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Styx: Master of Shadows - Of Orcs & Men stealth spinoff(!)

Haba

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I'm kinda tempted to buy this at full price, even tho I am not such a huge fan of stealth games. Just as a statement.
 
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Ulminati

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Can't be any worse than Middle Twerp: Shadow of Hodor
 
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There's a little problem. I deactivated the objective markers, and I had to find a specific book (the timetables of the airships). You can't find the book since its just a normal book like many other pieces scattered through the background. There's no uniqueness on important items, nor readables giving general directions as to where you could find that book. But it's a minor thing.
 

Astral Rag

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There's a little problem. I deactivated the objective markers, and I had to find a specific book (the timetables of the airships). You can't find the book since its just a normal book like many other pieces scattered through the background. There's no uniqueness on important items, nor readables giving general directions as to where you could find that book. But it's a minor thing.

I had a similar problem with the secondary objective of the Akenash Atrium mission
you "have" to assassinate a guy but you don't get a description or an approximate location.

37785DCFF62F50BF56215E1B019881BEECB069F4
 
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Xeon

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Probably a first impression,

Prenatual said:
A lot of you asked me about the game, so I'll answer everyone at once.

Styx is on the same level of quality as the last Thief. If you liked it, you may enjoy Styx too.
Stealth is OK, but without any fresh ideas. You may want to try the game if you love collecting stuff and exploring, but otherwise -- ignore.
Personally, I'd rate it 2 out of 5. If I hadn't decided to do the videos, I would have played through it once and then forgot about it.

+Level design is great. It's highly vertical with tons of different paths and secrets.
+The game is hard. If someone sees you from 5 meters away they detect in an instant. There are dozens of guards in each area and if you're caught by more that one, it often means that you'll soon be dead.
+The stealth system works similar to Splinter Cell: Blacklist — cover-based + shadow-based. Although, unlike Blacklist or Thief, shadows don't make you invisible, so you always have to be careful.
+While platforming in the game is not as complex as free-running in Assassin's Creed, you have to pay a lot more attention to where are you going. There are guards on multiple levels and they can easily spot you while you are climbing somewhere.

-Controls sucks. They were the #1 reason why I got detected.
-Audio is unimportant. Enemies rarely make any sounds and their footsteps are too quiet to be useful. Crouching is silent and only slightly slower than running, so you can crouch all the time. Also, there are random object in the environment (brooms, chairs, buckets) that go flying and alert everyone to your presence if you merely touch them. What's annoying is that it's impossible to tell if an object is a potential threat or simply a decoration.
-Distractions are very hard to pull off because you can't throw objects and don't have any gadgets. Most of the time your only two options are either to kill the guards one-by-one or find a way to climb around them.
-The loot is actually almost useless. You can't buy anything with tokens — they only give a small number of skill points and ONLY if you get the all.
-It will probably get repetitive quickly. I completed two mission and it already feels like I've experienced 80% of the game. Skill upgrades don't offer anything new or interesting. Most of them just add extra lethal options.
-The writing is uninspired and the game world is just a standard-fare fantasy.

 

Abu Antar

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Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is. Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
There's a little problem. I deactivated the objective markers, and I had to find a specific book (the timetables of the airships). You can't find the book since its just a normal book like many other pieces scattered through the background. There's no uniqueness on important items, nor readables giving general directions as to where you could find that book. But it's a minor thing.

I had a similar problem with the secondary objective of the Akenash Atrium mission
you "have" to assassinate a guy but you don't get a description or an approximate location.

37785DCFF62F50BF56215E1B019881BEECB069F4
I dropped something on his head and hid his body. No one saw it coming.
 
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Divinity: Original Sin
There's a little problem. I deactivated the objective markers, and I had to find a specific book (the timetables of the airships). You can't find the book since its just a normal book like many other pieces scattered through the background. There's no uniqueness on important items, nor readables giving general directions as to where you could find that book. But it's a minor thing.

I had a similar problem with the secondary objective of the Akenash Atrium mission
you "have" to assassinate a guy but you don't get a description or an approximate location.

37785DCFF62F50BF56215E1B019881BEECB069F4

Completely missed him...:x
 

Abu Antar

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Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is. Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I did that "escort mission". Crisis averted, I didn't hate it and didn't feel the urge to kill someone while doing it.
 

Malpercio

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Kinda feel bad for the developers, it doesn't have a big name behind it so reviewers are going to find tons of thing to dislike and it comes it a very busy period, release-wise.
 

Abu Antar

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Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is. Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Kinda feel bad for the developers, it doesn't have a big name behind it so reviewers are going to find tons of thing to dislike and it comes it a very busy period, release-wise.
Reviewers are also complaining about things that actually makes the game good. Who knew you had to be stealthy in a stealth game? Who knew you had to actually hit the ledge you want to land on to be so challenging? Because Assassin's Creed and other games auto stick to them. Who knew that playing on the highest difficulty could provide a fun challenge? I don't need luck like some reviewers wished me for playing on Goblin, all I need is a little bit of patience and awareness.

I don't care if reviewers give the game a good or bad score because I usually don't bother with that, but when I read things like I have read in Styx reviews. I think to myself: Either they're really bad at this type of game, or it is me who likes a shit game.
 
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JarlFrank

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I don't care if reviewers give the game a good or bad score because I usually don't bother with that, but when I read things like I have read in Styx reviews. I think to myself: Either they're really bad at this type of game, or it is mo who likes a shit game.

Reviewers don't like games.
 

Roguey

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Some of youse guise thought it was delightful when the journos hated Alien: Isolation, but they ended up being right as far as I'm concerned.

This seems different though. Will check out during a lull.
 

Infinitron

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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
More reviews: http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/114585-styx-master-of-shadows-2.html

We Got This Covered, 4/5.

Despite some wonky mechanics and frustrating gameplay, Styx: Master of Shadows is an excellent throwback to the glory days of the stealth genre.

IncGamers, 5/10.

It’s a game I want to applaud for, in many ways, being indebted to the punishing tradition of early stealth titles. But the uneven presentation (the music is wonderful, while the storyboard cut-scenes and dialogue are often quite awful,) embarrassing reliance on recycling levels for the entire second half of the game, and any number of other glitches and frustrating quirks left me with serious reservations.

GameCrate, 6/10.

Styx: Master of Shadows has a promising set-up that, at times, feels like a much-needed boost to the stealth genre, and that’s something fans can appreciate after being let down by Thief. However, broken combat mechanics, combined with audio and level design issues, leave this game feeling somewhat incomplete. Stealth fans may be tempted to give it a try, but not everyone needs to pick up Styx.

Constantly Calibrating, 4.5/5.

While Styx: Master of Shadows managed to sneak up on me, as a good goblin should be able to, it has not gone unnoticed. The game started as yet another review, but has now become a beloved world in my imagination. My only hope is that whether by DLC or a sequel title Styx will get more stories, even if this particular one seems to have come to a defining end.

Push-Start, 8.5/10.

Overall if you’re not playing that other big fantasy ‘Shadows’ game this week, Styx: Master Of Shadows is a great addition to the modern day stealth-em-ups like Arkham or Assassin’s Creed. The game is challenging without being too difficult, although it will take you a while to be a ‘master’. With around 20-hours of story to play, you’ll find plenty more hours can be spent revisiting completed areas to collect treasures and complete challenges and objectives. Styx: Master Of Shadows that is certainly worth your time.

Gaming Bolt, 4.5/10.

Styx: Master of Shadows feels like a dated game. The unsurprising progression and brainless AI make for a game that offers nothing new in exchange for one’s time.

GeekScape, 4/5.

Styx: Master of Shadows does a fantastic job making Styx interesting enough to endure glaring issues. Poor combat, buggy traversal, and a shallow story might be too much to spend more than 17 hours to see the end. I was proud that I walked in Styx’s shadow and was worth the suffering if only to hang with the goblin a little while longer.

Attack of the Fanboy, 4/5.

Styx: Master of Shadows isn’t a game that takes itself overly seriously and it knows it. It isn’t a Pulitzer Prize winning story or a masterclass in the art of voice-acting, but it’s a darned good budget stealth game that actually takes the stealth part seriously (in the sense that, if you aren’t stealthy, you will lose). The graphics are clean, the gameplay is generally sound and you’ll get a few laughs in between. If you like a good stealth game, you could do a lot worse than Styx: Master of Shadows, especially at the price of $25. Never thought I’d have fun playing as a goblin, but I just did and so will you, probably.

Frugal Gaming, 6/10.

Not being able to trust that the controls will do what you think they’re going to do is the worst fault a platform game can suffer from. I have no problem whatsoever with the game being tough, nor with it requiring multiple attempts and even a degree of trial-and-error. It is my belief however that a tighter control scheme when it comes to moving around those brilliantly designed levels would have seen Styx: Master of Shadows elevated to a lot of people’s Game of the Year Lists. As it is – much like its protagonist’s aerial gymnastics – too often, Styx falls a little short.

Geeks Under Grace, 7.3/10.

Styx: Master of Shadows is a well-executed stealth action title with an intriguing narrative. Despite the foul language and a few other issues, fans of the stealth action genre will find a gritty, satisfying experience reminiscent of a medieval fantasy Splinter Cell.

Hooked Gamers, 8.5/10.

Styx: Master of Shadows may not come out swinging, it may not become a household name, but it doesn't have to be. Treasure always teases the eyes of those who want it, and Styx has all the makings of a potential sleeper hit.

CalmDownTom, 4/5.

The only slight annoyance I had with Styx was with the ledge and hand hold grabbing. With the hand holds it can be quite difficult to judge where Styx is going to jump leading to quite a few missed ledges and fatal falls. There are contextual clues when going between hand holds but nothing when going between ledges.

That said, I had fun with Styx. Planning out a route and then executing (pardon my pun) that plan is very satisfying indeed.

Softpedia, 7/10.

Styx: Master of Shadows is not a great game and the timing of its launch is somewhat unfortunate as many gamers are probably still enjoying the stealth approach in Shadow of Mordor, but for old school fans of the genre it does offer a solid experience with some nice level design and cool character abilities.

The level design is the standout element of the entire experience and there are moments when the layout and the player’s abilities combine in impressive ways.

The title is priced at half of what an AAA release tends to sell for during the fall season and those who have an urge to explore complex environments while constantly experiencing the fear of being discovered can pick the Cyanide experience up and enjoy it.

GamesBeat, 75/100.

Styx’s old-school stealth doesn’t match modern standards for UI, in-game hints, and combat, which can make it frustrating to learn. It took me a few levels to truly believe that enemies weren’t just occasionally being arbitrary; they were following their own rules, and the sweep of their attention wasn’t always obvious. The graphics are also basic for 2014.

But the action and the feeling of many right paths make Styx truly engrossing for hardcore stealth fans, at a bargain price. Be ready to save often and die a lot — with a smile on your face.

Just stay out of combat.
 

agris

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Are the levels in the latter part of the game really recycled from earlier, ala DA2?
 

Cyberarmy

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Are the levels in the latter part of the game really recycled from earlier, ala DA2?

You need to pass from some previous areas in later missions to reach new places, there are some changes but still the same places with more elite guards, locks and traps.
 

toro

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Rage-quitted for one reason: I quick saved at 75% of one mission near a sleeping guard. Needless to say that I stumbled upon some bucket and I had to reload, except that this time the guard is awake and kills me. Each fucking time. Shitty QA.

And before of that, there was one guard like 1m from the mandatory path. He doesn't move and I assume it is a glitch, he should be sleeping. I cannot ghost him and my options are either (1) muffled kill or (2) clone bait. I don't want to do that.

I need to take a break from this crap. Is there any penalty for killing stuff in this game?
 

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