Serpico – Berserk and the Band of the Hawk
Serpico is the badass swordsman that you see always at the side of Lady Farnese, the leader of the Holy Iron Chain Knights. He keeps a cool demeanor, and you’ll notice that his eyes seem to always be closed until he decides to get serious. Don’t let his smile fool you, he’ll cut off one of your limbs in an instant if he feels even the slightest threat. It’s no surprise that the developers decide to make him unlockable in Berserk and the Band of the Hawk. It’s also no surprise that he happens to be one of the best characters in the game.
To unlock him you’ll have to beat a large portion of the story and beat the mission “Witch.” It’s a long wait, especially since he becomes an ally much earlier on, but the wait is so he can receive the Sylph Sword, which is what makes him such an awesome character.
Serpico relies on speed and crowd management. His basic attacks utilize his sword to deliver quick slashes that don’t deal a lot of damage, but keep enemies off balance. Mixing in his charge (heavy) attacks, though, provides gusts of wind and even tornadoes that allow you to constantly juggle enemies in one area, while you place your melee focus elsewhere. This ability can keep stronger, heavier enemies (not including towering bosses) off of your back so you can whittle down their health and support. It also keeps you from being surrounded, since when you first unlock Serpico in Berserk and the Band of the Hawk, he can’t take much of a hit. Distance and the use of constant dodging is how he’s meant to be used, and his speed and rapid attacks help to facilitate that.
His Frenzy Mode allows for even more control of the battlefield, as it provides him with an infinite basic combo. That means you can spam your light attacks without ever stopping for a breather (which normally happens after six attacks for all characters). This keeps enemies and bosses off balance and allows you to quickly refill your Death Blow gauge, so you’ll want to stay in Frenzy as often as possible.
Serpico takes a bit of getting used to, but once you get the hang of him you’ll be hard pressed to find anyone else you’d rather use in Berserk and the Band of the Hawk.
