Skydance’s 2024 release, Behemoth, has just received a significant update aimed specifically at addressing some heated debates surrounding the game’s combat mechanics.
Initially, I didn’t find much fault with the combat when the game launched. However, it seems I was in the minority, as a substantial number of players expressed dissatisfaction shortly after its release on December 5th. The game is available on Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2, and PC VR headsets through the Horizon Store (exclusive to Meta) and Steam.
In response to the player feedback, Skydance Games has rolled out a patch for all platforms. The update brings changes to the game’s physics-driven combat, which focuses heavily on melee battles with human enemies.
“To get straight to the point: the combat generated controversy. We know many players enjoy it as it is, so we’re not going to overhaul it completely,” the studio acknowledged. “Yet, we’ve listened to feedback about issues like stamina drain, parrying difficulties, and the tight timing required to dodge attacks.”
With this patch, Skydance has finely adjusted the combat mechanics to make stamina consumption, parrying, and dodging more forgiving. They emphasized that these enhancements are meant to improve the experience for everyone playing the game.
Skydance’s Behemoth now also boasts a new ‘Freestyle Mode’, currently in beta. This mode significantly reduces stamina consumption, except during climbing segments. The update further addresses previously noted issues, including boss battles, enemy AI behavior, movement paths, and overall game stability across all systems.
For those interested, a full version of the patch notes is available, but beware of minor spoilers. Below, I’ve provided a spoiler-free summary.
QUEST SPECIFIC
Player Experience
- Introduced a “Shader compiling” loading screen at startup to minimize confusion.
- Haptic feedback now available on the Main Menu.
- Resolved a crash in Arena Mode [BETA] when the gong was hit under specific conditions.
- Improved climbing interactions and the handling of collisions in crucial areas.
- Fixed barriers to progression, like the Nightscraper fight and the disappearance of Ragnar during the tutorial.
Gameplay
- Enhanced collision detection to prevent players from passing through solid objects.
- Resolved occasional clipping issues with Dreddstag and Shacklehide’s leg climbing interactions.
- Keys now reappear correctly in ghost form after saving and reloading.
- Enhanced enemy reactions and state transitions in combat.
- Refined handgrip alignment for ropes.
Art & Audio
- Improved textures and lighting environments, particularly for Quest 3.
- Reduced instances of visual popping.
- Corrected floating objects like arrows and rubble.
- Ensured music continuity during the Shacklehide battle.
ALL PLATFORMS
Progression Blockers
- Fixed occurrences where enemies like Kragjaeger and Shacklehide would not appear correctly, which could cause the game to stop functioning properly.
- Enabled Fast Travel after completing the campaign to allow continued exploring.
Combat Updates
Tuning Adjustments:
- Dodge maneuver now includes 0.5 seconds of invulnerability.
- Headshots on standard enemies now result in instant kills.
- Enhanced forgiveness angle for parrying and blocking to ease execution.
Combat Stamina Drain Adjustments:
- Balanced across all difficulty settings.
- “Freestyle Mode (BETA)” features minimal stamina drain, although achievements and trophies are unavailable in this mode.
The Tenderfoot difficulty has been adjusted further to lessen enemy damage.
Miniboss and Boss Tuning
- Adjusted difficulty levels and fixed glitches for miniboss encounters.
- Increased Ragnar’s health and frequency of attacks.
Level Updates
- Fixed interactions in critical areas like Shacklehide’s arena, Zephyr’s Pass, and Throne Room.
- Improved puzzle mechanics and access to chests in Duskhold and other environments.
Miscellaneous Fixes
- Improved stability with major crash resolutions.
- Resolved issues with lighting, visual interruptions, and voice-over synchronizing.
- Reorganized Trophy Room collectibles to prevent glitches.
