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

In the world of virtual reality, Skydance’s latest project, Behemoth, sets itself apart by building on the expertise gained from their previous successful VR venture, The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners. Venturing into the action-adventure genre, Behemoth tackles a story that might seem conventional at first glance but transcends typical narratives when experienced in VR—offering a rich and engaging monster-laden journey that feels refreshingly unique.

Details of Skydance’s Behemoth:

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

Gameplay

Taking inspiration from classics like Studio Ghibli’s Princess Mononoke, players step into the shoes of Wren—a cursed villager battling to stave off a fate that would otherwise strip away his humanity. This impending doom comes with a supernatural twist: enhanced abilities that let you sprint faster, slash harder, and decimate adversaries. All this power is at your disposal as you embark on a quest to uncover the origins of the kingdom’s downfall and seek a way to stop it.

Navigating the game’s dilapidated castles and twisting paths, you’ll encounter a slew of cursed foes, bound to wreak havoc and serve the sinister forces in play. Among your adversaries are giant troll-like creatures—truly monstrous in nature—but more on them later.

The game thrives on a combat system rooted in physics, with an emphasis on melee battles. You won’t find the combat watered down by unnecessary gimmicks, which leaves room for players to exercise creativity in their combat strategies. Parry an attack by simply holding your sword in the path of a strike, leaving your assailant vulnerable for a counterattack. While it may be tempting to charge in swinging wildly, remember: your stamina, though it regenerates automatically, isn’t limitless. Each enemy demands your full attention and strategic approach.

While battling your way through, the game introduces options that can turn the tide in your favor. Your superhuman strength is key, allowing you to smash through armor and take down groups of weaker foes in one swoop. Upgradable powers mean you can chain these devastating moves together for maximum effect.

The latter half of Behemoth shifts focus to armored adversaries, pushing you to rely more on raw power and utilize legendary weapons sparingly scattered across the game: a formidable two-handed sword, a regenerating bow, and a mighty axe that can crack through defenses. These can be upgraded at forges using Coloss Alloy—the game’s currency, found in chests scattered through the levels.

Unfortunately, crafting is limited to these upgrades alone. Despite an abundance of medicinal plants littered around, their immediate impact is minimal, leading to speculation that a more robust crafting system may have been axed during development.

Immersion

A standout feature of Behemoth is the balance struck with its voiced characters, particularly Wren and your enigmatic witch-like guide. They remain relatively unobtrusive during gameplay, allowing you to engage deeply with the puzzles and combat scenarios without distraction. This restraint makes it a joy to experience the world organically, avoiding the pitfalls of heavy-handed, scripted assistance.

Despite the strong voice performances, one character feels overly dramatic, breaking the otherwise immersive tone of the world, vividly constructed with its visual and textural prowess—particularly impressive given its performance on Quest 3 hardware.

Overall Experience

Throughout the nine-hour campaign, Behemoth is punctuated by epic adventures, offering ample reason to push forward even when the storyline treads familiar ground. Each piece of the game, from weapon upgrades to collectables, has a clear purpose, making exploration rewarding and combat exhilarating. The encounters with the titular Behemoths are particularly thrilling, testing every skill you’ve honed—agility, tactics, and pure combat prowess.

Comfort and Accessibility

Behemoth offers a range of comfort settings to ensure a pleasant VR experience, accommodating both seated and standing playstyles. While it is an especially physical game, it balances this with thoughtful navigation options, like smooth and snap turning, and visual aids like blinders.

Ultimately, Skydance’s Behemoth delivers a compelling adventure that blends immersive storytelling with gripping action, making it a shining example of what VR gaming can achieve today.