Styx: Shards of Darkness

Did You Know?

• Styx can clone himself, lay traps, and temporarily turn invisible.
• The game includes a multiplayer co-op mode where the second player controls one of Styx's clones.
• Cyanide confirmed the game had a bigger budget and ran on a new engine; it was announced on 14 October 2015 after six months of development.

Plot

The story takes place several decades after the events of Master of Shadows. Many communities suffer from goblin infestations, as goblins are generally considered stupid vermin called rakash. Styx, an exceptional goblin with human-like intelligence and the ability to talk, works as a thief and assassin for hire and holds little regard for other goblins. In the slum town of Thoben, which is overrun with goblins, a goblin hunter named Helledryn hires Styx to steal a magical scepter from an ambassador to the dark elves, promising amber as payment. Styx infiltrates the ambassador's airship, but a shapeshifting dark elf takes the scepter first, attaches a large crystal to it, and uses it to paralyze Styx. The elf then shapeshifts into a human and raises the alarm, forcing Styx to flee empty-handed. Helledryn wanted the scepter to enter the dark elf mountain fortress of Korrangar and spy on a diplomatic summit. She asks Styx to help infiltrate the fortress for a hefty amber payment, and Styx also seeks revenge on the shapeshifting elf and to investigate the scepter. Korrangar is ruled by a priestess named Lyssril, whose devotees consume daily doses of amber and occasionally sacrifice themselves to a monster called Laxima. Styx learns that an outcast named Djarak is the elf he encountered in Thoben. Styx obtains a dark elf disguise for Helledryn to infiltrate the summit, and discovers Djarak has disguised himself as a human diplomat. At the meeting, Lyssril demonstrates a magical crystal called Quartz that can paralyze goblins at a distance, offering to pay humans and dwarves for live goblins delivered to Korrangar. As the meeting ends, Helledryn spots the disguised Djarak and tries to lure him out; Djarak senses the ruse and attempts to assassinate Lyssril, but fails.

Reception

Styx: Shards of Darkness received mixed or average reviews on Metacritic. Destructoid's Nic Rowen gave it a 7/10, calling it solid and fun despite some faults. IGN's Leif Johnson scored it 7.8/10, describing it as a challenging stealth adventure with as much snark as sneaking. PC Gamer's Jon Morcom awarded it 79/100, noting that a mean-spirited character leads a big-hearted game whose features combine well for a satisfying stealth experience.