Review for Styx Shards of Darkness. Game for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 14/03/2017
When all the famous and fascinating heroes are busy deciding which sorceresses to entertain, saving galaxies to save or stopping the expansion of hell for the good of humanity, to pass the time all that remains is to rely on a crude, grumpy and vulgar goblin with bad attitudes and an aggravated kleptomania.
Welcome to the fabulous and terribly dark world of Styx: Shards of Darkness, stealth game in which, once you have seen the infinite beauty of the protagonist, you will certainly want to keep him in the dark.
Styx: Shards of Darkness (like predecessor Styx: Master of Shadows) follows the story of the namesake goblin Styx. The title takes place after the fall of the Akenash tower (place where the first title was set).
In Körangar, city of the dark elves, a diplomatic event is close to unfolding. Our task will be to guide the thief in this "impenetrable" citadel, so as to discover what lies behind this encounter.
Cyanide Studio and Focus Home Interactive, respectively the developer and publisher of the franchise, have made big promises regarding this new chapter: new physics engine, updated graphics, new skills and so on.
The beginning of the title is quite simple: much wider environments than those of the previous chapter were the outline of an artificial intelligence that showed no major improvements (especially regarding the reactivity of the enemies). The first technical evolutions were noted (new object physics engine, greater architectural verticality, and new crafting system), but in itself there didn't seem to be a huge upheaval.
But don't be fooled by this "sweet" start: Styx: Shards of Darkness it's not a more-of-the-same and will know how to test you.
Let's start with the settings. Their verticalization and complexity will grow as you advance in the game. They will not just be much broader scenarios than the predecessor, but they will also be more articulated, greatly increasing the player's freedom: there will not be, as in many games of the same genre, a predefined path to follow or a single solution. The limit imposed on the player will be the only achievement of the goal, leaving him independent in following the path he prefers.
In such an elaborate level design, switching from one hiding place to another will be reductive and the more you will continue in the objectives, the more the minds will open to new methods in order not to be discovered. This is greatly facilitated by the precise and immediate controls implemented. Controlling our shadow lover will be simple and each hold will be a good point to climb (there will be no highlighted protrusions to define the scalability. Every reachable surface will be a possible grip).
In addition to these new freedoms of movement, Styx will have useful skills at his disposal, structured in five different categories: the Stealth Tree (which contains the invisibility skills of noise reduction), the Kill Tree (which contains the skills of killing or improvements to dodge enemy attacks), the Alchemy tree (which improves the crafting skills), the Clone Tree (enhancement that allows you to create a clone of yourself to sacrifice to do the dirty work) and finally the Perception tree (which improves the "Amber vision", with which Styx can detect living beings or points of interest).
We will also have the opportunity to use useful tools such as grapples or ropes to be able to expand the possibilities of escape or hiding places, as well as simplify reaching remote places.
We're glad we haven't seen any transition to the action genre: as in the predecessor, Styx will be pathetically weak and after a couple of miserable shots he will give free rein to his funny insults towards the player (during the post-mortem animations). If you discover the most effective solution, the escape will remain, but in this new chapter it will not be a panacea to alleviate any evil: artificial intelligence will become increasingly competitive and aggressive. It will certainly not stop in front of a closed cabinet or a barrel.
The new physics engine applied to objects gives the title a remarkable and surprising thickness. Each material will have a different physical and sonic response based on its weight and material, increasing the feeling of risk with every step we take. It will be necessary to move with care in the houses or in the premises, avoiding generating the slightest noise.
Sounds that will increase the immersion of the player even more. However, they will not be exploited as a mediocre horror game in which you have to hide: the noises emitted by the footsteps, the discussions of the enemies will serve to determine if we are in danger or if there are hidden secrets in the area.
We also appreciated how thanks to these discussions among the NPCs, the title feels much more alive and "realistic" (although a game with goblins and elves can be considered as such).
A further addition to the title is the aforementioned crafting. Initially available only on special workbenches, it will become a skill that can be performed anywhere by the little goblin. You can create darts and other useful tools using all the materials that we will find in the game environment. In this way the theft of objects will make even more sense (after all, we control Stix. He would never steal).
Combining this refined audio, the much more advanced gameplay, a captivating visual sector (even if not so modern) and a protagonist who no longer knows the existence of the fourth wall (without however being out of place or badly characterized) you reach the heart of Styx: Shards of Darkness: it is not a game for everyone, being a real hardcore stealth game, but at the same time it is not made impossible by incorrect mechanics or an unnatural imbalance of difficulty.
The goal is to challenge the player, making him lose in a world so alive and reactive. The refinement of a simulator in a fantastic context.
Styx: Shards of Darkness has a longevity that might seem mediocre at first sight (about 15 hours to complete the campaign). We can not omit the "could", because even lovers of the genre will not have an easy life and will waste time in the trial and error (sometimes necessary).
And if you think that the inclusion of Co-op mode will decrease this difficulty, you are very wrong: struggling in the tunnels and ravines or running on the roofs in company will increase the fun, but at the same time will make couple coordination an absolute must.
Obviously, for the pacifists who don't want to dirty the hands of the white goblin (further), it will be possible to complete the game without killing anyone. However, it is not to be considered "an even more difficult mode": in some moments, the clash may seem simpler, but each corpse will be a trace of your passage and you'll have to take care of it, otherwise you'll have a short life.
Styx: Shards of Darkness is the perfect example of how a franchise must evolve over time. Cyanide Studio was able to analyze the weaknesses of the previous title (small environments, not huge freedom of action) and corrected them, making this title a true masterpiece. The resulting game experience is one that manages to surprise: a sublime gameplay refinement, which leads the title to be a stealth simulator, which contrasts with the unconventional ways and comedy of the protagonist. An engaging result, able to entertain and that will leave you glued to monitors and TVs until you reach the end of the adventure.
It is a hardcore title not to be taken lightly, but at the same time its technical quality highlights how the defeat is due to the player himself, not to negligence in development.
The contrast between this gameplay excellence and the protagonist's rude comedy will give you many hours of pure fun.
► Styx Shards of Darkness is a game for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, the video game was released on 14/03/2017
