Styx: Shards of Darkness

Despite being so similar compared to Master of Shadows in terms of gameplay, Shards of Darkness improves in visuals and level design, but still has deficiencies in terms of AI and narrative.

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]

If you can look past its ugly mug and terrible tongue, Styx may just throw up some unexpected treasures. [May 2017, p.78]

A creative stealth game that improves on its predecessor, though remains a little rough around the edges. Styx remains a deeply unpleasant character. [May 2017, p.93]

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.

A decent stealth experience, but the AI tends to sour the experience, as does the occasional camera angle issue.

Styx: Shards of Darkness is an enormous improvement over its predecessor. The gameplay has seen a large amount of refinement to the point where it's actually a fun game to play, and Styx himself steals the show with his charismatic performance. It's not without its own set of returning and new defects, but Styx's second adventure is something we can confidently recommend. This is everything the first game should have been.

By no means a perfect game, Styx: Shards of Darkness is still an improvement on the first. As the series continues to progress we can hope to see some better storytelling, world building and crisper graphics and sound, but for now at least we have an enjoyable experience with some interesting ideas to experiment with.

Amid an overcrowded season full of newly launched triple-A titles, Shards of Darkness, at its very best, works as an inconsistent but serviceable stealth experience.

A dated yet enjoyable stealth affair. [Issue#186, p.78]

A dark, challenging stealth game undermined by an unimaginative and rambling story littered with crude gags and lazy pop culture references.

Shards of Darkness could have been a big step forward for the series, giving you a more rounded set of gameplay possibilities, alongside the better looking environments and other areas. Alas it’s not as big an improvement as I’d hoped and is let down by bugs and inconsistencies. It’s a stealth game with one foot stuck in the past, and that remains both a blessing and a curse.

Styx: Shards of Darkness had the potential to be a really fun and clever stealth game in a high-fantasy setting with a memorable and witty protagonist. Unfortunately, it never progresses beyond being a moderately functional game with low-fantasy aspirations and an irredeemable main character that would be pretty forgettable if he wasn’t so damn annoying.