Update for ‘Skydance’s Behemoth’ Adjusts Combat Following “Mixed” Feedback, Read Patch Notes Here

Skydance’s 2024 release, Behemoth, has just received a substantial update aimed at addressing what the developers at Skydance Games describe as a “controversial” reaction to the game’s combat mechanics.

While initial reviews, including ours, were fairly accepting of the combat at the game’s launch, a noticeable segment of players expressed dissatisfaction following its debut on December 5th for Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2, and PC VR via the Horizon Store (for Meta users) and Steam.

In response, Skydance Games has rolled out a comprehensive patch across all platforms supported by the game. This update specifically targets the physics-based gameplay, which prominently features melee combat against human foes.

“Tackling the main issue head-on: the combat has sparked debate. There’s a chunk of our player base that enjoys the way it was crafted, so the core won’t see drastic changes,” the studio clarified. “However, we’ve heard from players who faced frustrations like excessive stamina drain, challenging parrying mechanics, and tight dodging windows.”

The patch seeks to address these concerns by “fine-tuning our systems to make stamina, parrying, and dodging more forgiving,” the developers explained. They emphasized that these adjustments aim to “enhance the experience for all players.”

On top of that, Behemoth now features a beta version of ‘Freestyle Mode’, which drastically reduces combat stamina depletion, except during climbing sequences. The update also tackles previously noted issues around boss battles, enemy AI performance, and overall game stability on all platforms.

For those interested in the complete patch details, be aware of potential spoilers. Below, we highlight an abridged version without spoilers.

QUEST SPECIFIC UPDATES

Player Experience

• Introduced "Shader compiling" loading screen on game startup to clarify shader re-creation.
• Added haptic feedback to the Main Menu.
• Resolved a crash in Arena Mode [BETA] linked to striking the gong under certain conditions.
• Enhanced climbing interactions and collision management in significant areas.
• Fixed progression barriers, including issues in the Nightscraper fight and Ragnar’s disappearance during the tutorial.

Gameplay

• Improved collision settings to prevent players from passing through geometry.
• Fixed rare clipping issues with Dreddstag and Shacklehide during leg climbing.
• Ensured keys respawn properly in ghost form after saving and reloading.
• Enhanced enemy hit reactions and state transitions.
• Refined hand grips and inverse kinematics (IK) for ropes.

Art & Audio

• Bettered environment textures and lighting, especially on Quest 3.
• Reduced visual popping artifacts.
• Addressed floating objects like arrows and rubble.
• Ensured music continuity during Shacklehide battles.

UPDATES ACROSS ALL PLATFORMS

Progression Blockers

• Fixed problems with enemies like Kragjaeger and Shacklehide not appearing properly or triggering game freezes.
• Enabled Fast Travel after campaign completion for further exploration.

Combat Updates

Tuning Adjustments:

• Introduced 0.5 seconds of invulnerability when dodging.
• Standard enemy headshots are now lethal.
• Enhanced parry/block forgiveness angle for simpler execution.

Combat Stamina Drain Adjustments:

• Balanced across all difficulty levels.
• “Freestyle Mode (BETA)” greatly reduces stamina drain but disables achievements/trophies.

Tenderfoot difficulty lowered further to minimize enemy damage.

Miniboss and Boss Tuning

• Adjusted miniboss difficulty levels and rectified glitches.
• Increased Ragnar’s health and attack frequency.

Level Updates

• Fixed interactions in vital areas like Shacklehide’s arena, Zephyr’s Pass, and the Throne Room.
• Improved puzzle mechanics and access to chests in Duskhold and other zones.

Miscellaneous Fixes

• Enhanced stability with aplenty of crash resolutions.
• Addressed lighting inconsistencies, visual pops, and voice-over timing issues.
• Rearranged collectibles in the Trophy Room to prevent glitches.