Styx: Shards of Darkness: PS4 Review

Styx: Shards of Darkness: PS4 Review

Platform: PS4
Released by Cyanide Studios

The last set of goblins that were sneaking about to be recalled were those pesky ones in the Lord Of The Rings.

So it's with some glee that Styx: Shards of Darkness perpetuates the sneaky nature of the goblins and continues to build on that reputation in this fun and foul-mouthed game. With a very basic story, you take control of the Styx, and have to infiltrate the Dark Elven city of Korangar to find out why the dwarves have teamed up against your race.

Using a variety of tricks, such as clones, and traps, such as acid related shenanigans, this take of Assassin's Creed is quite eminently playable and fun in a disposable way. With the stealth mechanics and the simplicity of execution, Styx is actually a game that makes it frivolous and flippant as you traipse around portions of the world trying to achieve your aims.

Ropes, grappling hooks, the chance to turn invisible and plenty of others come to mind for Styx to help you achieve this, and while the game's ease of execution means you can dive right in, it does also mean that it's actually quite simple and easy to fail in your ambitions, leading to replays and growing levels of frustration.

Styx, as a character, is also fun. Loading screens see him taunting you and death scenes see him mixing in both film references and cocking snooks at other games to give the game a sense of flippant meta-touches which prove to be both amusing and clever. As the fourth wall is smashed with regularity, you actually get a growing bond with your goblin, even if he has the tendency to flip you off for doing so.

Ultimately satisfying, but also extremely gratifying when this character gets offed, Styx: Shards of Darkness is a game that's as foul as it is fun.