Screenshots & trailers
Review sentiment over time
Weekly positive-review rate (green) and review volume (bars). Dashed lines mark significant patches; the amber line is the start of the current scoring window. Hover the dots to see what drove a dip or a jump.
How this score was computed
The VGC Score is a weighted blend on a press-comparable 0-100 quality scale. Steam approval rates are first calibrated (95% positive on Steam ≈ 89.5 quality, since Steam approval skews high). Press and tracked creator reviews each count ~2x a player review and share one cap against player evidence (creator buy/skip calls pool into an approval rate, calibrated like Steam approval); all-time sentiment is capped and halved (it's context, not verdict); reviews of the current build carry the most weight when a fresh patch anchors the window; and a 'typical game' prior keeps small samples from pegging the scale. Because press reviews and Metacritic user aggregates describe the launch build, their weight decays as the game ages (3-year half-life after a 1-year grace). That's how a game that launched rough can outgrow its old reception once updates win players over. Reviews under 2h playtime (the refund window), non-Steam activations, and free copies are downweighted.
| Component | Positive | Quality (0-100) | Weight (pseudo-reviews) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Press reviews (OpenCritic) | – | 72 | 23 |
| Creator reviews (1 tracked) | – | 97 | 0 |
| All-time Steam reviews | 83% | 77 | 1000 |
| Metacritic user ratings | – | 80 | 12 |
| Post-patch Steam reviews (trust-weighted) | 87% | 81 | 15 |
| Calibration prior (typical game) | – | 72 | 50 |
Scoring window: last 30 days (no significant patch detected) · 43 reviews sampled · 36 total reviews in window · weighted 27.8 up / 4.2 down · computed 2h ago · full methodology →
Press & Creators reviews (94)
Individual verdicts from outlets we track: scored reviews first, most trusted outlets first among them. The small badge is each outlet's trust score: how well its scoring history aligns with players.
- 70
“Styx: Shards of Darkness is an interesting development of the ideas of the original game with an amusing humour and a charismatic main character that suffers from many errors, deficiencies and other problems that will be partly fixed with updates. But this is unlikely change our opinion about the game. I put a rating based on atmosphere, diversity and stealth, but you really have to love the genre to get pleasure from this game.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Cyanide continues to build its own dark fantasy world, step by step. And Shards of Darkness is a step in a right direction. Story is richer, gameplay is better than in its predecessor. And we only hope developers will stay on track for a few games more.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“A notable improvement over Master of Shadows only held back by some uninspired mechanics and skill tree.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Full freedom and innovative level design, but sloppy controls and sometimes stupid enemy AI will ruin your experience from time to time.”
read full review ↗ - 35
“If you want to play an “old school” stealth game, you have many options that aren’t the price of a new game. If you want crude humor, there are far better options in games and other media to enjoy. If you want to get berated by an ugly creature who thinks he’s better than you, well, Twitter is free.”
read full review ↗ - 50
“Styx: Shards of Darkness sometimes feels like it's the purposely edgy teenager who doesn't want you to like it. It's, by all means, a game any stealth fan should try, but it's not going to grab and keep you coming back for more. Instead, it feels like wading through mud, and the payoff you're receiving is too small to really gloat about. There's potential here, but behind buggy AI, clumsy controls and a lead character who is more annoying than likable, it all feels for naught.”
read full review ↗ - 70
“Styx: Shards of Darkness is an enormous improvement over its predecessor. The gameplay has seen a large amount of refinement to the point where it's actually a fun game to play, and Styx himself steals the show with his charismatic performance. It's not without its own set of returning and new defects, but Styx's second adventure is something we can confidently recommend. This is everything the first game should have been.”
read full review ↗ - 79
“Styx: Shards of Darkness, while a solid stealth game, does not dare travel off the beaten path. Having said that, fans of the genre should definitely check it out.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Styx: Shards of Darkness is an incredibly fun game - provided you are ok with slowing down the pace and willing to put up with uncompromising stealth. If you are looking for an action heavy stealth experience, this isn’t really your cup of tea. However, if you’re like me (though I’m terrible at stealth on the whole) and want a great, difficult challenge, Styx: Shards of Darkness might be right up your alley.”
read full review ↗ - 65
“Styx is a solid game with polished mechanics that simply fails to justify its higher asking price. Combine that with its release date being sandwiched between so many 'must-have' titles and it doesn't even fill a void of having nothing to play. Still, it is a solid stealth game, and one that provides plenty of entertainment in its solid campaign. I just cannot justify the steeper price for what still feels like a lower-budget title.”
read full review ↗ - 75
“In the end, Styx: Shards of Darkness is a solid stealth title. The lack of real combat puts your ability to go undetected to the test, and the breadth of each level means that your solutions to each problem are wide open, giving you some flexibility to your approach. While your abilities are fun to use, it would've been nice to see them make a difference, especially since the game reuses some environments instead of going for new ones. Shards of Darkness is an improvement over the first game, and it's worth checking out if you're a stealth fan.”
read full review ↗ - 80
“Ready to join a new and amazing adventure? Have you have honed your infiltration techniques? Styx is back in better shape than ever, new graphics, new skills, and of course his black humor. A sparkling new chapter of the saga signed by Cyanide Studio.”
read full review ↗
GameMAG
3DNews
Hu3br
PLAY Zine
Paste Magazine
Cubed3
Push Square
GameWatcher
ZTGD
Worth Playing
Eurogamer…and 82 more tracked reviews.
Patch history
- Multiplayer Saves Added!Apr 18, 2017significant · resets scoring window