Update Balances Combat in ‘Skydance’s Behemoth’ Following Mixed Reviews: Read the Patch Notes

Skydance’s latest patch for Behemoth (2024) aims to tackle some mixed feedback about its combat mechanics. After its launch on December 5th on Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2, and PC VR platforms via the Horizon Store and Steam, the game stirred up some heated debates, though we were more forgiving of the combat right out of the gate.

Recognizing the community’s concerns, Skydance Games rolled out a comprehensive update to tweak the physics-based melee combat, which was a point of contention, especially against human foes. "We get it; combat has sparked some controversy," the developers stated. "While many enjoy it as it is, others have expressed concerns around stamina depletion, parrying difficulties, and the tight timing needed to dodge attacks."

In response, the studio has refined these elements to make them more user-friendly. Adjustments to stamina, parrying, and dodging are said to enhance gameplay for everyone involved.

Further enriching the game experience, Skydance introduced a beta ‘Freestyle Mode’. This feature slashes the Combat Stamina drainage significantly, unless you’re tackling climbing tasks. The patch also irons out issues related to boss battles, enemy behavior, and overall game stability across all platforms.

For those keen on the nitty-gritty, there are detailed patch notes available, spoiling certain elements, so read with caution. Here’s a brief, spoiler-free rundown:

QUEST SPECIFIC

Player Experience

• Added a "Shader compiling" loading screen at game startup to clarify the process.
• Main Menu is now equipped with haptics.
• Fixed a specific crash issue in Arena Mode [BETA] caused by striking the gong.
• Enhanced climbing interactions and collision controls in key sections.
• Resolved progression hindrances, particularly during the Nightscraper fight and the Ragnar disappearance in the tutorial.

Gameplay

• Improved collision detection to prevent players from clipping through objects.
• Fixed rare clipping issues with specific enemies’ leg climbing features.
• Keys respawn correctly in ghost form after saving and loading.
• Enemies now have more realistic hit reactions and state transitions during combat.
• Improved grips and inverse kinematics for rope interactions.

Art & Audio

• Environment textures and lighting, especially on Quest 3, have been enhanced.
• Reduced issues with visual popping.
• Fixed floating objects like arrows and rubble.
• Music is consistently played during the Shacklehide battle.

ALL PLATFORMS

Progression Blockers

• Corrected issues where enemies appeared incorrectly or caused game soft locks.
• Enabled Fast Travel post-campaign for extended exploration.

Combat Updates

• Dodge now provides 0.5 seconds of invulnerability.
• Headshots on standard enemies are now one-hit kills.
• Simplified parry/block angles for easier execution.

Combat Stamina Drain Adjustments:

• Balanced across all difficulties.
• ‘Freestyle Mode (BETA)’ allows minimal stamina drain, though achievements and trophies are disabled here.

Miniboss and Boss Tuning

• Fine-tuned difficulty and fixed bugs in miniboss encounters.
• Increased health and attack intensity for Ragnar.

Level Updates

• Fixed critical interactions in areas like Shacklehide’s arena, Zephyr’s Pass, and Throne Room.
• Improved puzzle elements and accessibility to chests in Duskhold and other areas.

Miscellaneous Fixes

• Enhanced stability with essential crash fixes.
• Resolved issues with lighting, visual popping, and VO timing.
• Trophy Room collectibles rearranged to prevent glitches and errors.

Overall, these changes should make Behemoth a more enjoyable experience for new and veteran players alike.