Styx: Shards Of Darkness Screenshots Offer First Look Into Dark Fantasy World

Fans of dark fantasy epics, stealth games, or oblique references to Greek mythology will be pleased today, as Focus Home Interactive have released the first screenshots for the upcoming Styx: Shards of Darkness, the sequel to 2014’s Styx: Master of Shadows.

According to the publisher’s official site, the project is aiming to be even more ambitious than the last one, boasting a “bigger budget, bigger ideas, and a new engine: Unreal 4. Focus, alongside developer Cyanide Studios, are apparently keen to show off the fruits of their labor over the past few months, as today’s new screenshots are certainly impressive for fans of dark fantasy.

Alongside the screenshots, Focus have not been shy about talking up the new and improved visual stylings of Styx: Shards of Darkness. The game will be set in a massive and “semi-open” world with an “emphasis on verticality,” which is perfect for taking on the role of a centuries-old goblin who likes to climb and stab. The eponymous goblin assassin looks slick as ever, whether he’s wielding a sinister-looking knife or prowling the game’s environments.

Focus have released some information on the lore surrounding the locales in Styx: Shards of Darkness as well:

“From the City of Thieves, built from the wreckages [sic] of lost ships, to the great Elven city of Korangar hidden in the mountains, the environments of Styx: Shards of Darkness … allow for a lot of freedom to complete the various missions’ objectives. They are fantastic playgrounds for Styx to test his stealth and assassination skills, and try out his new moves such as rope-swinging and zip-lining!”

Styx: Shards of Darkness will release this year for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.