Skydance’s Behemoth Update: Combat Rebalanced Following ‘Controversial’ Feedback – Patch Notes Included

Skydance’s 2024 release, Behemoth, has introduced a significant update aimed at tackling the mixed reactions to its combat system, which the creators themselves have acknowledged as "controversial."

While some players appreciated the original combat mechanics, there were quite a few who voiced their concerns after the game launched on December 5th across Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2, and PC VR through the Horizon Store (exclusively for Meta) and Steam.

Listening to the community, Skydance Games has rolled out an update on all platforms to refine the game’s physics-focused melee combat, which sees players facing off against human adversaries.

“To get straight to the point, the combat has stirred debate. While many are fans of the initial design, we’re aware of feedback about stamina exhaustion, parrying difficulty, and the tight timing required to dodge attacks,” the studio mentioned. However, they assured that the update would “make stamina, parrying, and dodging more forgiving, thereby enhancing the game for everyone."

Moreover, a new ‘Freestyle Mode’ in beta has been introduced, which significantly reduces combat stamina drain, except during climbing sections. This update also tackles previously identified issues with boss encounters, enemy AI behavior, and game stability across all platforms.

For a detailed rundown, you can view the complete patch notes that contain some minor spoilers. An abridged version that omits spoilers is provided below.

QUEST SPECIFIC

Player Experience

• Added a “Shader compiling” loading screen during game startup to clarify shader re-creation.
• Main Menu now features haptics.
• Resolved a crash in Arena Mode [BETA] caused by striking the gong under specific conditions.
• Enhanced climbing interaction and collision handling in crucial segments.
• Fixed progression barriers, such as the Nightscraper battle and Ragnar disappearing during the tutorial.

Gameplay

• Improved collision systems to prevent players from phasing through geometry.
• Fixed rare clipping issues related to Dreddstag and Shacklehide’s leg interaction.
• Keys now respawn correctly in ghost form after saving and reloading the game.
• Enhanced enemy hit reactions and transitions between states during combat.
• Refined hand grips and Inverse Kinematics (IK) for ropes.

Art & Audio

• Upgraded environmental textures and lighting, especially for Quest 3.
• Visual popping issues have been reduced.
• Addressed floating assets like arrows and rubble.
• Music continuity is now ensured during the Shacklehide battle.

ALL PLATFORMS

Progression Blockers

• Fixed issues with certain enemies like Kragjaeger and Shacklehide not appearing or causing game stalls.
• Enabled post-campaign fast travel for more exploration opportunities.

Combat Updates

Tuning Adjustments:

• Introduced 0.5 seconds of invulnerability when dodging.
• Standard enemies are vulnerable to one-hit kills with exposed headshots.
• Improved angle forgiveness for parrying/blocking to ease execution.

Combat Stamina Drain Adjustments:

• Balanced stamina usage across all difficulty levels.
• “Freestyle Mode (BETA)” offers minimal stamina drain, though achievements/trophies are disabled in this mode.
• Further reduction of enemy damage on Tenderfoot difficulty.

Miniboss and Boss Tuning

• Adjustments made to miniboss difficulty and glitch resolutions.
• Increased health and attack rate for Ragnar.

Level Updates

• Fixed interactions in key areas like Shacklehide’s arena, Zephyr’s Pass, and the Throne Room.
• Improved puzzle mechanics and chest accessibility in Duskhold and other locations.

Miscellaneous Fixes

• Significantly enhanced stability with major crash fixes.
• Addressed issues with lighting, visual popping, and voice-over timing.
• Reorganized Trophy Room collectibles to prevent glitches.

By addressing these elements, Skydance aims to enrich the overall experience and ensure Behemoth remains an exciting title for VR enthusiasts.