Greed's good when you're a goblin
By Paul Hunter
Styx: Blades of Greed on PS5 brings the fan-favourite foul-mouthed goblin back after nearly nine years away, and it's the kind of warm welcome longtime fans have been waiting for. This third entry from Cyanide Studio and Nacon follows the events of Master of Shadows and Shards of Darkness, once again putting you in control of Styx, a stealthy goblin thief who survives on shadows, sarcasm, and dirty tricks instead of heavy armour.
This time the stealth-focused action-adventure opens up into large sandbox regions with serious vertical structure. The Wall, Turquoise Dawn, and the ruined city of Akenash act as huge spaces you revisit, and a Legend of Zelda-style setup means fresh routes and shortcuts open as your abilities expand. Across a main story that sits around twenty hours before you even look at side paths, the game focuses on careful planning and sneaky routes through a dark fantasy world built for stealth.
So is this long-awaited Styx return worth sneaking into on PS5? Let’s find out!
With no rideable ship, the trio falls back on a fragile agreement, trying to put old grudges aside long enough to escape The Wall. Styx infiltrates the stronghold of Irving, a dwarf captain whose stolen airship is docked under Inquisition control, and agrees to help him reclaim the vessel in return for passage out. During that job he breaks out Jasper, a dwarven engineer locked up for her talent with machines and her ability to work with Quartz, a form of crystal possessing tremendous power. I really enjoyed the interactions with Irving and Jasper as they give Styx a crew that feels practical, while at the same time a bit messy rather than heroic. Their personal arcs are not as strong as Styx’s, but they still give the ship heist story some charm.
Once Irving’s zeppelin is free, it becomes the launch point for a wider Quartz hunt and introduction to the first version of the Black Hand, the mercenary group in Of Orcs and Men, which shares the same universe as the Styx series. From there the story starts to explore more of the world beyond The Wall, with Quartz and an otherworldly voice in Styx's head named Flux sitting at the centre of everything. Each shard Styx absorbs triggers short scenes that dig into who he is and why he keeps chasing this power, while shipboard chats hint at a bigger conflict brewing between humans, elves, and orcs. I liked how the story keeps the focus on Styx and his crew, and provides plenty of entertaining moments without giving away every future twist.
The big regions support stealth gameplay really well, as each semi-open world area is filled with ways to sneakily progress and take down enemies. You can put out lights to create darkness to blend into, throw bottles to split up groups, flip cranes or hanging loads into unsuspecting kills, or hide under tables and spring out for a deadly strike from behind. Styx also acquires some highly effective tricks, including the ability to create clones to help with distractions and switches, turn invisible to slip through crowded rooms, and Quartz powers like Mind Control, Flux Wave or Time Shift that disrupt enemies in various ways.
There are traversal tools you acquire across the Acts, like the grappling hook and glider that lets you access previously unreachable areas and setup sneaky stealth kills. Speaking of enemies, there's quite a range on offer, such as humans, elves, orcs, infected creatures, and tougher units that refuse to drop from a single stealth stab. Each enemy type has different sight ranges and movement patterns so you need to adjust depending on which faction you're up against.
Quartz shards play an important role as they feed into multiple skill trees that upgrade stealth, mobility, clones, and Quartz powers, and fortunately you can respec at the zeppelin at any time. You can also find recipes to build new tools, and use crafting materials to build bolts, health potions, amber, acid traps, and lockpicks. Once you start unlocking new tools and powers you can have fun with your foes by doing silly things like turn invisible, drop a chandelier to squash a group, and then stuff the bodies in closets to hide the evidence.
While the game expects some trial and error, being able to quicksave almost anywhere lets you jump right back into action if your plan doesn't succeed. The only downside for me was the lack of a detailed map, which made some jobs a bit hard to track given how big the regions are.
The Unreal Engine 5 lighting supports the visuals really well. Shadowed corners and bright arcs of light clearly mark the safe and dangerous spots in each room, and you can usually plan a route just by watching how light falls. Styx is also well animated with his crawling and takedowns really selling the idea of him being a small, agile troublemaker. The game does have some technical faults though, like odd bits of pop-in or a small snag on geometry here and there, but these moments were rare and short.
Audio is where the game really shines. The soundtrack keeps a steady dark fantasy tone, with low, tense pieces for slow infiltration and more energetic tracks when guards are chasing you. Styx’s voice work is excellent, full of dry comments about the world and your approach, and the rest of the main cast support that unserious tone nicely. Some background NPCs are more basic, but they still fit the setting. Weapon clashes, Quartz powers, and traversal tools like the glider and grappling hook all have satisfying audio effects that enhance the gameplay. Guard chatter is also effective as it's easy to judge whether they have lost you or are closing in.
On PS5 Pro, the game plays at a locked 60fps at 4K resolution with quick loads between zones, and only brief hitches when entering big areas. All considered, the visuals, audio, and performance come together to deliver a dark fantasy stealth world that’s just plain fun to sneak around in.
Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Developer: Cyanide Studio
Publisher: Nacon
Genre: Stealth, Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.
By Paul Hunter
Styx: Blades of Greed on PS5 brings the fan-favourite foul-mouthed goblin back after nearly nine years away, and it's the kind of warm welcome longtime fans have been waiting for. This third entry from Cyanide Studio and Nacon follows the events of Master of Shadows and Shards of Darkness, once again putting you in control of Styx, a stealthy goblin thief who survives on shadows, sarcasm, and dirty tricks instead of heavy armour.
This time the stealth-focused action-adventure opens up into large sandbox regions with serious vertical structure. The Wall, Turquoise Dawn, and the ruined city of Akenash act as huge spaces you revisit, and a Legend of Zelda-style setup means fresh routes and shortcuts open as your abilities expand. Across a main story that sits around twenty hours before you even look at side paths, the game focuses on careful planning and sneaky routes through a dark fantasy world built for stealth.
So is this long-awaited Styx return worth sneaking into on PS5? Let’s find out!
Story and Narrative
The narrative in Styx: Blades of Greed picks up exactly where Styx: Shards of Darkness stopped, which I really liked as a returning fan. It starts with Styx and Djarak clashing on Helledryn’s ship until a revived golem interrupts the duel. The chaos from that fight sends the ship crashing down near The Wall, dropping Styx, Helledryn, and Djarak into the slums of a fortress city that the Inquisition controls with a tight grip. It is an energetic opening that quickly sets the stakes and makes it easy to remember why these characters do not fully trust each other.With no rideable ship, the trio falls back on a fragile agreement, trying to put old grudges aside long enough to escape The Wall. Styx infiltrates the stronghold of Irving, a dwarf captain whose stolen airship is docked under Inquisition control, and agrees to help him reclaim the vessel in return for passage out. During that job he breaks out Jasper, a dwarven engineer locked up for her talent with machines and her ability to work with Quartz, a form of crystal possessing tremendous power. I really enjoyed the interactions with Irving and Jasper as they give Styx a crew that feels practical, while at the same time a bit messy rather than heroic. Their personal arcs are not as strong as Styx’s, but they still give the ship heist story some charm.
Once Irving’s zeppelin is free, it becomes the launch point for a wider Quartz hunt and introduction to the first version of the Black Hand, the mercenary group in Of Orcs and Men, which shares the same universe as the Styx series. From there the story starts to explore more of the world beyond The Wall, with Quartz and an otherworldly voice in Styx's head named Flux sitting at the centre of everything. Each shard Styx absorbs triggers short scenes that dig into who he is and why he keeps chasing this power, while shipboard chats hint at a bigger conflict brewing between humans, elves, and orcs. I liked how the story keeps the focus on Styx and his crew, and provides plenty of entertaining moments without giving away every future twist.
Gameplay and Mechanics
Styx: Blades of Greed's gameplay mechanics are entirely built around stealth, whether that's keeping your footsteps quiet, hiding under furniture or in cupboards, dragging bodies into dark corners, and keeping a laser focus on enemy walk patterns and sight lines. There is a dodge, strike, and parry combat system, but it not very effective and is clearly secondary to staying unseen and picking patrols apart from the shadows and rafters.The big regions support stealth gameplay really well, as each semi-open world area is filled with ways to sneakily progress and take down enemies. You can put out lights to create darkness to blend into, throw bottles to split up groups, flip cranes or hanging loads into unsuspecting kills, or hide under tables and spring out for a deadly strike from behind. Styx also acquires some highly effective tricks, including the ability to create clones to help with distractions and switches, turn invisible to slip through crowded rooms, and Quartz powers like Mind Control, Flux Wave or Time Shift that disrupt enemies in various ways.
There are traversal tools you acquire across the Acts, like the grappling hook and glider that lets you access previously unreachable areas and setup sneaky stealth kills. Speaking of enemies, there's quite a range on offer, such as humans, elves, orcs, infected creatures, and tougher units that refuse to drop from a single stealth stab. Each enemy type has different sight ranges and movement patterns so you need to adjust depending on which faction you're up against.
Quartz shards play an important role as they feed into multiple skill trees that upgrade stealth, mobility, clones, and Quartz powers, and fortunately you can respec at the zeppelin at any time. You can also find recipes to build new tools, and use crafting materials to build bolts, health potions, amber, acid traps, and lockpicks. Once you start unlocking new tools and powers you can have fun with your foes by doing silly things like turn invisible, drop a chandelier to squash a group, and then stuff the bodies in closets to hide the evidence.
While the game expects some trial and error, being able to quicksave almost anywhere lets you jump right back into action if your plan doesn't succeed. The only downside for me was the lack of a detailed map, which made some jobs a bit hard to track given how big the regions are.
Presentation and Audio
Presentation-wise, Styx: Blades of Greed is solid and focused rather than chasing the absolute bleeding edge, and I think that suits it. The Wall looks dense and hostile, with stacked housing pressed against stone towers and smoke hanging over the slums. Turquoise Dawn brings us into orc territory, full of rough timber structures, fires, rocky paths, and withered trees. Akenash brings in broken elven spires, collapsed bridges, old stone covered in growth, and an imposing World Tree at the centre. Each region has its own visual identity and also works well as a stealth space, with plenty of clear routes on roofs and inner corridors.The Unreal Engine 5 lighting supports the visuals really well. Shadowed corners and bright arcs of light clearly mark the safe and dangerous spots in each room, and you can usually plan a route just by watching how light falls. Styx is also well animated with his crawling and takedowns really selling the idea of him being a small, agile troublemaker. The game does have some technical faults though, like odd bits of pop-in or a small snag on geometry here and there, but these moments were rare and short.
Audio is where the game really shines. The soundtrack keeps a steady dark fantasy tone, with low, tense pieces for slow infiltration and more energetic tracks when guards are chasing you. Styx’s voice work is excellent, full of dry comments about the world and your approach, and the rest of the main cast support that unserious tone nicely. Some background NPCs are more basic, but they still fit the setting. Weapon clashes, Quartz powers, and traversal tools like the glider and grappling hook all have satisfying audio effects that enhance the gameplay. Guard chatter is also effective as it's easy to judge whether they have lost you or are closing in.
On PS5 Pro, the game plays at a locked 60fps at 4K resolution with quick loads between zones, and only brief hitches when entering big areas. All considered, the visuals, audio, and performance come together to deliver a dark fantasy stealth world that’s just plain fun to sneak around in.
The Verdict
Styx: Blades of Greed is a strong comeback for Cyanide’s goblin thief, delivering excellent stealth mechanics with a fun story payoff for long-time fans, and big, dense sandbox regions that are a joy to sneak through. I wish there was a detailed map and there are some odd technical hiccup, but they're overshadowed by just how great it is to play as Styx and cause trouble. All in all, this is a rock-solid return for Styx after nine years away and an easy recommendation for stealth fans.Final Score: 8/10 - Great
Styx: Blades of Greed details
Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PCDeveloper: Cyanide Studio
Publisher: Nacon
Genre: Stealth, Action Adventure
Modes: Single-player
A key was provided by the publisher.