Styx: Master of Shadows
IGDB
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About Styx: Master of Shadows
Styx: Master of Shadows launched on October 7, 2014 as an infiltration title from Cyanide Studio. You play as Styx, a two-hundred-year-old goblin navigating the Tower of Akenash in a dark fantasy world. This single-player adventure blends stealth mechanics with role-playing systems and strategic planning. The game targets players who prefer quiet tension over loud combat encounters. Available on PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, it lets you infiltrate areas to steal treasures or assassinate guards while uncovering the mystery of your species origin. You move through a vertiginous tower where humans and elves guard the World-Tree source of magical amber.
Gameplay
You control Styx using third-person stealth mechanics that rely on shadows, distractions, and silent takedowns rather than direct confrontation. A typical session involves scouting enemy patrol routes, picking locks, and hacking terminals to unlock new areas or gather resources for upgrades. You must manage visibility carefully since light exposes you instantly to guards who will sound alarms if they spot you. The game offers RPG elements that let you improve Styx's agility, strength, and social skills through earned experience points. You can pickpocket items from unsuspecting targets or use poisons to neutralize threats quietly. Multiple paths exist for each objective, allowing you to choose between brute force stealth or clever trickery to bypass obstacles without triggering combat sequences.
What Players Think
Critics and players have given Styx: Master of Shadows an IGDB score of 73.1 out of 100 based on 92 ratings. The community generally views this as a solid but flawed entry in the stealth genre with an average completion rate that suggests many players drop off before finishing the main campaign. Playtime averages around 12 hours for those who stick with it, though completionists spend significantly more time hunting achievements. Only 17.2% of the 33 total achievements have been unlocked on average. The rarest trophy "Unseen, unknown" boasts a mere 2.70% unlock rate, proving how difficult some stealth challenges remain even for veteran players. Reviews often mention the frustrating lighting engine and occasional pathfinding issues as major hurdles during extended play sessions.
PlayPile's Take
This title is worth buying only if you can find it near its historical low of $1.54. The game offers genuine satisfaction when your planning pays off, but technical flaws drag down the experience for many. It suits players who enjoy methodical stealth puzzles and do not mind repeating sections after dying to environmental hazards. Achievement hunters will struggle with the 2.70% unlock rate on "Unseen, unknown" unless they use specific guides. Avoid this if you expect smooth controls or a forgiving difficulty curve. The price point makes it a low-risk experiment for genre fans who want to see how Cyanide handled goblin stealth before moving on to other projects.
Game Modes
Single player
IGDB Rating
73.1
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