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Styx: Master of Shadows - Of Orcs & Men stealth spinoff(!)

DeepOcean

Arcane
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Nov 8, 2012
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Everything is fine except that ... I don't see the challenge in this game.

I guess the developers are missing the point of stealth genre by adding all of this stupid stuff (like the goblin summon, invisibility spell) which turns Styx in some kind of Predator instead of a vulnerable taffer. Why is so hard to keep it real/low-fantasy?
All the powers depend on a limited resource, amber flasks, it depends on how many Amber Flasks they are going to place through the levels. I just hope that they don't place them on each corner or , at least, difficulty settings can change how many flasks are available or how much amber they provide but that is to expect too much from a wannabe cheap popamole maker.
 

bozia2012

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Codex 2014 PC RPG Website of the Year, 2015 Codex 2016 - The Age of Grimoire Make the Codex Great Again!
Everything is fine except that ... I don't see the challenge in this game.

I guess the developers are missing the point of stealth genre by adding all of this stupid stuff (like the goblin summon, invisibility spell) which turns Styx in some kind of Predator instead of a vulnerable taffer. Why is so hard to keep it real/low-fantasy?
IIRC Styx is actually an ex-uber-orc-mage that created the goblin race. Oops, spoilers.

A new entry for the Dumbfuck tag.
What's wrong? The spoiler? I hope you're not considering playing OOaH? It's a really sloppy game and infuriating at high difficulty levels because unskippable, boring, longass cutscenes before hard fights.

The material is quite good, maybe in a different time or place someone could put some oomph into the characters, dialogues, story pacing, cutscene direction, combat, stealth etc. GoT RPG has exactly the same engine and combat, but at least everything else is awesome.
 

toro

Arcane
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Everything is fine except that ... I don't see the challenge in this game.

I guess the developers are missing the point of stealth genre by adding all of this stupid stuff (like the goblin summon, invisibility spell) which turns Styx in some kind of Predator instead of a vulnerable taffer. Why is so hard to keep it real/low-fantasy?
IIRC Styx is actually an ex-uber-orc-mage that created the goblin race. Oops, spoilers.

A new entry for the Dumbfuck tag.
What's wrong? The spoiler? I hope you're not considering playing OOaH? It's a really sloppy game and infuriating at high difficulty levels because unskippable, boring, longass cutscenes before hard fights.

The material is quite good, maybe in a different time or place someone could put some oomph into the characters, dialogues, story pacing, cutscene direction, combat, stealth etc. GoT RPG has exactly the same engine and combat, but at least everything else is awesome.

The spoiler had nothing to do with the topic at hand - the stealth mechanics are simply made irrelevant by lethal takedowns, brain-dead AI, contextual traps, obvious stealth routes, magic clones, sneaking in daylight and so on.

Where is the challenge when the game is pandering to all your "stealth" needs? Honestly, as much as I enjoyed OOaH (finished it) - this looks bad.
 

toro

Arcane
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[DEVBLOG UPDATE] If you think that Styx: Master of Shadows will be like a walk in park, you’re wrong! Guillaume, project Manager at Cyanide, explains why, without a little patience and a lot of skill, you'll be in for a tough ride.

link

Today we will answer a question from “Robert John Guarente" posted on Facebook: How long is the game, how much will it be, are there unlockables, is there a play through plus, is there replay value?????

Hi Robert,

You will need about 20 hours to finish the story depending of your play style. If you want to finish the game at 100% it will be quite a challenge: Of course, you will have to finish the story (that is a challenge in itself ^^), but you will also have to succeed all sub-missions and get the 4 ensigns for each mission:

* Finish the mission without killing anyone. Yes you can also use the gentle way to accomplish Styx’s destiny and you have many ways to avoid killing people, starting with being the most discreet as possible.

* Finish the mission without being spotted a single time. The AI is attentive to a lot of details, like movement, past events, sounds, suspect bodies on the ground… but an accident can so easily happen! ;)

* Collecting all items in the mission, there is more than 300 of it to find!

* Finish the mission as quick as possible. Once you’ll be used to Styx’s capacities, you’ll be able to challenge yourself and try to find the fastest means and ways to reach your goals.

As you can imagine, it will be hard to be totally unseen and be as quick as possible in a single run; it’s where you will play with the challenge mode that allow you to replay any mission with all the skills you have unlocked in story mode. Been unseen or been quick will force you to try to found alternative paths and alternative way to handle situations. You’ll see that it’s a complete different experience!

Last but not least, some treasures are hidden into the Tower of Akenash; Will you be able find them?

This pretty much clarifies the fact that they don't know the meaning of the word "challenge".

And they are retards: first 3 "challenges" can be done in one play-through therefore you can see pretty much everything in just 2 play-through.

By the way, did I over-used the word "challenge"? Yep. Probably because this game will certainly lack it ...
 

Lyric Suite

Converting to Islam
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They forgot to mention the challenge of turning your computer on, install the game and navigate through its starting menu to launch it. In fact, i'd say they should add achievements for completing those tasks.
 

bozia2012

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The spoiler had nothing to do with the topic at hand - the stealth mechanics are simply made irrelevant by lethal takedowns, brain-dead AI, contextual traps, obvious stealth routes, magic clones, sneaking in daylight and so on.
It very much had to do at topic at hand - if you're given control over an uber-orc-mage, you shouldn't expect much challenge :)

Where is the challenge when the game is pandering to all your "stealth" needs? Honestly, as much as I enjoyed OOaH (finished it) - this looks bad.
Oh, I see - a bunch of ableist circle-jerkers. Does the game have to be "hard" to be challenging? What about challenging your buyer's remorse reflex or self-respect?

I've 100%ed OOaM (a masochistic episode), but even the first playthrough on medium difficulty was a challenge to patience and endurance. While I gave up on the mechanics, the whole time I've waited for the story to pick up, for some dramatic moment, anything to justify spending 5 euros. These guys did GoT RPG - there had to be something good about OOaM...
 
Last edited:

Infinitron

I post news
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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I think we've reached the stage where we need to recognize that AAA/console titles (with the exception of a few unique stragglers like Dark Souls) can no longer be meaningfully judged by their challenge level. They're just not going to be hard, ever.

These games should be appraised by a different criteria - scope, immersiveness, creativity, etc. These are the things that their higher budgets allow them to achieve. For challenge, look to the PC, look to Kickstarter.
 

toro

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I think we've reached the stage where we need to recognize that AAA/console titles (with the exception of a few unique stragglers like Dark Souls) can no longer be meaningfully judged by their challenge level. They're just not going to be hard, ever.

These games should be appraised by a different criteria - scope, immersiveness, creativity, etc. These are the things that their higher budgets allow them to achieve. For challenge, look to the PC, look to Kickstarter.

Another crusader enters the fray. It's fucking Christmas! Snowflakes everywhere!!! :)
 

Infinitron

I post news
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Messages
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Codex Year of the Donut Serpent in the Staglands Dead State Divinity: Original Sin Project: Eternity Torment: Tides of Numenera Wasteland 2 Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 A Beautifully Desolate Campaign Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Kingmaker Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I think we've reached the stage where we need to recognize that AAA/console titles (with the exception of a few unique stragglers like Dark Souls) can no longer be meaningfully judged by their challenge level. They're just not going to be hard, ever.

These games should be appraised by a different criteria - scope, immersiveness, creativity, etc. These are the things that their higher budgets allow them to achieve. For challenge, look to the PC, look to Kickstarter.

Another crusader enters the fray. It's fucking Christmas! Snowflakes everywhere!!! :)

I'm not crusading for anything. I don't know if I'm ever even going to buy this game. I'm just telling it like it is.
 

toro

Arcane
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Joined
Apr 14, 2009
Messages
14,023
I think we've reached the stage where we need to recognize that AAA/console titles (with the exception of a few unique stragglers like Dark Souls) can no longer be meaningfully judged by their challenge level. They're just not going to be hard, ever.

These games should be appraised by a different criteria - scope, immersiveness, creativity, etc. These are the things that their higher budgets allow them to achieve. For challenge, look to the PC, look to Kickstarter.

Another crusader enters the fray. It's fucking Christmas! Snowflakes everywhere!!! :)

I'm not crusading for anything. I don't know if I'm ever even going to buy this game. I'm just telling it like it is.

I'm just telling it like it is! I'm just telling it like it is! I'm just telling it like it is! I'm just telling it like it is! I'm just telling it like it is!

Game over man. I cannot fight against such arguments.

PS. It's more like I'm bored to argue at the moment but you can feel free to believe your bullshit anyway.
 

Abu Antar

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Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is. Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
Trying to go for that Souls audience, I see. I just want a freaking stealth game. Give it to me.
 

toro

Arcane
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Apr 14, 2009
Messages
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People who judge videogames by how "hard" they are are literally child molesters.

And worse than ISIS.

tumblr_inline_nc54p7xA981sydled.png

link

Trying to go for that Souls audience, I see. I just want a freaking stealth game. Give it to me.

me2 but this shit ain't one.


Wow! It's like they are reading ... our collective minds.
 

Siel

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First reviews are out :

Pros:

  • Sprawling levels with multiple routes and objectives
  • Some versatile and enjoyable stealth mechanics
  • Brutal old-school stealth gameplay
Cons:

  • Graphically underwhelming, shocking production values at times
  • Forgettable dark fantasy twaddle and terrible voice acting (apart from Styx himself!)
  • Can be very frustrating and unforgiving at times, relies on continual saving
http://www.dealspwn.com/styx-master...m=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+Dealspwn+(Dealspwn)
 

Siel

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Some other reviews

Pros
+ * Visually pleasing
+ *Fantastic execution of stealth game-play and options
+ * Narrative is Creative and charming

Cons
- *AI can go one way or the other. Easy to trick, or overly brutal
- * Environmental Hazards can be vexing and hard to determine their reliability
- * Story is rocky and takes a small backseat to the overall gameplay experience.

http://gbatemp.net/review/styx-master-of-shadows.205/

Styx: Master of Shadows does the stealth genre right, mixing tight mechanics with a diverse and unique selection of abilities with a wonderfully designed world. Fans of the genre rejoice, Styx is here to stay.

http://www.entertainmentbuddha.com/reviews/styx-master-of-shadows-review/
 

Abu Antar

Turn-based Poster
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Enjoy the Revolution! Another revolution around the sun that is. Shadorwun: Hong Kong Divinity: Original Sin 2 Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire Pathfinder: Wrath I'm very into cock and ball torture I helped put crap in Monomyth
I have to wait for the infide... I mean North Americans before I can play this crap and there isn't even a pre-load option.
 

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