Styx: Blades of Greed Game Review – Get Greedy in This Simple But Sneaky Stealth Title

There’s an unabashed simplicity to Styx: Blades of Greed. It doesn’t try to compete with 2026 video games in terms of scale and aesthetic; instead, it sticks with what it knows, and that’s being a sneaky and addictive stealth title featuring a goblin protagonist. Maybe that’s the lesson all other developers working on franchises could learn from: tweak, not redefine.

From a storyline perspective, Styx: Blades of Greed follows Styx as the greedy but hilarious goblin attempts to get his paws on Quartz – the most precious material in a resource-scarce world. Cyanide Studio is unlikely to win any awards for story of the year, but the uncomplicated structure keeps the narrative briskly moving along from quest to quest as the gameplay takes center stage, which is really the main reason gamers are picking up this title in the first place.

Here, Styx tackles vertical-styled levels. It’s mostly “open world” with a few clever limitations imposed through natural blockers like rivers and mountains, so it’s up to the player in terms of how they plan to get from point A to B. However, it requires a little more thought and ingenuity rather than a gung-ho mentality. Even though Styx possesses superior reflexes and has access to specific tools and powers to defend himself, such as invisibility and clown control, it’s still essential to maintain the principles of stealth gaming; you know, to get in and out undetected.

This means utilizing the environment to Styx’s advantage and sticking to the shadows as much as possible. The goblin is able to traverse through underground tunnels and openings, while he can turn off the lights in rooms to avoid detection. It’s particularly useful to scout the buildings and environments thoroughly to see what awaits Styx rather than alert hordes of enemies by rushing in. If this happens, don’t be brave or try to stand your ground – make a fast exit and live to fight another day. It’s about sneaking up behind enemies and putting a knife in them – whether this is through an opening in the window or by tricking them into wandering off onto their own and picking them off one by one.

Look, expect to die in Styx: Blades of Greed – a lot. It’s actually encouraged since there are sections that will take a few tries and learning the habits of enemies to master what happens next. Consequently, make sure to quick save at regular intervals to ensure you don’t come back too far from the action when you respawn. It’s something I had to learn the hard way in this game, since I have been spoiled by the save intervals of other titles in recent years.

On the negative side, Styx’s controls can be extremely sensitive, especially when jumping and transitioning from hiding to rolls. Resultantly, this exposes the player to unintentional danger and enemies, even when that wasn’t the intent of the action to begin with. This becomes frustrating after a while, as you realize that there’s not much you can do about it but die and respawn to try again.

Another con is the supporting characters in the game. Apart from Styx, no one else proves to be memorable or interesting in the slightest. The voice acting and writing for these characters feel bland and uninspired, as if they’re just there to make up the numbers rather than add anything consequential to the overall story.

One thing struck me while playing Styx: Blades of Greed: This is the game that The Lord of the Rings: Gollum wanted to be. It wants players to become immersed in the gameplay as much as the world, keeping everyone entertained by the charm of its protagonist and allure of how to conquer the mounting challenges. It largely succeeds, as both new and long-time fans should find what they’re looking for here.

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