Review of ‘Skydance’s Behemoth’ – A Monumental Leap in VR Action-Adventure Gaming

Skydance has clearly learned a thing or two about crafting immersive VR experiences, largely due to the success they enjoyed with The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners back in 2020. With their latest venture, Behemoth, they’ve taken those insights and applied them to an action-adventure game that, although it treads familiar narrative paths, feels refreshingly different when experienced in virtual reality. It’s not just another game; it’s an adventure that fills a niche for those craving monster-sized gaming thrills.

Overview: Skydance’s Behemoth

• Developer: Skydance Games
• Available On: Quest 2/3/Pro, PSVR 2 (coming to SteamVR)
• Reviewed On: Quest 3
• Release Date: December 5th, 2024
• Price: $40

Gameplay Insights

In Behemoth, you’ll find echoes of stories like Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, taking on the role of a character named Wren. You’re a villager cursed with a condition that grants superhuman abilities while pushing you closer to becoming a mindless beast. It’s a race against time as you harness these powers to uncover the dark force behind the downfall of a once-great kingdom.

The adventure sees you fighting through castles and along twisting paths, battling cursed enemies and towering trolls with impressive physics-based combat mechanics. The melee-heavy game gives you the freedom to approach battles creatively, not restricting you with excessive scripted events or quick-time prompts.

Fighting is an exhilarating mix of strategy and adrenaline, where timing your parries and conserving your stamina becomes critical, especially against the game’s more challenging enemies. The baddies come with varying strengths and attack styles, keeping you on your toes and demanding a constant awareness of your defenses and positioning.

Powerful attacks come frequently into play as you deal with armored foes, particularly in the latter stages of the game. Weapons like a two-handed sword, a bow, and an armor-shattering axe can be upgraded at forges throughout the game, using the collected Coloss Alloy—a pivotal in-game currency for weapon enhancements.

Surprisingly, the crafting system is minimal. Although it feels like there could’ve been a more intricate crafting experience, healing in the game is handled by looting health potions from defeated foes or consuming seemingly useless medicinal plants for minor health boosts.

Behemoth shines in moments of pure combat skill, particularly with colossal bosses known as Behemoths. These giant adversaries test your abilities in shooting, slicing, and dynamic movement across their massive bodies in multi-stage battles that are challenging yet satisfying.

Immersion and Storytelling

Despite the potential pitfalls of having multiple voices narrating your journey, Behemoth allows you to immerse yourself in its world without unwarranted interruptions. Wren and his inner companion provide guidance without overshadowing your autonomy in puzzle-solving and combat scenarios.

The voice acting, though competent, sometimes falls short of the mark, with characters occasionally feeling too dramatic in contrast to the game’s gritty, downfallen world. The storyline, while serviceable, doesn’t hit the highs you’d hope for in a title that otherwise excels in visual and gameplay dynamics.

Visual splendor is evident, especially on the Quest 3, offering an experience that captures the imagination and feels surprisingly robust for mobile hardware.

Adventure Mechanics

Behemoth doesn’t shy away from challenging difficulty levels. Even on easier modes, it requires patience and skill to master enemy patterns and exploit their weaknesses. Yet, despite its storytelling flaws, each gameplay element feels essential, encouraging exploration and weapon upgrading for that edge in battle.

There are numerous levels and encounters to enjoy, including the exciting, sprawling Behemoth battles. Each level invites you to uncover secrets and progress through varied and captivating environments.

Overall Comfort

While Behemoth is inherently physical, it accommodates both seated and standing playstyles. The absence of teleportation and reliance on smooth and dash movement options may cater more to veteran VR players who enjoy a seamless experience.

Finally, VR users will likely appreciate the comfort settings designed to minimize fatigue without sacrificing engagement, ensuring a satisfying session every time.

Overall, Behemoth invites us to see how far VR gaming has come, offering a peak into the potential that hardware and gaming studios are tapping into, ensuring this title becomes a talking point among VR enthusiasts eager for something with genuine scale and excitement.