STYX: Shards of Darkness
For: PS4, Xbox One, PC
From: Focus Home Interactive
Rating: ★★★+
I may not be as obsessed with video games as was the case in my younger days, but I'd like to think I still have a reasonable handle on upcoming games and exciting new releases.
But not this one. Nope. What exactly is a "Styx''? And how do ``Shards of Darkness'' work?
Turns out this is a really well done little stealth platformer that deserves some love from the gaming community.
Styx is a goblin, a highly entertaining if foul-mouthed creature who possesses exceptional skills as a thief and assassin, and who is charged with infiltrating a city of elves in order to uncover a conspiracy and steal a magical sceptre.
Stealth is very much the name of the game. Styx goes down quickly when challenged in a fight, and you are always far better served by sneaking through ceiling spaces, climbing over buildings, ducking into nearby hiding spots and using the environment to avoid being seen.
I've never been into stealth games - they always seem to take too long, and require too much patience - but this one finds a nice balance between risk and reward.
Not all the gameplay mechanics are on point, and after a while the strategies start to repeat, but there is much to like about this game. Try it.
