Update on ‘Skydance’s Behemoth’: Combat Adjustments Following Mixed Feedback, Patch Notes Included

Skydance Games’ latest VR title, Behemoth, rolled out a substantial patch aimed at tweaking some of the more polarizing elements of its combat system. When the game initially launched on December 5th for Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2, and PC VR headsets via the Horizon Store and Steam, it was met with a mixed reception, particularly concerning its fighting mechanics.

While some players, ourselves included, were content with the initial combat experience, many voiced concerns over specific aspects. Listening to the community feedback, Skydance Games addressed these issues with a patch that fine-tunes the melee-focused combat system, which prominently features physical interactions against human enemies.

The studio openly acknowledged the concerns: "Combat has sparked quite the debate. While many players enjoyed the original design, we’ve also heard from those who struggled with features such as stamina drain, parrying difficulties, and tight dodging windows," they explained. In response, the patch introduces adjustments making stamina usage, parrying, and dodging more lenient, all in an effort to enhance overall player satisfaction.

Alongside these changes, Skydance has introduced a beta version of ‘Freestyle Mode,’ which significantly reduces Combat Stamina drain across the board, save for climbing sections. This update also targets other previously discussed issues related to boss battles, enemy AI behavior, and overall game stability across all supported platforms.

For those eager to delve deeper into the specifics, the complete patch notes, which do contain some minor spoilers, can be accessed freely. Below is a spoiler-free summary of the main updates:

QUEST SPECIFIC

Player Experience

• A new “Shader compiling” loading screen appears at game boot to help clarify the shader re-creation process.
• Main Menu now includes haptic feedback.
• Resolved a crash in Arena Mode [BETA] when the gong was stricken in certain scenarios.
• Enhanced climbing mechanics and improved collision handling in critical game areas.
• Addressed blocking issues that impeded progress, such as the Nightscraper confrontation and Ragnar disappearing during the tutorial phase.

Gameplay

• Adjusted collision settings to prevent players from inadvertently moving through objects.
• Fixed occasional clipping glitches during leg climbing interactions with Dreddstag and Shacklehide.
• Keys now respawn properly in ghost form after save and reload actions.
• Enhanced enemy reactions and transitions in combat scenarios.
• Refined rope hand grips and IK (inverse kinematics) adjustments.

Art & Audio

• Environment textures and lighting on Quest 3 have been refined.
• Reduced occurrences of visual popping.
• Corrected instances where objects like arrows and debris were floating.
• Ensured continuity of music during the Shacklehide battle.

ALL PLATFORMS

Progression Blockers

• Fixed spawn issues with enemies like Kragjaeger and Shacklehide that caused soft locks.
• Enabled Fast Travel for post-campaign exploration.

Combat Updates

• Tuning Adjustments:

  • Added a 0.5-second invulnerability period to dodges.
  • Standard enemies can now be taken down with a single headshot.
  • Made parry/block forgiveness angle improvements for simpler execution.

• Combat Stamina Drain Adjustments:

  • Balanced stamina drain across all difficulty levels.
  • “Freestyle Mode (BETA)” minimizes stamina drain (disables achievements/trophies).
• Further tweaks to the Tenderfoot difficulty to lessen enemy damage.

Miniboss and Boss Tuning

• Adjusted difficulty and resolved glitches for miniboss battles.
• Increased health and attack frequency for Ragnar.

Level Updates

• Fixed interaction challenges in key locations such as Shacklehide’s arena, Zephyr’s Pass, and the Throne Room.
• Improved puzzle mechanics and access to chests in Duskhold and other areas.

Miscellaneous Fixes

• Significant crash fixes have enhanced overall stability.
• Resolved issues with lighting, visual popping, and voice-over timing.
• Rearranged Trophy Room collectibles to prevent glitches.

These updates should make the Behemoth experience smoother and more enjoyable for all players, ensuring that both veterans and newcomers have a finely-tuned gaming experience.