Skydance’s Behemoth, launched in 2024, has stirred quite a dialogue around its combat mechanics, prompting the developers to roll out a substantial update. While I didn’t find the combat too off-putting, a significant chunk of the player base, diving in since the game hit shelves on December 5th for Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2, and PC VR headsets, have voiced their concerns.
Recognizing the community’s mixed feelings, Skydance Games didn’t waste any time in deploying a patch across all platforms, aiming to refine the physics-based melee combat, especially those encounters with human adversaries.
"In a nutshell, the combat reactions were controversial. Many players are fans of what we originally designed, so we’re not about to throw everything out the window," the studio admits. "However, we’ve also been listening to feedback regarding stamina drainage, the parry system, and the small time window for dodges."
With the latest update, Skydance has tweaked these elements, making stamina management, parrying, and dodging less punishing to enhance the overall gaming experience.
On top of these tweaks, they’ve introduced a beta ‘Freestyle Mode.’ This mode drastically cuts down on Combat Stamina drain, except during climbing segments, to make the game more accessible. The update also targets boss battles, enemy AI behavior, and overall game stability across all devices.
For those interested in diving into the nitty-gritty of the update, the full patch notes are available online, though they do contain some spoilers. Here’s a spoiler-free snapshot:
Quest-Specific Improvements
Player Experience
- Introduced a "Shader compiling" screen at startup to clarify what’s happening during shader setup.
- Main Menu now features added haptics for feedback.
- Resolved crashes in Arena Mode caused by striking the gong under specific conditions.
- Enhanced climbing mechanics and area collision responses.
- Fixed issues blocking game progression, like in the Nightscraper encounter and Ragnar’s disappearance during the tutorial.
Gameplay Enhancements
- Improved collision to keep players from accidentally passing through objects.
- Fixed occasional clipping in Dreddstag and Shacklehide leg climbing scenarios.
- Corrected the respawn behavior for keys in ghost form after saving and reloading.
- Made enemy hit reactions and transitions smoother in combat.
- Refined how hand grips interact with ropes.
Art & Audio Tweaks
- Boosted environmental textures and lighting, notably on Quest 3.
- Minimized visual popping issues.
- Corrected floating elements like arrows and rubble.
- Ensure music continues during the Shacklehide fight.
Updates for All Platforms
Progression Blockers
- Fixed enemy deployment issues with characters like Kragjaeger and Shacklehide to prevent game freezes.
- Enabled Fast Travel after completing the main campaign for further exploration.
Combat Updates
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Tuning Adjustments:
- Added a 0.5-second invulnerability period to dodges.
- Made headshots on regular enemies instantly lethal.
- Improved the angle forgiveness for parries and blocks, making execution simpler.
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Combat Stamina Drain Adjustments:
- Balanced stamina drain across all difficulty settings.
- ‘Freestyle Mode (BETA)’ features minimal stamina drain, though it doesn’t support achievements/trophies.
- Further reduced enemy damage on Tenderfoot difficulty.
Miniboss and Boss Adjustments
- Tweaked miniboss challenges and cleared up known glitches.
- Increased Ragnar’s health and attack tempo.
Level and Puzzle Updates
- Fixed key interactions in important zones like Shacklehide’s arena, Zephyr’s Pass, and the Throne Room.
- Improved puzzle elements and chest access in places like Duskhold.
Miscellaneous Fixes
- Enhanced stability by addressing multiple crash points.
- Resolved issues with lighting, visual popping, and voice-over timing.
- Rearranged collectibles in the Trophy Room to avoid glitches.
There’s no doubt these changes aim to polish the Behemoth experience, making it more enjoyable for every player out there.
