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Following the fall of Akenash tower, an extraordinary matter has forced Styx out of hiding and into Korrangar, city of the Dark Elves. Supposedly impregnable, a diplomatic summit offers Styx a chance at slipping in unnoticed. His infiltration complete, Styx will stop at nothing to accomplish the robbery of a lifetime: stealing a scepter of immense and indomitable power.
Embark upon a stealthy adventure with new enemies, new environments, and a plethora of new mechanics refining the abilities of Styx -- grappling around corners, climbing ropes, and using his trusty knife to zip line! Grapple, climb and zip-line - Diverse abilities and improved stealth mechanics open up new possibilities to reach unfamiliar ground Skills that kill - Upgrade abilities and use lethal tactics to defeat enemies even utilise a murderous clone Drop-in/drop-out Co-op Mode - Sneak and stab your way through missions with a friend at any point within the game. Vicious rivals - New monsters to defeat in the cryptic city of Dark ElvesImpressive new environments - A brand new engine brings beautiful graphics created in Unreal Engine 4.
There is a lot to love: The level design in this stealth gem is beautiful, the challenge level is high, the main character is a cynical bastard. Unfortunately in later levels the balancing is not as convincing.
What it may lack in narrative development, Styx: Shards of Darkness more than makes up for in its near-faultless gameplay that stands out as a prime example of stealth design done right.
The second Styx game plays it safe, but still manages to improve upon its obscure predecessor in significant ways. Recommended!
Styx: Shards of Darkness is an evolution of the franchise, and an improvement over a game stealth enthusiasts will greatly enjoy. Don’t expect to run around, daggers raised, and succeed in this one. If a high-quality stealth title is right up your alley, you won’t do wrong with Styx… just turn down the volume in-between deaths.
It can be a little frustrating, but thankfully these flaws are not so insurmountable that Shards of Darkness stops being a diverting and fun misadventure [June 2017, p81]
Styx: Shards of Darkness continues the series with as much enthusiasm as its predecessor, and builds upon what made Master of Shadows work so well - the stealth aspect. The fact that Cyanide Studio didn't pay attention to the negative reports on the combat, and kept the mechanic the same as before is practically the only thing that lets the side down in terms of playability. If you want to have to think about getting from point A to point B, and don't mind getting frustrated at times, then this is easily the best way to spend 15-20 hours.
Styx: Shards of Darkness is a promising stealth experience with massive stages and an interesting blend of genres. However, its frequently frustrating and tedious gameplay make playing it often feel like a chore.
May 15, 2018
Bigben Interactive acquires Cyanide Studios, authors of Styx.
