Skydance Games
Skydance Games has something big on its hand withBehemoth , an coming fantasy natural action VR deed for Meta Quest 2 and 3,PlayStation VR2 , and PC VR . And when I say “ handsome , ” I ’m mouth about its titular Behemoths themselves . From the first person perspective of the lead character , standing near the base of those beasts has a way of making you feel very lowly by comparison . But that does n’t mean you wo n’t be able-bodied to fight them , and the full secret plan of the coming VR plot hinge on their defeat .
Digital Trends was recently invited to Skydance Games ’ position in Santa Monica for a paw - on demo ofBehemoth . Shawn Kittelsen , vice president of originative for Skydance Interactive , was there to take the air me through the demonstration , which take place about three hours into the plot . According to Kittelsen , the orbit explored in the demo will be populated with more enemy in the final game . But for keep the demonstration to just 45 minute , some subtractions were made . In the unforesightful time that I had to bet , I receive a taste for what feels like a promising mark betweenSkyrim VRandShadow of the Colossus .
Slaying the Behemoths
Behemothis a first - personVR adventurewith an accent on sword - swing out fight and easy exploration . BothSkyrimandShadow of the Colossusare apt comparison becauseBehemoththrusts the players into a dark fantasy kingdom and position them into the mountainous terrain of the cursed Forsaken Lands . The instrumentalist character is a mighty warrior who has also been maledict , and the only way to cure the land is to rid it of the Behemoths .
The demo was play on a PS5 using the stock PlayStation VR2 headset and controller . The concentration was impressive even at this stage of the game , which Kittelsen indicate was six calendar month behind the current form ofBehemoth . The controls take some trial and erroneous belief to get used to , but they were largely intuitive once the commands were learned . Movement is controlled on the remaining - hand controller , but both controllers follow the movement of your weapon system . For example , right - handed player can utilise the sword in that hand while the left arm maneuvers the shell . blade combat requires you to mimic the actions that you want your character to perform .
likewise , some two - handed weapons , include a larger brand and a bow and pointer , demand both hired man to habituate . And that intend now and again going without a carapace . The hand control also allow the player to pull items from their bash , admit healing potions that were sometimes necessary in the heat of battle .
One feature that ’s particularly appreciated was the way the brand can be recall to your handwriting via the traveling bag push . This come in handy on multiple occasions , and it even allows the musician to throw the blade at enemies and call back it to their deal not unlike Thor ’s hammer in the Marvel film .
Aside from a healer who teaches the instrumentalist graphic symbol how to make potion , I did n’t come across any other friendly NPCs during the demo . Everyone else I met was trying to kill me . The enemy forces are loyal worshiper of the local Behemoth who live in a ruined fortress on a mountain . The tower beast is no passive fauna like the giants inShadow of the Colossus ; it had a orchis and strand weapon scale to its sizing and the ferocity of a deadly warrior . War was no stranger to this fauna . In my first showdown with the Behemoth , it show its followers no regard as it slammed its weapon system down . Compared to it , all men are bug and it had no pursuit in friend or foe at that point in the game .
harmonise to Kittelsen and other Skydance rep who were present , the vast legal age of the player who antecedently try this demonstration favored retentive - length scrap with the opposition . That ’s why they were fairly taken aback by the nigh - fourth combat in my demonstration , which terminate with some unrelenting kill . Among other thing I find , you’re able to prod an enemy by reaching under their shield , or even plunge your sword through their shoulder steel and then compress it deeply into their bodies . This was by necessity , because I was n’t able to get the bow and pointer to accurately hit the target .
Between fight brush , the player is mean to regain ways to climb the paries of the fort or the rocks surrounding them . While the Earth ofBehemothis meant to feel like an open world , there were n’t many ways to get lost . The game manoeuver me where I necessitate to go and provide the necessary tool to get past even the most difficult climbs . The grappling crossbow is particularly handy as it allow players to swing off ledges or even to expend the equipment to speedily draw out them up . The crossbow can also be used in combat against attack foe or to rive down obstacle like lift bridge door .
The snippet I played is very reminiscent ofSkyrim VR , minus the wizardly spells . However , the player character does get a wizard strength boost thanks to a whammy . When charged with strength , the player ’s blow are even more damaging , and he can hack enemies into two with a individual strike . This shew to be very helpful in the fight against the final human foeman bump in the demonstration . The loss leader of the enemy forces was much harder to fight than his subordinates , but even he had the same fight pattern that could be counter with successful sword parries .
To cap off the demonstration , I encountered theSeal Behemoth that I briefly glimpsed sending its own follower to their doomsday earlier in the playthrough . And this was not a fight that I get ahead . With more time and further instruction , it could have been done . But when this part of the demo was reach , our allotted sentence was up .
Behemothseems to be very promising even in this other stage of the title . Only a few pocket-sized sampling of the traditional knowledge was revealed during the gameplay , but it was enough to leave me intrigued by the storyline . Behemothisn’t based on a preexisting story or IP , but it has the potential to become a franchise of its own if the finished deed of conveyance can live up to the hope of this demo .
Behemothwill launch this fall for Meta Quest 2 and 3 , PlayStation VR 2 , and personal computer VR headsets .
