Update for ‘Skydance’s Behemoth’ Revamps Combat Following “Controversial” Feedback – Patch Notes Inside

Skydance Games recently rolled out a sizable update for their 2024 title, Behemoth, aiming to address some heated feedback the game’s combat system has sparked among players.

While our initial impressions were generally positive, not everyone shared our sentiment after the game’s release on December 5th for Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2, and PC VR via the Horizon Store and Steam. Listening to player feedback, Skydance Games has responded with a patch targeting the game’s combat intricacies, particularly its melee dynamics with human foes.

"Let’s get straight to the point: Combat has stirred some debate," the developers acknowledge. "Many players enjoy the original design, so we aren’t making drastic changes. But we’ve also gotten feedback about frustrations with stamina depletion, parrying complexities, and tight dodging chances."

In response, the team at Skydance has refined their systems to make stamina management, parrying, and dodging a bit more lenient, enhancing the overall player experience.

Intriguingly, they’ve also introduced a beta ‘Freestyle Mode,’ which drastically reduces stamina drain outside of climbing scenarios. The patch further addresses issues with boss fights, AI behavior and routing, and overall game stability.

For those interested in all the nitty-gritty details, you can look over the full, albeit spoiler-filled, patch notes. Here’s a spoiler-free summary for you.

QUEST SPECIFIC

Player Experience

• Introduced a "Shader compiling" loading screen at startup, reducing confusion during shader re-creation.
• Added haptic feedback to the Main Menu.
• Fixed a crash in the BETA Arena Mode triggered by specific gong strikes.
• Improved climbing interaction and collision handling in key areas.
• Addressed progression blockers, such as issues in the Nightscraper fight and Ragnar disappearing during the tutorial.

Gameplay

• Enhanced collision detection to prevent players from becoming lodged in geometry.
• Resolved rare clipping problems with Dreddstag and Shacklehide’s leg climbing interactions.
• Ghost form keys now respawn properly after saving and reloading.
• Improved enemy reactions and state transitions in combat.
• Optimized hand grips and IK for ropes.

Art & Audio

• Upgraded environment textures and lighting, particularly on Quest 3.
• Reduced visual popping issues.
• Corrected floating objects like arrows and rubble.
• Ensured music consistency during the Shacklehide battle.

ALL PLATFORMS

Progression Blockers

• Fixed instances where enemies like Kragjaeger and Shacklehide didn’t appear correctly or caused soft locks.
• Enabled Fast Travel post-campaign for further exploration.

Combat Updates

Adjustments:

• Dodge now offers 0.5 seconds of invincibility.
• Headshots on standard enemies result in instant kills.
• Enhanced parry/block forgiveness angle for easier execution.

Combat Stamina Drain Adjustments:

• Balanced adjustments across all difficulty levels.

• "Freestyle Mode (BETA)" allows for minimal stamina drain, though achievements/trophies are disabled in this mode.

• Tenderfoot difficulty was further tweaked to lower enemy damage.

Miniboss and Boss Tuning

• Adjusted the difficulty and resolved glitches for minibosses.
• Increased Ragnar’s health and attack rate.

Level Updates

• Fixed interactions in crucial areas such as Shacklehide’s arena, Zephyr’s Pass, and the Throne Room.
• Improved puzzle mechanics and chest accessibility in Duskhold and beyond.

Miscellaneous Fixes

• Enhanced game stability with major crash fixes.
• Resolved issues with lighting, visual popping, and VO timing.
• Rearranged Trophy Room collectibles to prevent glitches.

This patch certainly appears to bring many welcome changes to Behemoth, aiming to refine and improve players’ overall gaming experience across all platforms.