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

Cyberarmy

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Never, ever save in front of enemies, even though they are sleeping/resting they can see you after reload. That's some freaking bug that fucks up your game. You should use invis spell to avoid that kind of situtations, just spam "4" after "press any key" promt.

There are no mandotary paths after tutorial section to complete the game. Either lure him with some sound (hold X for whistle) or look for some other way, especially upwards. There are however many mandatory guards if you want all the loot and side quest. There are also some "side" places that can't be solved without your clone.
You only lose a badge at the end (20 SP) for killing someone. Not that a big deal if you haven't raised any alarms and loot all the coins. Killing is fun, efficent and sometimes makes the game a bit easy.
 

toro

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Never, ever save in front of enemies, even though they are sleeping/resting they can see you after reload. That's some freaking bug that fucks up your game. You should use invis spell to avoid that kind of situtations, just spam "4" after "press any key" promt.

There are no mandotary paths after tutorial section to complete the game. Either lure him with some sound (hold X for whistle) or look for some other way, especially upwards. There are however many mandatory guards if you want all the loot and side quest. There are also some "side" places that can't be solved without your clone.
You only lose a badge at the end (20 SP) for killing someone. Not that a big deal if you haven't raised any alarms and loot all the coins. Killing is fun, efficent and sometimes makes the game a bit easy.

Well, the save game system seems to be completely fucked up for me. I press F5 and then 4 for invisibility and I go scout the area ... on reload the invisibility spell is always active.

Then I tried to restart the zone and my quick save is reset-ed also to the start of area therefore losing all the progress. This is bad.

Also the level design pisses me off. Good points for verticality but then everything seems to be tailored for the player: a lot of vents, suspended boards and so on. Stuff that doesn't make sense for the humans but it makes a lot of sense for Styx.
 
Last edited:

Whisper

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Of Orcs & Men stealth sucked more than Alpha Protolol, let's see what they do with this.

I stealthed thru Alpha protocol (= 0 kills except boss fights). Stealth system was fun (though a bit easy in last parts of game).
 

Astral Rag

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Update - Gameplay and aesthetic improvements

Dear Goblins,

Thank you very much for your support and your feedback following the release of Styx: Master of Shadows.

To improve your gaming experience, we are pleased to announce the release of an update containing both gameplay and aesthetic improvements.

Change Log:

· Improved ledge detection when jumping toward ledges.
· Enhanced the anisotropy option.
· Refinement of the mouse sensitivity of the camera when it is set to maximum (100%).
· Added new bindable buttons (mouse button 4 & 5, Home, End, Ins, Del, PageUp / Down, Alt, AltGr).
· Quick-save / quick-load controls are now displayed in the options menu.

We are thrilled that many of you are enjoying Styx: Master of Shadows and hope that your experience will be even more enjoyable with these improvements.

Stealthily,

Cyanide Studio & Focus Home Interactive


http://steamcommunity.com/games/242640/announcements/detail/233384570774922191
 

Whisper

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I've read most posts in this topic - and i dont know why a lot compare Styx to Thief.


This game stealth system is different from Thief - in Thief guard can stand 1 millimeter away from hero who hides in shadow and still wont notice him. So being in shadow meant that you are invisible.

In Styx being in shadow helps to avoid detection (from guards who are away), but if guard pass near - he will notice you if he looks at your direction.
 
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I've read most posts in this topic - and i dont know why a lot compare Styx to Thief.


This game stealth system is different from Thief - in Thief guard can stand 1 millimeter away from hero who hides in shadow and still wont notice him. So being in shadow meant that you are invisible.

In Styx being in shadow helps to avoid detection (from guards who are away), but if guard pass near - he will notice you if he looks at your direction.

That's not what make them similar. Shadows, like in thief, probably won't be used in a modern game for a long time. Dishonored is a very thief inspired, but they cut a shadow based system. Styx is very much like dishonored in 3rd person, but it still gives a shadow/light detection, but is a binary system anyway. The similarity is due to the "uniqueness" of the setting, the big levels, the planing, the freedom in controling, a talking protagonist, hand-drawn cutscenes, etc.

Also, this game has it's flaws. The save/reload system is a little bugged, and yesterday I got the sleeping guard bug and got caught on reload. Ledges has a problem: Somtimes I want to just shimmy across the ledge, but styx grabs it and jumps up. I doesn't bother me at all, and save reload is constant, but all of good stealth games kind of demand this save/reloading as you can try different approaches.
 

Whisper

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Or and about reviews.

It is clear that:

1. Most reviewers played on Normal or Easy. And avoided challenges.
Comments like "The ability to clone yourself proves useful when required, but is unhelpful beyond a brief area scouting."

2. "Escapism is so commonly ineffective that you might wonder why you don’t immediately restart after being spotted".

If you start dodging or just drop off ledge or go into wall hole etc etc etc you can escape combat even if enemy notice you and moves to attack.

3. "brainless AI"
Easy difficulty? Didnt bother to play past tutorial?
 

Whisper

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I've read most posts in this topic - and i dont know why a lot compare Styx to Thief.


This game stealth system is different from Thief - in Thief guard can stand 1 millimeter away from hero who hides in shadow and still wont notice him. So being in shadow meant that you are invisible.

In Styx being in shadow helps to avoid detection (from guards who are away), but if guard pass near - he will notice you if he looks at your direction.

That's not what make them similar. Shadows, like in thief, probably won't be used in a modern game for a long time. Dishonored is a very thief inspired, but they cut a shadow based system. Styx is very much like dishonored in 3rd person, but it still gives a shadow/light detection, but is a binary system anyway. The similarity is due to the "uniqueness" of the setting, the big levels, the planing, the freedom in controling, a talking protagonist, hand-drawn cutscenes, etc.

Also, this game has it's flaws. The save/reload system is a little bugged, and yesterday I got the sleeping guard bug and got caught on reload. Ledges has a problem: Somtimes I want to just shimmy across the ledge, but styx grabs it and jumps up. I doesn't bother me at all, and save reload is constant, but all of good stealth games kind of demand this save/reloading as you can try different approaches.

I think in Styx avoiding noise and hiding behind object is more important then being in shadow.

As i've said for Thief shadow is 99% of success, here you are still noticed and noticed easily if enemy is close when you are in shadows.

Styx and Thief stealth system are different.
 
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I think in Styx avoiding noise and hiding behind object is more important then being in shadow.

As i've said for Thief shadow is 99% of success, here you are still noticed and noticed easily if enemy is close when you are in shadows.

Styx and Thief stealth system are different.

Never said it's equal. There's no stealth like thief. Thief 1 & 2 (+FM) are the definitive stealth games.

But styx takes a lot of cues from thief, though it's more like a dishonored in 3rd person.

The being in the shadows completely invisible part of thief is substituted by the ability to hide under tables, boxes, vases, which makes you totally invisible as totally dark shadows in thief.

In the end, is patient observation of patrol routes and moving from place to place undetected.

About the noise, well thief does that better, but styx sound is very well done for a modern game. You have to creep (crouch+shift) in order to pass undetected by those blind insects with oversensitive hearing. In normal modern stealth games, crounching makes you totally silent.
 

Eyeball

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The main failing of Styx AI is IMO that enemies do not seem to notice open doors. "Hey, that locked and bolted door to the treasure room I was guarding before turning my back for a second is now mysteriously open. Hmmm, must have been the wind, no cause for alarm."
 

Cyberarmy

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That'd kind of reaction need "a close door" function too. Patrols shutting down and lociking normal doors would be good ,like some patrols re burning torches back.
There are already some treasure rooms/gates that made AI check them though not very common and scripted.
 

WhiteGuts

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I've watched some videos and the stealth seems relatively easy. I mean, there are ledges and stuff to climb, and tunnels/vents/whatever to crawl through everywhere. A lot more than in Dishonored.

How does the level design evolve in later parts of the game ?
 

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've watched some videos and the stealth seems relatively easy. I mean, there are ledges and stuff to climb, and tunnels/vents/whatever to crawl through everywhere. A lot more than in Dishonored.

How does the level design evolve in later parts of the game ?
I spoiled myself by watching some youtube videos and reviewers were right on two accounts, levels are reused and there is what looks like an awful final boss fight.

I still like it, though.
 

potatojohn

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I'm playing on goblin difficulty and without killing anyone, and I'm finding it a decent challenge. From the start even.
 

Cyberarmy

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I've watched some videos and the stealth seems relatively easy. I mean, there are ledges and stuff to climb, and tunnels/vents/whatever to crawl through everywhere. A lot more than in Dishonored.

How does the level design evolve in later parts of the game ?

Level design is good, there are lots of sideways but you can't just use them to finish areas. Some of them also starts to lead blind bug filled areas after a while which hear too well.

On goblin diff.game is really challenging. Especially after a while areas get crowded with more careful guardsmen, patrols, elite knights and crossbowmand and elves.
 

Whisper

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System with throwing daggers is kinda of cruel. You have 2 of them (3 if invest heavy into tree), new ones are rare find and - yet- there are a lot of throwing dagger immune enemies.
 

Cyberarmy

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I think it meant to be a back up for getting caught, kinda free jail cart. I only use them to get rid of bugs mostly sice I'm trying to get "Mercy" for every mission.
There guards carrying daggers for pickpocketing, other than that 6-8 daggers are lying around on maps.
 

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've killed over 200 enemies. I'm on mission 4 and have replayed two missions. I really suck at this game but I am still having fun. I think killing the same guard, dying and then killing the same guard on a reload counts as yet another kill.

To stop myself from killing stuff, I am now playing without any sort of upgrades. It has proven to be more fun this way. Although I don't exaclty ghost levels. Whistling has proven very useful playing this way.
 

toro

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I've killed over 200 enemies. I'm on mission 4 and have replayed two missions. I really suck at this game but I am still having fun. I think killing the same guard, dying and then killing the same guard on a reload counts as yet another kill.

To stop myself from killing stuff, I am now playing without any sort of upgrades. It has proven to be more fun this way. Although I don't exaclty ghost levels. Whistling has proven very useful playing this way.

I've killed over 200 enemies ... I don't exaclty ghost levels ... No shit !? Really?
 
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Strangely, I am a blackjacker in thief, but I have no problems in ghosting when i'm forced to do it (there are FMs in thief in which ghosting is obligatory, and I love them). I started Styx: master of shadows killing everyone (there's no non-lethal takedowns), which I think was similar to a blackjacking playthrough, but in the end of the first mission, there are skill points available for not killing anyone. From that point, for my first playthrough, I'm planning on finishing all th levels without killing anyone, no alerts and getting all the tokens. The swiftness (finish a mission under certain amount of time) doesn't interest me, mainly because I like to explore slowly, and I'm trying to find every coin.
 

Whisper

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Strangely, I am a blackjacker in thief, but I have no problems in ghosting when i'm forced to do it (there are FMs in thief in which ghosting is obligatory, and I love them). I started Styx: master of shadows killing everyone (there's no non-lethal takedowns), which I think was similar to a blackjacking playthrough, but in the end of the first mission, there are skill points available for not killing anyone. From that point, for my first playthrough, I'm planning on finishing all th levels without killing anyone, no alerts and getting all the tokens. The swiftness (finish a mission under certain amount of time) doesn't interest me, mainly because I like to explore slowly, and I'm trying to find every coin.

You can do several walkthru's of mission, getting different goals.

I.e. you can get full token in one run, and ghost in next run in same mission.
 

Cyberarmy

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I try to get all badges at first expect siwftness. After learning the maps and looting everything it is really easy to finish in given time.

Killing via poisoning or candelabras are too tempting mostly. Game is not creative about killing like Dishonored but some kills really give satisfaction. Just coordinated a double murder with my clone yesterday for the lulz. Hide the little fucker in a chest while I went for an aerila kill. Good times.
 

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