Styx: Shards of Darkness is an infiltration and stealth video game, developed by Cyanide and published by Focus Home Interactive. The game is the third game in the Of Orcs and Men series, a prequel to the Of Orcs and Men and sequel to Styx: Master of Shadows. In SoD, the player takes control of titular Styx, a goblin assassin and a thief, in a brand new story.

Story and setting

The plot of the Shards of Darkness follows Styx after the fall of Akenash tower. From the lake of amber, a new breed of goblins was born, more brutal and savage. Styx, uninterested in dealing with his beastly kin, concentrated on doing what he does best: mercenary work. Circumstances force the goblin assassin into infiltrating the dark elven city of Korangar, where the Dwarves and Dark Elves are forming an alliance. And the only thing that could unite these two sworn enemies is their hate of Goblins.  

Stealth gameplay mechanics

Styx: SoD follows the similar gameplay mechanics as the previous installment of the series. Like in Master of Shadows, Shards of Darkness’ gameplay focuses on stealth and evasion of open conflict. Since Styx is a goblin, a creature of a rather small posture and strength, entering a fight with humans elves or dwarves is out of the question. Instead, the protagonist can use his acrobatic skills to avoid being seen, sneak around enemy patrols, set traps for unsuspecting foes and use various skills at his disposal.

Abilities and skill trees

While not as strong as other races in the land, the goblin assassin has some aces up his sleeve. Styx’s abilities are divided into five categories, each of them having its own developable skill tree. Stealth improves invisibility magic and reduces the noise made by the protagonist. Kill tree slightly improves Styx’s chances in open combat and adds the ability to strike down and hide bodies in one swift movement. Alchemy allows crafting items from materials found in the world. Cloning skill lets the goblin assassin create copies of himself, which he can later command. Last but not least, perception tree, which improves Styx’s Amber vision, highlighting living creatures and other interesting elements.

Reception

Styx Shards of Darkness received mainly positive reviews from the critics. Reviewers compared it favorably to the prequel – Master of Shadows – noting the improvements in gameplay mechanics. Many critics noted the uniqueness of the gameplay, focusing on stealth and combat avoidance, as one of the main selling points of the title. All in all, SoD was heavily recommended to all fans of stealth games with a twist.

Key features:

• The Goblin Assassin Styx returns in another installment of popular series
• Enter the dark elven city of Korangar and discover the truth behind the elf-dwarven alliance
• Use a variety of abilities to your advantage and deal with enemies without being seen
• Develop five unique skill trees to improve your chances
• Craft items for materials found in the city to become a true master assassin