Styx: Master of Shadows was revealed to us at E3 2014 in Los Angeles through 15 minutes of gameplay footage where you play as Styx, a two-centuries-old Goblin obsessed with a substance called Amber. It is being developed by Cyanide Studio for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. Cyanide Studio is known for the Blood Bowl series, the Game of Thrones video game, and the very well-received Of Orcs and Men.
Playing as a Goblin in Styx: Master of Shadows makes it easy to assume that the game will be similar to Of Orcs and Men and while it may be reminiscent, there is so much more to Styx than meets the eye. While watching the gameplay footage, it became clear that there is no single path to go from one point to another, but instead multiple solutions that require strategy and observation to reach. The game is made up of open-ended areas filled with interactive objects and destructible environments that Styx may use to his advantage.
Styx: Master of Shadows will be the company’s first next-gen game and what’s so interesting about this announcement is that Cyanide Studio has relied so heavily, if not solely on gameplay to sell their games to fans as opposed to cinematic cutscenes like so many other companies tend to do when first announcing a game. It’s clear that Styx will have to tread lightly throughout the game, which has been described by Cyanide Studio as a stealth infiltration game with RPG elements. There is still a lot of mystery behind Styx: Master of Shadows, despite being a game expected to release this year.
Julien Desourteaux, Game Director of Styx: Master of Shadows, stated:
“We want to offer a real challenge to the player, with a game requiring strategy and reflection. Players really have to take care of many details to progress in a level. But to make things fair, players have powerful tools at their disposal that they’ll have to use wisely.”
The story takes place in the Tower of Akenash, where the Treeworld resides. The Treeworld is protected by humans and other authorities of this realm and Styx lusts for this object as it is the source of Amber, a powerful golden sap filled with magical properties. Amber will enable Styx to perform arcane abilities that boost his perception, sharpens his awareness, and even grants him the ability to become invisible for a time. As you move through the many hallways and levels of the Akenash, you must avoid humans or strategically outsmart them as they have the ability to easily overpower Styx.
It is clear that Styx: Master of Shadows is a stealth game through and through. We welcome the uniqueness of Styx, being a Goblin who is driven only by addiction, far from the usual hero we normally admire. There is still much to be revealed in regards to enemies, abilities, and the game’s storyline, but we look forward to stealthily delving into Styx: Master of Shadows in late Summer of 2014.
