Notizie
Styx: Blades of Greed is a Quartz-and-all return to hardcore stealth
A
Alan Wen
As a goblin, Styx isn't the most likely protagonist. He's the only goblin in his world who can speak, and he has a sharp and caustic tongue, known for slyly breaking the fourth wall with sarcastic quips and dark humor. But Game Director Julien Desourteaux said there's more that sets Styx apart from other masters of stealth, including the game's setting.
"Styx lives in a medieval fantasy universe revisited with dark humor, which is very different from other stealth games," said Desourteaux. "Unlike his human infiltration counterparts such as Solid Snake and Garrett, he is smaller and more fragile, but no less intelligent, cunning, and incredibly agile. He is just as adept at hiding in unlikely places like barrels or crates, and just as much a master of stealth as his peers. Skills learned the hard way—alone."
Crucial to Styx's abilities is a powerful substance known as Quartz, which has the power to exert total control over other creatures, including goblins. "The whole world is trying to get hold of Quartz to establish dominance. Styx understands this perfectly, and Quartz is what will allow him to obtain brand new powers to help him in his quest for power."
Many of these powers include completely new tricks for the stealthy goblin, complementing his previously acquired abilities. With an in-depth skill tree, these new Quartz-related abilities include Flux Blast, which violently pushes objects or enemies, as well as Goblin Reflexes, which allow him to automatically dodge enemy attacks. Even more tantalizing are Time Shifting, allowing him to briefly slow time, and the self-explanatory Mind Control.
"All these new powers make it possible to create absurd and playful situations that perfectly suit our favorite goblin," Desourteaux said. "The Amber-related abilities learned in previous adventures have not fundamentally changed, ensuring logical continuity for fans familiar with these powers."
While it's possible to face an enemy head-on, it's also very much the last resort. Stealth remains the heart of Styx: Blades of Greed. Fortunately, Styx's improved moveset also makes it easier to escape when things go wrong. "Whether on the ground or in the air, Styx is now more agile than ever. He can run and climb obstacles far more quickly than before. In many cases, it is impossible to fight enemies head-on with confidence, so it’s better to be cowardly and cunning, just like our favorite goblin," said Desourteaux.
It's been almost a decade since Styx's last outing, and his world—the Iserian Continent—has naturally evolved too, while still maintaining its signature darkness and verticality. Styx: Blades of Greed is the most ambitious entry in the series in terms of both gameplay and level design, moving away from the original game's confined spaces to expansive open-world sandboxes that include The Wall, Turquoise Dawn, and Akenash, each the domain of humans, orcs, and elves respectively. These environments can be traversed with great freedom thanks to tools like the glider and grappling hook, with later tools unlocking additional progression like a Metroidvania.
The switch to Unreal Engine 5 has also helped realize the world in ways that match the studio's original vision for Styx, artistically and technically. "More than just a visual upgrade, Unreal Engine 5's new tools give us room to offer players more flexibility, more ways to approach each challenge, and more creative freedom, all while staying true to the core principles of stealth gameplay," Desourteaux explained.
"The engine allowed us to bring even more life to the game by adding greater environmental detail through Nanite and Lumen, delivering convincing dynamic lighting and shadows to fully immerse players when Styx hides in the dark corners of each level. Unreal Engine 5 also enabled very smooth character control, ensuring Styx feels as mobile as possible when using new tools like the grappling hook and glider, or when quickly escaping from groups of enemies."
While Styx: Blades of Greed is a modernization for the series in some ways, Cyanide is sticking to its guns by making a hardcore stealth game, developing smart enemy AI that challenges players without crossing over into frustration.
"We’re staying true to Styx’s hardcore roots while refining the experience to be more accessible and intuitive, without watering anything down," Desourteaux said. "We’ve updated the game’s rhythm, mechanics, and controls to meet modern standards, while remaining faithful to what fans loved about the originals. Rest assured: Every system and every decision have been made with both legacy players and newcomers in mind."
Styx: Blades of Greed releases on the Epic Games Store on February 19.