Skydance Interactive once again takes immersion, action, and VR exploration to the next level in Behemoth.
In Freak, players will explore the plague-ravaged wastelands of a once glorious empire, where its people have been driven mad and cities have fallen to ruin. In a glorious VR mode, players’ bodies and minds will be tested as they battle towering colossal giants called Behemoths. Brute force won’t be enough, however, as they must use various tools in their arsenal to defeat these gigantic creatures and other nightmarish enemies that roam this brutal world in their quest for a possible cure.
Skydance Interactive wanted to maintain the gritty survivalism that’s present in its Walking Dead titles – the environment is brutal and unforgiving, and there’s no one to rely on but yourself. Interwoven with these elements, the developers added a touch of folk horror, with themes of sacrifice and cruelty in the natural world, secrets of the past, and glimpses into darker realities. In Behemoth, the fear of the unknown is always with you.
The tone of the story is dark. From the outset, you are thrown into a world where all hope is lost, you will face almost invulnerable monstrosities and will have to rely on their own skill to defeat them. As the story progresses, the glimpse of hope gained will always be tempered by the serious challenges ahead.
The world of Behemoth will not only test your combat and survival skills, but also the strength of your will. The true depths of its horrors will take dedication to uncover and by then it may be too late.
The cinematic trailer features FreakBrutal yet tactical VR combat and jaw-dropping traversal gameplay as players conquer monolithic beings in a grim and unforgiving world.
“Of Archangel at The Walking Dead: Saints and Sinners, we have learned a lot over the years about the unique challenges and strengths of virtual reality. said Todd Adamson, Creative Director, Skydance Interactive. “Freak is the culmination of a decade of work and is designed for gamers who want a deep, all-encompassing experience specifically tailored to the medium. We hope gamers are as excited as we are for the launch of Freak Next year..”
“We really wanted to capture a world that was both brutal and beautiful. The people here are all outcasts, sent to this distant corner of the world to live out their final days among Behemoths, and we wanted the danger and monolithic scale of these creatures are reflected in the landscapes. Great steep cliffs descend into the misty unknown. A huge glacier towering over a ruined coastline. Caves that descend through the darkness into immense underground lakes. And threaded through it all are find the ancient remnants of a collapsed civilization, and the secrets its ruins may still hold. Ultimately, it’s all reclaimed by nature. And that’s what it feels like to wander the Wastelands, that your fate could be the same.” – Dylan Scher, Senior Concept Artist
“In Saints and Sinners, melee combat was really only for walkers. In Behemoth, you’ll fight human enemies who are intelligent and have thoughts and feelings. Combat is entirely physics-based , and we need real weapon collision for things like blocking and parrying This also applies to enemies, so the AI will actually predict the incoming angle of your attack and position correctly his sword to block it. They make mistakes though, and if they fail and your sword connects to their body, it will do damage. – Todd Adamson, Creative Director
“Typically in games, grappling hooks are a ‘zoom in location’ mechanic. Ours is different in that it just lets you create a physically simulated rope at will. You can then use the rope to do different things – climbing up a spot, pulling an object off a ledge, grabbing an enemy, etc.” – Todd Adamson, Creative Director
“Everyone is struggling to survive in a country that doesn’t want them. The first moments of this game have you attacked, left for dead, and robbed for your meager supplies. There’s a clear message here: if you want to survive, you better be prepared to fight for it. And those are just the human enemies. When you look at your first Behemoth, you better be prepared for the true scale of these things and what it takes to kill one. – Dylan Scher, lead concept artist
Boss fights against behemoths must be experienced. Facing monolithic enemies is another place where we thought we could take the familiar concept of the boss battle and surprise the player, showing them the difference between playing a game and entering it. In the helmet, the beasts are terrifying, imposing and the challenge they present is daunting. Hunting down one will push players to their limits. Intricate traversal puzzles, challenging landscapes littered with desperate savages, and the horrific remnants of an ancient disease will all stand in your way as you hunt down Behemoths
Main characteristics:
- Redefined and Brutally Tactile Combat – Players need to think before attacking as the human AI has been upgraded for melee combat where weak points, armor and technique all matter. Strength is key, but conservation of energy will have to be considered because everything has a price in this unforgiving world.
- A refinement of VR physics – Traverse the evolving landscape using your hands and/or grappling hook or use it to tear apart the world around you. Grab an enemy to gain the tactical advantage or use the surrounding landscape to stealth take out enemies.
- A Stark, New World – A completely new, unforgiving, yet surprisingly beautiful world to explore and survive. Players will create, fight and endure through the world of Behemoth
Freak will launch on Meta Quest 2, PSVR2 and PCVR in Fall 2023.
