Styx: Blades of Greed Review – Stealth Lovers Will Delight in This One

The infamous Styx, the cheeky goblin thief and self-proclaimed master of stealth, returns in Styx: Blades of Greed. This time, Styx is more powerful than ever, commanding his own zeppelin and embarking on a daring quest to uncover and collect Quartz, a mysterious energy source that grants him new abilities. These powers make Styx an even more formidable and slippery thief, giving him the upper hand against enemies who would love nothing more than to catch him in the act. Styx is no longer just a lone operator, as he recruits a crew to aid him on his treasure hunt, all while embracing his signature mischievous charm and foul-mouthed wit. It’s a fresh start for our favorite goblin, but it also feels like a natural progression in his story.

One of the standout features of Styx: Blades of Greed is the added freedom you now have to explore. After completing the tutorial mission, you are given control of Styx’s zeppelin, which serves as the central hub for the game. This airship allows you to travel to a variety of different locations, each with its own set of challenges, all in pursuit of Quartz. Unlike the linear missions of previous installments, you now have the option to tackle these quests in any order, adding an element of player choice that feels quite refreshing.

The ability to fly to different places in any sequence gives the game an open-ended feel, though it isn’t fully open-world. Instead, it’s a series of interconnected levels that offer more room for exploration and decision-making. The level design also takes verticality into account, with multi-level environments that force you to think creatively about how to reach your objectives. It adds a layer of complexity to your sneaky endeavors, as you must consider not only horizontal movement but also vertical challenges that require some clever problem-solving. Tools such as a grappling hook and a glider help ease your way through some of these obstacles, though, at first, you’re left to rely on your wits and your environment.

Exploration is more than just sneaking through shadows. Styx: Blades of Greed brings a renewed focus on verticality in its level design. Many of the game’s environments have multiple floors, platforms, and tricky angles that demand more thought and planning when it comes to traversing the terrain. Whether you’re scaling walls, leaping between ledges, or finding secret paths, Styx’s adventure is all about adapting to the environment.

To help with these challenges, Styx eventually gains a grappling hook and glider, which become invaluable tools for quickly navigating and reaching high areas. The introduction of these tools adds another layer of strategy to the game, allowing you to approach each mission with different tactics. While the game can initially feel more limiting before these tools are acquired, once you unlock them, the traversal becomes a lot more dynamic and less restrictive.

As a stealth-focused game, Styx: Blades of Greed stays true to its roots, providing ample opportunities for players to engage in classic stealth mechanics. Whether you’re lurking in the shadows, hiding in barrels, or sneaking past enemies, the game encourages you to think about every move. The key to survival lies in how well you can use your surroundings to avoid detection. You’ll often find that lighting plays a crucial role in your stealthy approach extinguishing lanterns and staying out of sight is paramount to avoiding enemy detection.

What makes Styx: Blades of Greed particularly engaging for stealth fans is the wide variety of tools and powers at your disposal. Styx’s Amber powers let him create clones and turn invisible, adding a supernatural twist to his already impressive skillset. But it’s Styx’s Quartz powers that really change the game, offering the ability to possess guards, slow down time, or manipulate enemies in creative ways. These powers add to your options, allowing you to tailor your approach based on the situation. However, they are not without limits, as these abilities have a cooldown period, ensuring that players cannot rely on them too heavily and must still plan their moves carefully.

Beyond the standard stealth tools, Styx’s new abilities provide an exciting array of options. With the Quartz abilities, Styx can take control of a guard’s body, allowing him to temporarily fight his own enemies or use the guard’s vision to scout out the area. Similarly, the ability to slow down time creates an opening for you to outmaneuver your foes. These powers feel like natural extensions of Styx’s already impressive arsenal, and they offer creative ways to approach the various challenges you’ll face throughout the game.

But while these abilities certainly add flair to the gameplay, they do not eliminate the fundamental challenges of the game. You’ll still need to make the most of the environment, as many missions require precise timing and careful positioning. The new tools are useful, but they do not make the game feel too easy there’s always a risk involved.

While stealth is the main focus, Styx: Blades of Greed does allow for combat in a pinch. Unfortunately, combat is arguably the weakest aspect of the game. The lock-on system for attacks feels cumbersome, and the overall combat mechanics don’t hold up to the rest of the game’s more refined stealth elements. Styx is a sneaky goblin, not a warrior, and the combat system often feels out of place in an otherwise stealth-oriented experience. Engaging in combat feels more like a last resort than a viable option, and you’ll likely want to avoid it as much as possible.

There are also some issues with the game’s controls that can detract from the overall experience. For instance, the cover mechanic is clunky, and you’ll need to adjust the settings to make it more intuitive. As it stands, the toggle-based system can lead to moments where you’re stuck in cover when you want to run, creating frustration during high-stress situations. These awkward moments are few but noticeable.

One of the more persistent issues with Styx: Blades of Greed is the repetitive nature of the Quartz-hunting missions. While the game offers a lot of freedom in terms of exploration and choice, hunting for Quartz can become a bit of a grind. Fortunately, there are some side missions that mix things up, but the core objective of collecting Quartz begins to feel somewhat monotonous as you progress.

Adding to the challenge is the absence of an in-game map. This lack of guidance, combined with the relatively large, maze-like areas, makes it difficult to orient yourself at times. While the exploration is engaging, there are moments where you’ll find yourself wandering aimlessly, especially when you’re trying to track down Quartz or complete objectives in a sprawling environment. The lack of a map can lead to confusion, making some areas more tedious than enjoyable to navigate.

Rating: 7/10

Despite its flaws, Styx: Blades of Greed delivers a strong experience for fans of stealth games. The addition of new powers, more freedom in exploration, and the verticality of the levels make it an engaging and dynamic entry in the series. While combat leaves much to be desired and the quest for Quartz can feel repetitive, Styx’s return offers a satisfying mix of stealth, strategy, and humor. For those looking for a challenging stealth game with a lot of freedom, Styx: Blades of Greed is definitely worth checking out.

What We Like:

• More freedom in exploration and mission structure
• Styx’s quirky personality makes him a fun protagonist
• A variety of new stealth tools and powers that enhance gameplay

What We Don’t Like:

• Combat mechanics are awkward and underwhelming
• Hunting for Quartz becomes repetitive over time
• Lack of an in-game map makes navigation difficult