Styx: Blades of Greed – Everything We Know

A new installment in the stealth series Styx is on the way, eight years after the last one launched. Styx: Blades of Greed promises many improvements to the current gameplay design and a few new game-changing features.

The game is scheduled to launch in the Fall of 2025, and understandably, many players can’t wait to try it out. However, for now, they have to settle for sneak peeks into the game’s features and gameplay. Here is a detailed preview of everything we know about Styx: Blades of Greed to give you a good idea of what to expect.

What is Styx: Blades of Greed?

Styx: Blades of Greed is a stealth-based game with extensive action-adventure mechanics. It is the third installment in the Styx stealth series. Styx: Master of Shadows launched in 2014, followed three years later by Styx: Shards of Sadness. Interestingly, the first Styx game was a spinoff of the wildly popular action RPG Of Orcs and Men. However, it became so popular that it got a sequel and has now turned into a series. Notably, while Blades of Greed maintains the series’ essence and primary gameplay design, it also spruces things up by emphasizing creativity and freedom.

Story

Styx: Blades of Greed is a story-driven game, and the story unravels as players progress through the mission and world. However, the story is a bit vague at the moment. What’s more, it is connected to important events in the series’ original inspiration, Of Orcs and Men. Styx, the cunning goblin, is no longer under anyone’s command. He is free and even has a crew of his own. Moreover, he uses this crew to pursue his own goals. His biggest goal at the moment is stealing the Quartz from the Inquisition.

The Quartz is the most precious and dangerous resource in the world. It is a crystal that grants incredible, mysterious powers. For example, it enables its owners to control other people’s minds and manipulate time. It is an invaluable resource to own at a time when the world is at the brink of war. Relations between the humans, elves, and orcs are broken, and tension is simmering. Interestingly, the events in this game lead up to the Great War and the creation of the Black Hand in Of Orcs and Men.

Styx sets out on a mission to steal the Quartz. However, he must avoid and escape danger, which comes in various shapes and forms. How Styx achieves his goal and what he does with the Quartz remains to be seen.

Gameplay

Stealth is still the name of the game in Styx: Blades of Greed. Styx is at the crosshairs of most of the people, elves, and orcs he meets. Moreover, open confrontation with enemies almost always leads to death. As such, he must remain unseen as he goes about his nefarious mission.

There are many ways to be stealthy. He can use his environment to hide as he moves. He can also stick to the shadows to camouflage his presence. In the direst of cases, he can use distractions to divert his enemies’ attention and make a getaway. That’s not all, as he can also activate his Invisibility ability via his Amber Skills. Overall, every situation and problem is a puzzle with multiple solutions.

Styx must be stealthy throughout exploration, another important component of the gameplay. The game’s open world is vast, and there are three regions to explore: The Wall, where humans reside; Akenash, the ruins of the Elves’ capital; and Turquoise Dawn, the surprisingly lush village of the Orcs. Every region is unique, and the environments are detailed. Moreover, the game boasts sharp graphics and beautiful visuals.

Blades of Greed also shifts from the previous games’ linear exploration style to a Metroidvania-style gaming progression system. As such, players must acquire new abilities and tools to unlock certain areas as they go. This new progression style encourages exploration, as many players are curious to unlock the entire map. There are various ways to move around, including using a grappling hook to climb buildings and gliding down using improvised parachutes.

While combat is not advisable, Styx may need to fight for his life once in a while. Combat is inevitable, as evidenced by the weapons players can design and acquire through the crafting system. Moreover, one of the scenes in the trailer showcases Styx stabbing a soldier using a curved dagger. Another scene showcases a soldier stepping on what appears to be a landmine. Besides weapons, he can also craft portions that he can use against his enemies. Moreover, he can dispatch his crew to undertake dangerous missions that may involve open confrontation.

It is also worth noting that the new abilities that Styx acquires from the Quartz give him an added advantage in combat. For example, he can take over his enemies’ minds and use them to fight on his behalf. Enemies would also be easier to kill when moving in slow motion when he activates the Time Shift abilities.

Development

Cyanide Studio and Nacon are the developers and publishers behind Styx: Blades of Steel, respectively. Cyanide Studio appeared to take a hiatus from the series after developing the sequel. It has released a few cycling games since then, and many fans didn’t expect that it would go back to what they consider its first love. Nacon announced the game during the most recent Nacon Connect Livestream, to the delight of many players.

Trailer

The official trailer for Styx: Blades of Greed is quite enticing. It showcases the game’s best aspects, including the incredible abilities granted by the Quartz. The scenes also depict bits and pieces of the background story, with Styx himself narrating. However, the trailer seems to focus on the game’s main scene, when players steal the Quartz, ignoring all other parts.

Release Date, Platforms & Editions

Styx: Blades of Steel is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2025. Unfortunately, the precise date is yet to be decided, but players won’t have to wait too long. The game will support PC and all current-gen consoles, including PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.