Skydance's Behemoth has launched - VR game of the year 2024?
First impressions using the Valve Index: 9/10. Here is the PCVR launch trailer:
Find the game here:
https://store.steampowered.com/app/1707990/Skydances_BEHEMOTH/
https://www.meta.com/experiences/pcvr/skydances-behemoth/4240098972741206/
If you buy the Rift version, you get the Quest version for free.
According to UploadVR, the Quest standalone versions are very limited, downscaled, have many issues, and are hard to recommend:
"On Quest 2, the visuals fell short, suffering from blurriness that's commonly associated with ageing headset. Significant aliasing was also present, making some text in the game difficult to read. This translated into gameplay impediments for me, with noticeable frame rate drops in crowded areas or when facing the imposing Behemoths. For players seeking a good experience, Quest 2 seems a poor choice and one that I am no longer recommending for games that have recently released.
Switching to Quest 3, there were slight improvements in graphics, but aliasing persisted, although with the headset's higher-resolution displays and pancake lenses, text readability issues from the Quest 2 version were no longer noticeable. Performance also improved overall, though playing on Quest 3 still wasn’t free of the occasional slowdown. Similar to a few other big titles I’ve played this year, like Metro Awakening, it became clear that BEHEMOTH was most likely optimized around the limitations of Quest 2, leaving Quest 3’s additional horsepower underutilized."
Source: https://www.uploadvr.com/skydances-behemoth-graphics-comparison-impressions/
The PCVR version was much better according to UploadVR:
"Between the various platforms, the true behemoth visually here was the PC VR version. With the power of a high-end gaming rig, the graphics are outstanding, but the game keeps crashing. I tried repeatedly to play the PC version and this frequent crashing made it impossible to get more than five minutes of playtime. However, David Heaney found greater success and played the PC VR version for over an hour with some stuttering but without experiencing any crashes."
Source: https://www.uploadvr.com/skydances-behemoth-graphics-comparison-impressions/
Not sure what hmd they used - using the Index, I've had no crashes at all, the game feel rock solid. I've tested the Steam version.
Note that the great graphics to aid immersion aren't cheap - these are the recommended specs for the PCVR version:
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i7-12700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D
- Memory: 32 GB RAM
- Graphics: GeForce RTX 3080 (10240 MB) / Radeon RX 7700 XT (12288 MB)
- Storage: 50 GB available space
- VR Support: OpenXR, Meta Quest 2+3, Index
The game feels like true PCVR, this does not feel like a Quest port - or I have many exclusive PCVR games of much lower quality. The start of the game kinda reminded me of Asgard's Wrath 1, and that's not bad at all.
The sense of scale, and the vistas, are amazing when cranking up the rendering distance to Ultra. I doubt you'll get same rendering distance on other platforms than PCVR. You have many graphics options in the game, and the game should perform great even on slower rigs.
Awesome vistas - this is rendering distance set to Ultra. Performance is great
Index controllers are fully supported and recognized by the game - but no finger tracking. No big deal though. I greatly appreciate having arms and not just hands:
Love my arms You don't just get hands in Behemoth
Old Chinese saying: "If the ground texture is awesome, everything is awesome" ;-)
Faces look like real PCVR - especially compared to Metro Awakening
RoadToVR rated the game 8.5/10, but reviewed the Quest 3 standalone version, which is significantly reduced compared to the PCVR version:
https://www.roadtovr.com/skydances-behemoth-review-quest-3-psvr-2-steam/
Quote: "Skydance's Behemoth combines satisfying physics-based combat, immersive visuals, and dynamic mechanics to deliver a standout VR action-adventure experience, though its predictable story and occasionally artificial-feeling AI detract slightly from its otherwise polished execution. The game's intense Behemoth battles and well-woven locomotion mechanics combine for an impressive showcase of how a deft hand at VR-native design can elevate even mediocre narratives to monstrous heights."
I'm ready for a new fight :-)
Gamerant rated the game 9/10:
https://gamerant.com/behemoth-vr-game-review/
Quote: "It's not perfect, but that doesn't stop Behemoth from being one of the best VR games to date. It's an action-packed adventure that should greatly appeal to fans of games like The Legend of Zelda and God of War, with a healthy balance of gritty combat, satisfying puzzles, and immersive exploration. It's the latest must-have VR experience and one of the best virtual reality games to release all year."
Fun thing - Beardo Benjo was as impressed as I am - he's using an RTX 4090 with Quest 3: