The Unlikely Hero of Styx: Master of Shadows

Styx: Master of Shadows is a stealth game set in a dark, mature, fantasy universe. Our goal was to return to the roots of the genre and revisit it through a unique character: Styx — a nimble, sneaky, sarcastic goblin.

We want to offer a real challenge to the player, with a game requiring strategy and reflection. Players really have to take care of many details to progress in a level. But to make things fair, players have powerful tools at their disposal that they’ll have to use wisely.

Who is Styx?

Fragile and far removed from the brute hero that kicks butt, our goblin is a skillful assassin that excels at hiding.

Obsessed with the Amber, Styx would do absolutely anything to reach the source of this substance — the Heart of the Tree. Extremely cunning, he’ll always find a solution to achieve this objective, by whatever means necessary.

What is Amber?

The Amber — a powerful and rare substance — gives Styx a wide array of magical powers, such as invisibility, enhanced senses, or even the ability to summon and control disposable clones of himself. But, these powers come at a significant cost…

Styx’s addiction to Amber brings with it unending mental torment, causing him to sink slowly into madness.

About the World

The Heart of the Tree is well protected within the human Tower of Akenash, a fortress built with the help of the elves living around the tree. Over time, the tower became a center of power, knowledge, and mystery.

The upper levels contain the apartments occupied by the ruler, the embassy where humans receive diplomats from the four corners of the kingdom, the great library, and the “docks” (served by airship). The upper levels are the only ones that receive sunlight.

Below, built around the dome that encloses the World Tree, are the military quarters, prisons, and alchemy labs where humans try desperately to master the sometimes destructive power of Amber.

The further players descend into the depths of Akenash, the closer they get to the world Tree and the elves that protect it. This is a dangerous zone where unpleasant creatures are lurking.

An Open-ended Journey

The verticality and the level design of Akenash will provide the player with a large range of possibilities to outwit the tower residents and reach his or her goal.

There isn’t a single path to go from one point to another, but multiple solutions. Styx is made of open areas. Players will find a lot of different ways to go, just by looking around (And above!) them and as the player is a small creature, there’s some options that are only available to him or her.

But be careful, the most obvious paths are not always the safest.