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71
MONSTER
Embark upon a stealthy adventure with new enemies, new environments, and a plethora of new mechanics aimed at refining the abilities and movement of Styx; grappling around corners, climbing ropes, and using his trusty knife as a zip-wire. Shards of Darkness aims to offer unparalleled freedom of movement, along with refined stealth and assassination mechanics, expanding and improving on the strengths of Styx: Master of Shadows
Game analysis
Monster Scorecard
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Story and Narrative
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68
Critics are divided on the story in Styx: Shards of Darkness. Some praise its depth and engaging elements, highlighting the quirky Goblin protagonist, while others criticize it as poorly written and lacking depth. Overall, opinions vary from appreciating its entertainment value to finding it unengaging and forgettable.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR STORY
Story Score
68
Positive Reviews (80-100)
20%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
72%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
8%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the story and narrative.
TL;DR
story and narrative
Critics are divided on the story in Styx: Shards of Darkness. Some praise its depth and engaging elements, highlighting the quirky Goblin protagonist, while others criticize it as poorly written and lacking depth. Overall, opinions vary from appreciating its entertainment value to finding it unengaging and forgettable.
Gameplay Mechanics
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79
Critics rave about Styx: Shards of Darkness for its strong stealth focus, multiple sneaky routes, and creative gameplay options. Praise for smooth controls and immersive experience, but some critics find issues with combat effectiveness and game mechanics. Overall, Styx offers an enjoyable stealth adventure with room for improvement.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR GAMEPLAY
Gameplay Score
79
Positive Reviews (80-100)
77%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
20%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
3%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the gameplay mechanics.
TL;DR
gameplay mechanics
Critics rave about Styx: Shards of Darkness for its strong stealth focus, multiple sneaky routes, and creative gameplay options. Praise for smooth controls and immersive experience, but some critics find issues with combat effectiveness and game mechanics. Overall, Styx offers an enjoyable stealth adventure with room for improvement.
Graphics and Visual Design
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76
Critics praise Styx: Shards of Darkness for visually appealing environments, diverse levels, and flawless animations. However, criticisms include subpar lip-sync in cutscenes and texture pop-in issues. Overall, the game's graphics are stunning with impressive level designs, despite some flaws in animation quality.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VISUALS
Visual Score
76
Positive Reviews (80-100)
56%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
44%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the graphics and visual design.
TL;DR
graphics and visual design
Critics praise Styx: Shards of Darkness for visually appealing environments, diverse levels, and flawless animations. However, criticisms include subpar lip-sync in cutscenes and texture pop-in issues. Overall, the game's graphics are stunning with impressive level designs, despite some flaws in animation quality.
Music and Sound Design
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68
Critics have mixed opinions on the sound design and music of Styx: Shards of Darkness. Positive highlights include praised voice acting for the protagonist Styx and atmospheric soundtracks. However, some critics find issues with audio mixing, constant commentary, and stunted delivery from other characters. Overall, while there are drawbacks, the general consensus leans towards a positive reception of the game's sound design and music.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR SOUND DESIGN
Sound Score
68
Positive Reviews (80-100)
20%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
80%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the music and sound design.
TL;DR
music and sound design
Critics have mixed opinions on the sound design and music of Styx: Shards of Darkness. Positive highlights include praised voice acting for the protagonist Styx and atmospheric soundtracks. However, some critics find issues with audio mixing, constant commentary, and stunted delivery from other characters. Overall, while there are drawbacks, the general consensus leans towards a positive reception of the game's sound design and music.
Voice Acting
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67
Critics are divided on the voice acting in Styx: Shards of Darkness. Some praise Styx's witty and entertaining dialogue, while others find it disconnected from the dark tone of the story. Overall, opinions vary on whether the voice acting adds charm or falls flat, making it a subjective aspect of the game that may resonate with some players and disappoint others.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR VOICE ACTING
Acting Score
67
Positive Reviews (80-100)
30%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
65%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
5%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the voice acting.
TL;DR
voice acting
Critics are divided on the voice acting in Styx: Shards of Darkness. Some praise Styx's witty and entertaining dialogue, while others find it disconnected from the dark tone of the story. Overall, opinions vary on whether the voice acting adds charm or falls flat, making it a subjective aspect of the game that may resonate with some players and disappoint others.
Technical Performance
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61
Styx: Shards of Darkness tech performance varies by platform. PC has mixed reviews, Xbox One is positive with minor issues, and PS4 gets negative feedback for janky mechanics and awkward controls. Overall, PC and Xbox One perform better, while PS4 faces more problems. Some reviewers still find redeeming qualities in the game across all platforms.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR TECHNICAL PERFORMANCE
Tech Score
61
Positive Reviews (80-100)
20%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
60%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
20%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the technical performance.
TL;DR
technical performance
Styx: Shards of Darkness tech performance varies by platform. PC has mixed reviews, Xbox One is positive with minor issues, and PS4 gets negative feedback for janky mechanics and awkward controls. Overall, PC and Xbox One perform better, while PS4 faces more problems. Some reviewers still find redeeming qualities in the game across all platforms.
Replay Value
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72
Critics generally praise Styx: Shards of Darkness for its strong replay value due to incentives like skill trees, collectibles, and achievements, as well as the option to replay missions and explore different routes. Some critics mention drawbacks like lackluster characters and reused environments, but overall, the consensus is positive, with the game offering engaging gameplay that encourages multiple playthroughs.
SCORE DISTRIBUTION FOR REPLAY VALUE
Replay Score
72
Positive Reviews (80-100)
31%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
69%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
0%
Based on analyzing reviews that specifically scored or critiqued the replay value.
TL;DR
replay value
Critics generally praise Styx: Shards of Darkness for its strong replay value due to incentives like skill trees, collectibles, and achievements, as well as the option to replay missions and explore different routes. Some critics mention drawbacks like lackluster characters and reused environments, but overall, the consensus is positive, with the game offering engaging gameplay that encourages multiple playthroughs.
Overall Verdict
71
MONSTER
OVERALL SCORE DISTRIBUTION
Monster Score
71
Positive Reviews (80-100)
29%
Mixed Reviews (50-79)
70%
Negative Reviews (0-49)
1%
Based on analyzing all available reviews that scored and critiqued the game.
TL;DR
Critics praise Styx: Shards of Darkness for its improved stealth gameplay, fun mechanics, and solid sequel status, but criticize its weak story, repetitive levels, and frustrating gameplay. Overall, it's seen as an enjoyable stealth game with flaws, offering a rewarding experience for genre fans.
71
MONSTER
Reviews
114 reviews found88
Hooked Gamers
Mar 15, 2017
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The game is praised for its improvements, freedom, and sarcastic goblin character. However, the combat is criticized.
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80
GameGrin
Apr 6, 2017
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Styx: Shards of Darkness is a surprisingly old-school and well-crafted stealth game, providing a welcome sneaky outlet in a world focused on open combat.
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80
GameSpew
Mar 14, 2017
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
The review praises the gameplay and replay value, but mentions the lack of narrative development. It also states that the game stands out as a prime example of stealth design done right.
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80
Twinfinite
Mar 21, 2017
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Styx: Shards of Darkness is a unique and pure stealth game that stands out in the genre, despite its flaws.
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80
Hardcore Gamer
Mar 14, 2017
AI-generated summary • May contain inaccuracies • See full review for precise details
Styx: Shards of Darkness is recommended to all fans of stealth games.
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