Styx: Master of Shadows is a new game developed by Cyanide who have mainly made simulator games and the Blood Bowl series. Pitting itself against greats like Thief, can Styx make a mark for himself just like he does with Ember? One thing’s for sure, developers moving into new genres normally have shaky beginnings.
Story
The game starts off with Styx being captured by the guards of the tower and being interrogated as to why is there and who is his master. Through some discussion it is found that he is in leagues with the elves and is after the World Tree, the one main source of Ember, a magical substance that allows creatures to use special abilities.
Telling his tale, the game goes into a flashback which is where most of the game is played, as Styx makes his way through the tower’s many districts and levels to find items to help him on his way, meet allies and find the World Tree. As the story progresses you regain some memories of Styx’s past and the people he met before who he has now forgotten.
Styx can last you in a fast no collection run around 12 hours or less, but if you want to spend your time finding every item and completing it to its fullest it will take up to 20 hours. Styx isn’t an easy game either, being spotted very easily by passing guards and only taking 4 hits before you die.
Gameplay
Styx is a stealth game through-and-through, there are mechanics for fighting in open combat and for running from foes but if you get to that point you will have little hope of surviving. Starting off with little to no abilities in the killing department you have to depend on your quick reactions to get up behind an enemy and take him out before he turns.
Movement is simple, if a bit stiff, you can crouch walk and stand walk with the first being a lot quieter and what you will be doing for a majority of the game. Getting up behind an enemy will allow you to muffle kill them or just kill them loudly, which is sometimes needed when there is a nearby guard about to turn and you need to move. With enough amber you can also activate Vision or create a clone to help you find items and reach places you couldn’t before, as well as going invisible for a short time.
As you play the game, either through all stealth or blade to blade combat, you will get Skill points that can be used to learn new tricks and abilities, like being able to kill from corners or ledges, to moving faster or improving your Amber abilities. Some of these skills are imperative to have to 100% the game as they make it so much easier. Any level can be replayed so if you get a new skill feel free to travel back and get all the other items and obtain a higher score.
Overall Thoughts and Feelings
Styx is hard to come to terms with, the starting levels are too open and full of enemies for beginning levels, you will die multiple times before getting to grips with the controls which feel floaty, stiff and unforgiving. Styx may be a Master of Shadows but it will take you a few hours to become a Master yourself. The skills are almost a necessity to complete the game, with some feeling like they should have been in the game as standard.
The graphic quality of Styx feels really dated, with characters in-game looking unpolished and with not much detail to them. The style itself looks fine and appealing, with some extenuated models making it easier to know where you can hide and where people will move to but the overall design doesn’t sit well with me.
The music in Styx is almost non-existent at times, with you merely focusing on sneaking rather than listening to music. The music ramps up when you are in combat like it should but that is one of the few times you notice it. The music score is great however, I merely wish it popped up a bit louder and more noticeably.
Overall I give Styx: Master of Shadows a 3/5, the game feels clunky and looks rather old and a shaky start for the simulator game company. The stealth aspects of the game are the good kind of hard and punish you for stupid mistakes and moves and really works to training you to become a better assassin/thief. Fans of the series may find it hard to like the game for feeling so different, and the average consumer might not take a liking to the game in itself either.
Disclaimer:All scores given within our reviews are based on the artist’s personal opinion; this should in no way impede your decision to purchase the game.
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