Styx: Master of Shadows

"Always keep to the shadows...and walk where it doesn't make too much noise... Avoid running...and farting." [i]Styx: Master of Shadows[/i] is a stealth video game developed by Cyanide Studios and published by Focus Home Interactive. [b]Story[/b] Styx: Master of Shadows takes place in a dark fantasy setting, with humans, elves, orcs, magic and all those common fantasy tropes packed together. You step into the shoes of titular character - Styx, a 200 years old goblin who infiltrates the Tower of Akenash, flying fortress with magical World Tree that keeps whole tower afloat. Styx has one simple goal: reaching the heart of the World Tree. [b]Gameplay[/b] Master of Shadows is played from third person perspective, and as you can guess from title and genre it is all about stealth- silently avoiding and/or eliminating enemies while utilizing your tools to progress through halls and corridors of Akenash in one ugly but intact piece. Game is sliced into chapters, with each cut into multipl...

I am reluctant to recommend Styx, but at the end of the day, it does deserve a cautionary thumbs up for when it's sold for cheap (it's on a 90% sale regularly). Let's start with what the game is not. It's not immersive: if you want your stealth games to be an immersive experience, this ain't it. You'll quickly learn that the game mechanics are far detached from "how things would work in real life", and thinking in "gamey" terms is a must. Steel bars and barriers with huge gaps are not see-through as far as the guards are concerned. Insects only attack you and ignore regular human guards. Darkness is binary: any particular spot is either in the shade or it isn't, and this is sometimes completely arbitrary, with no way to be sure until you're there. Sometimes, places in broad daylight count as being in the shade. It's not polished: guards get stuck on their patrol paths, or fail to start their patrol paths entirely (having them spot a glimpse of you should fire them up), or enter high ...

It's a fun game with stealth mechanics. Got it practically for free with a steam 90% reduction and completed it to 100% all achievements in around 40h. Storywise it is interesting with some plot twists. It is entertaining and refreshing, focusing in the stealth mechanic rather than combat (with the exception of a forced encounter, you can basically play through the whole game without killing a single enemy if you want).

really enjoyable game, I'm not a hardcore gamer or anything, and this was pretty manageable for me, but i think more experienced people would really enjoy speedrunning,especially because of the freedom of choice in playstyle. you could go through an entire mission killing nobody and being undetected ( the harder path, and the game obviously leans you in that direction) or you could kill every single thing. the story isn't that interesting, but i really really enjoyed it regardless. ill grab the sequel at some point, and I'm looking forward to blades of greed!

One thing I really appreciate is how the game makes the most out of its relatively small maps. Despite revisiting the same areas multiple times, it never really feels repetitive. The challenge is definitely a highlight. You’ll need to adapt your playstyle to complete the objectives, which keeps things fresh. The story is pretty vague and doesn’t dive too deep, but it doesn’t really detract from the overall experience. The game mechanics are decent, but nothing that stands out as groundbreaking. Honestly, I wouldn’t pay full price for it, and even at an 80% discount, I probably wouldn’t look. That said, I’m glad I picked it up at 90% off. For stealth game fans looking for a challenging experience, it’s worth a shot, but don’t expect anything groundbreaking.

Styx: Master of Shadows is a stealth-action game that carves out a distinct niche by blending the tense, methodical gameplay of classic stealth titles with a unique protagonist and dark fantasy setting. Developed by Cyanide Studio, the game puts you in the shoes of Styx, a small but cunning goblin thief, whose agility, stealth, and resourcefulness become your greatest assets. Released on Steam, Styx offers a tightly designed experience where patience, planning, and precision are paramount, rewarding players who approach its challenges thoughtfully rather than through brute force. From the outset, Styx: Master of Shadows establishes a dark and atmospheric world steeped in intrigue and danger. The environments range from sprawling, labyrinthine castles to shadowy corridors and hidden passages, all rendered with an attention to detail that helps immerse players in this gritty fantasy universe. The level design is a highlight, cleverly constructed to encourage exploration and multiple app...

Devoted Stealth game with somewhat poor controls. Don't go for the special level bonuses the first time around, you'll suck the fun out of the game by save scumming without progressing. Go for it later on when you understand the mechanics and have unlocked some abilities, you'll have more fun. Why it's awesome: Abilities, cloning in particular, are versatile and reward experimentation. Play around with it and you'll come up with some creative solutions that use no resources. Level design is excellent and rewards exploration. Also makes being a goblin seem cool. Story is pretty good, kinda like a heist/sting novel. Setting, atmosphere, and immersion are also compelling. Why it might not be for you: This isn't an Action game. It requires patience, resource management, and cunning... Which lets you kill a bunch of people to be fair. Poor controls. Sometimes hanging from a ledge is more difficult than it should be. Sometimes you catch a ledge while trying to drop assassinate. ...

I've tried Commandos and other isometric stealth games. As nice their background and story might be, I see Styx's tales (and maybe Thief 3) as the only true sneaky games. Quick save and various save slots make it very forgiving. You want a challenge? Try to get those insignias. There's something in it for every kind of gamer, plus the visual style on top of the left/right-up/down crawling makes Styx the ultimate setting. And I like his sarcasm. True gem, and once finished I want to try the sequel(s).

Styx can fight but this is primarily a game played in the dark, keeping to the shadows.

this game legit made me mad sometimes, this is a real stealth game, you gonna get punished for trying to kill everyone and thats good, styx is a asshole but as the game progress you kinda get his charm the best part of this game is the level design and exploration, you must be legit the master of shadows in this game and as you get more skills and the felling of the game it really clicks and today is one of my favorite of the genre