Game reviews
Styx: Blades of Greed Review — Shakey Sneaking But Fun
Styx’s third adventure has some hiccups, but there’s a lot to enjoy too.
In a world where most games try to overcomplicate things, the Styx franchise is a throwback to the sneak-and-stab games of yesteryear – for better and worse. The two previous games, Styx: Master of Shadows and Styx: Shards of Darkness, helped create a fan-following, but the games did have some rough edges despite their charm. The third entry, Blades of Greed, aims to evolve the formula with bigger levels and more tricks up the sleeves of the cheeky kleptomaniac goblin.
The result is a mixed one. The new, larger levels are a treat to explore, with a ton of ways to get to your targets, allowing you to approach missions as you like. You can use shortcuts, discover clever ways to unlock doors, use distractions, or just kill everyone if you see fit. It’s got an element of the Hitman series to it, and it’s a whole lot of fun trying out different ways to get through areas.
On top of that, the gameplay itself has been refined, with movement feeling snappy and fluid, and stringing together wall runs, vaulting, and sneaking in succession feels like a Tony Hawk Pro Skater spin-off, albeit with some stabbing and F-bombs.
However, on the other side of things, when you are discovered, combat is not that much fun so avoiding detection is always the best way to enjoy Blades of Greed.
On top of that, the controls, especially when platforming, can feel a bit clunky. It’s not helped by an unpredictable camera, and in a game with a lot of tight sneaking areas, can feel pretty awkward at times.
While the rough edges are there, the story is really interesting and seeing how Styx navigates and swears his way through a world of elves, dwarves, and other magical creatures that despise him is always enjoyable.
So, is Styx: Blades of Greed a bit unpolished, yes. But I’ve still really enjoyed my time with it. There’s just something about it: perhaps nostalgia for simpler times, an enjoyable gameplay loop of slinking around multi-layered levels and stabbing guards, or Styx himself. It comes with a few hiccups, but Styx: Blades of Greed is worth checking out for fans of the stealth genre.
Styx: Blades of Greed is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. You can check out our video review here, too:
