Styx: Blades of Greed

Styx: Blades of Greed is a sequel that mostly delivers the same stealth gameplay as its predecessors, with all the good and the bad you might expect from that.

Styx: Blades of Greed isn't quite as well cut out as a fine piece of quartz, but it's easily the best stealth game in years - and so utterly compelling you'll be desperate to get back to it when you have to do boring un-murdery things like, I dunno, going to the shops, or feeding the cat.

Nine years in the making, Cyanide has expanded Styx's scope in all the right ways without sacrificing its steadfast focus on stealth.

Styx: Blades of Greed is filled with so many ways to sneak through areas that you really do feel like you're crafting your approach to each thieving challenge

Styx: Blades of Greed is the definition of a solid 'AA' game. It struggles under the weight of its own ambition and some Unreal Engine 5 optimization woes, but its charming main character and the quality of its sandbox level design make it a game that those looking for an almost pure stealth experience will love.

Styx: Blades of Greed sticks to its strengths - it's challenging but rewarding, offering a stealth experience with a unique and memorable lead character.

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Styx: Blades of Greed is unrepentantly a stealth game, and this instalment adds a lot of new features and mechanics but makes sure to never move to far away from what has made this series appealing – skulking in the shadows.

"Smart Stealth and Near-Total Freedom" Styx: Blades of Greed offers a sophisticated stealth experience that relies on the player's freedom to plan and exploit the environment in multiple ways. The vertical level design and new gadgets give the game a clear tactical depth and make every mission an opportunity for experimentation and creativity. Despite some technical glitches and occasionally a disjointed narrative, the smart stealth gameplay remains the core strength that makes the experience enjoyable and challenging for fans of the genre.

After nine years in the shadows, it’s undeniably good to have Styx back. Blades of Greed delivers solid stealth, satisfying verticality, and just enough mechanical evolution to keep things interesting. But it also plays things frustratingly safe. The story lacks bite, the structure leans heavily on uninspired repetition, and the presentation never quite escapes its rough edges.