it could become Nexon’s next global IP.
‘Kazan’ is a PC and console game set in one of the multiple universes of Neople’s flagship IP, ‘DNF Universe’ (collectively known as DFU), and has made a name for itself among overseas gamers since its first trailer with in-game play was released at ‘The Game Awards’, North America’s largest gaming awards ceremony, last December. In addition, the game has been highly anticipated in Korea for its story of Kazan, a character in the Dungeon World, and the ability to enjoy the Dungeon World from a different perspective in the hardcore action RPG genre. Following ‘Dungeon & Fighter Mobile’ and ‘DNF Duel’, Neople is accelerating the expansion of the ‘DNF Universe’ with ‘Kazan’.
Neople conducted the first small-scale FGT to confirm the potential of ‘Kazan’ and establish a detailed development direction. We are focusing our development efforts on perfecting the gameplay of ‘Kazan’ to showcase the hardcore action that is unique to ‘Kazan’, while enhancing the playability of ‘Dungeon Run’.
To validate and perfect the game, we conducted a closed test from March 3-5 with 24 pre-selected players based on detailed criteria such as action game preferences and playtime, with a nearly 400-to-1 application rate, demonstrating the high level of interest in Kazan. Over the course of three days, eight hours a day for a total of 24 hours, six categories were intensively validated: action, combat, difficulty, and art.
In post-test surveys and in-depth interviews, the boss battles in Kazan were the most favorably received. Testers found the boss battles to be highly immersive and action-packed, with an overwhelming sense of action. The infographic below summarizes highlights from the FGI results, with all testers giving Kazan a score of nearly 100 for its dynamic action and impact.
Kazan’s unique 3D cel-animated graphics, which were highlighted in The Game Awards trailer, were also a hot topic of discussion among participants. The positive response to the unique graphics was evident in the scores for art style, quality and detail, background music, and sound effects, which all scored above 80%.
With “Kazan,” Nexon and Neople aim to expand the DNF universe by detailing the narrative of the warlord Kazan, who has been a favorite among Dungeons & Dragons players, and combining it with the intense action of Dungeons & Dragons.
The narrative of Pelos Empire Warlord Kazan has received a lot of attention from Dungeons & Dragons players. In particular, when the ‘Kazan’ trailer was released at ‘The Game Awards’, many users were excited to see the story of ‘Kazan’, which was previously only 토토 referred to as history, in action, and after the test, many of the comments about the world were confirmed, such as “The presentation plays a role in the immersion of the world” and “As I played, I found myself becoming more and more immersed in the story”.
In addition to the world, Kazan’s gameplay is also noteworthy, with the iconic action of Dungeons & Dragons enriching the overall play experience. Testers said in their surveys that they “felt the action of Dungeons & Dragons during the gameplay” and “felt a strong sense of accomplishment after destroying and clearing difficult boss patterns,” adding to the excitement of Kazan’s unique gameplay.
Meanwhile, Neople plans to actively review and reflect the opinions gathered through this FGT. “It was a valuable time to hear the voices of users about the playable version of ‘Kazan,'” said Lee Junho, Creative Director of Neople. “We will actively listen to the opinions of the participants to further improve the game’s completeness so that we can present a game that meets the expectations of global users.”
Myungjin Yoon, PD (CEO of Neople), said, “‘First Berserker: Kazan’ is the first step in the story that Neople will tell with the Dunfa IP,” said Myungjin Yoon, CEO of Neople. “‘First Buckler: Kazan’ will combine powerful action, challenging gameplay, and the narrative of Warlord Kazan, and we look forward to your support and interest.”