Styx: Shards of Darkness

Depending on what you’re looking for in your next third person stealth game, Styx may fit the bill. It gets a lot right and is a noticeable improvement from the first game, which itself was pretty good to begin with. It may not carry the history or prestige of some of stealth’s bigger franchises, but if you like the genre at all, Cyanide Studios’ latest effort deserves your attention.

The Goblinthief Styx steals the show again in Styx Shards of Darkness. While the game gets difficult, it keeps you entertained till the end. Styx introduces you to a fantasy world full of mysteries to solve.

The second Styx game plays it safe, but still manages to improve upon its obscure predecessor in significant ways. Recommended!

Since it's first adventure, Styx has grown and now offers quite complex infiltration mechanics, along with a very well done level design that allows for a lot of replayability. The only drawback is the crappy humor and appalling punchlines. A pretty good game overall.

The game mechanics are on par with some of the better known stealth titles out there, and taking place in a massive and beautiful fantasy world only enhances the experience. The typical stealth elements such as hiding in the shadows and hanging off building ledges mix well with the more unique abilities such as invisibility and having a clone run amok to take the focus off of Styx.

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.

It presents an interesting world to explore but wastes its potential by recycling environments from early missions late in the game. Co-op mode is fun, too, but only selectively as some stealth-only missions seem far more manageable on one's own.

Styx comes back with a satisfying adventure that feels like a big step forward compared to the previous one. It's not one of the best stealth-based games, but still very enjoyable.

In the end, Styx: Shards of Darkness is a solid stealth title. The lack of real combat puts your ability to go undetected to the test, and the breadth of each level means that your solutions to each problem are wide open, giving you some flexibility to your approach. While your abilities are fun to use, it would've been nice to see them make a difference, especially since the game reuses some environments instead of going for new ones. Shards of Darkness is an improvement over the first game, and it's worth checking out if you're a stealth fan.

Styx: Shards of Darkness improves on the original just enough to be interesting when it comes to gameplay mechanics, but much more in the plot aspect and character quality. Its main selling point is Styx's highly sarcastic sense of humour, but the game is not really lengthy, which weighs down the final result. A game to keep an eye on for the moment it is on sale.

Shards of Darkness is a fine sequel to the unexpected and great Master of Shadows. It’s more ambitious, but this results in some other aspects not feeling as polished as they should.

Styx: Shards of Darkness is a safe sequel. The developers have prepared more of the same elements that were praised in the original game. The gameplay is pretty much the same with minor improvements. All of that makes second Styx a good game, but not as surprising as the first one. Still, it's a tasty morcel for fans of stealth games.

Styx: Shards of Darkness improves on its predecessor significantly without having to steer away from its core attributes. Everything from its visuals and dialogue to its gameplay and story have been upgraded and polished to an impressive sheen. It’s still far from being perfect and its style of stealth and combat might not be for everyone, but it’s definitely a challenging and enjoyable experience that sometimes forces you to think hard first before acting.

Overwhelming in size and overflowing with freedom with which to tackle its sprawling campaign, Styx: Shards of Darkness is an unapologetically pure stealth title that might struggle to expand its hardcore appeal beyond the die-hard fans of the genre.