Styx: Shards of Darkness is a stealth action game with RPG elements. This time, the player must infiltrate Karngar, which was considered the most protected city until Styx infiltrated it.
Gameplay
Stealth is Styx’s main friend: the player must bypass or extinguish torches, fires, and move in a crouch to avoid getting caught by the enemy. Also, the gamer must enter not through the main doors, but by climbing through windows and crevices. When you see the dead body, the enemies start screaming to call for help, so it’s recommended to use acid solvents or hide it in the nooks and crannies.
Almost the entire game can be completed without any kills or stuns. Also, Styx can briefly become invisible to sneak through crowds. However, the hero’s abilities are not limitless, as the lantar substance used eventually runs out.
The combat mechanics of the game are very underdeveloped: the protagonist can eliminate opponents from behind, slip poison into food and water, drop crates and chandeliers. If the player encounters an enemy in the open, it will not be easy to kill him. The player must calculate the shots and strikes of the enemy in time to dodge or kill them instantly.
As the story progresses, stronger and more armoured opponents will stand in the way of the protagonist, who cannot be killed with a dagger or arrow. However, the protagonist will also gain new abilities and perks.
Game plot Styx
It all starts in Toben, where Styx steals the wage chest of the guards. On a tip from Efron, Styx is ambushed and meets Heldrin, the leader of the goblin slaying squad. Heldrin offers Styx to steal a scepter with which to infiltrate the meeting of ambassadors and priestesses. In exchange for the scepter she offers the goblin amber, to which he agrees.
Upon reaching the ship, Styx fails to steal the staff, it has been stolen by a werewolf. Upon learning this, Helledrin and Styx infiltrate Corrangar to find the elf. During the mission they learn that the werewolf’s name is Jarak and he resists the priestess. At that time the priestess gives everyone crystals with which to control goblins. Soon the heroes find and damage Jarak.
The goblin almost catches up with Jarak, but he escapes. Styx then heads to the mines in search of the stone, where he encounters the Tarabis Queen. After destroying the boss, the hero steals the stone and runs into Corrangar’s guards. All entrances and exits are blocked as the elves search for Styx. Helledrin suggests he surrender in the guise of a mere goblin and then escape.
The goblin is captured but escapes. After reaching the barge, Styx finds himself in the village of the Hunters, from which he heads for Torben. It transpires that the Meatgrinder has been conquered, as have the amber supplies. In the meantime, the goblin reaches his hiding place, where he encounters Heldrin and an ambush of elves, thereby being captured.
Once again escaping, the protagonist must retrieve 6 tablets and exit the temple. On the way he finds Heldrin, who can be left behind or released. Soon Styx encounters Jarak, who informs him that the priestess is deliberately giving amber to the creatures in order to manipulate them. To stop this, the goblin must undermine the alliance between the dwarves and the elves, namely by killing the dwarven representative and planting evidence.
After a while, Jarak suggests to Styx that he blow up an amber factory. While setting the explosives, Styx discovers that amber is extracted from goblin blood. After the explosion, Jarak and Styx stumble upon a golem, which the protagonist destroys with ballista. After victory, Styx sees his ship being hijacked by Jarak.
Styx: Shards of Darkness is a typical stealth game that resembles Thief. The weak story and lack of combat mechanics are significant drawbacks.