I'll be honest: I like what I've seen so far of Styx: Master of Shadows , but my expectations aren't super-high. Its predecessor, Of Orcs and Men , didn't exactly set the world on fire, and developer Cyanide is probably best known for the Pro Cycling Manager series, a far cry from the stealth-action genre. But even if I'm not particularly optimistic, I do remain hopeful. I mean, how do you not like a goblin who can spawn a gooey clone of himself and use it to turn a chest into a wicked, murderous jack-in-the-box?
Styx's clone-generating ability is dependent upon Amber and will thus be rather limited, since Amber is a rare resource in the game. It's also defenseless in a fight, and it's not particularly stable, either, so once the clone is created, you'll have to move quickly to accomplish your goals. But as a distraction, or just an amusing way to kill people, it looks like a handy skill to have.
And while it wasn't part of the announcement, we also appear to have a proper release date. Cyanide and publisher Focus Home Interactive announced earlier this month that Styx will launch in October , but didn't nail down a specific date. Steam , however, now lists the Styx: Master of Shadows launch date as October 7. Fingers crossed.
