The highly anticipated stealth-action title, Styx: Blades of Greed, has just dropped a playable demo on Steam, giving players a critical first look at what promises to be a standout entry in the franchise. With the full game hitting shelves on February 19th, this demo is a smart strategic play by developer Cyanide, allowing prospective assassins to truly kick the tires before committing to the full release across PC and consoles.

Demo Unlocks Early Access to Greed

For those eager to dive into the caustic world of Styx, the demo offers the game's opening hour, which our sources — and our own extensive preview time with Cyanide last year — confirm will likely plop players right into the sprawling, multi-layered environment known as The Wall. This isn't just a snippet; it’s a critical early engagement designed to showcase the core mechanics, level design, and the inimitable charm of everyone's favorite green goblin.

Crucially, Cyanide has confirmed a fantastic quality-of-life feature: any progress made in the demo will seamlessly transfer to the full version of Blades of Greed upon its release. This respects player time and removes any hesitation about "wasting" hours in a demo, allowing players to truly invest in their initial stealth runs and character progression.

A Franchise Built on Chaos and Craft

Our long history with the Styx series, stretching back to Master of Shadows, has shown us that Cyanide excels at creating intricate stealth sandboxes. While we freely admit our own early attempts at Blades of Greed last year often ended in spectacular, goblin-flinging failure, the sheer joy of experimenting with Styx’s unique toolkit and causing absolute mayhem was undeniable. This isn't just about being good at stealth; it's about embracing the titular goblin’s chaotic power fantasy.

And for newcomers to the franchise, fear not. While Blades of Greed picks up after the events of Styx: Shards of Darkness, Cyanide has explicitly stated that prior knowledge isn't necessary to fully appreciate this standalone adventure. This accessibility ensures a broader audience can jump straight into the thieving action without feeling lost in the lore.

Key Details & What's Next

Beyond the demo, Cyanide has also unleashed a fresh cinematic trailer. This isn't your average hype reel; it's narrated by Styx himself, providing crucial insights into his motivations—chief among them, his insatiable lust for Quartz. The trailer also gives us a tantalizing glimpse of new gear, including a glider. This isn't just cosmetic; a glider implies enhanced verticality and traversal options, potentially opening up entirely new approaches to existing levels and offering fresh strategies for veteran players to min-max their routes.

Here’s the breakdown:

  • Demo Availability: Currently on Steam.
  • Full Game Release: February 19th.
  • Platforms: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store).
  • Key Feature: Demo save data transfers to full game.
  • New Trailer Highlights: Styx-narrated story insights (Quartz focus), new gear (glider).

Our take? This demo is a must-play for anyone with even a passing interest in deep stealth mechanics or a good laugh. It's an opportunity to truly experience the unique blend of challenge and irreverent humor that is a hallmark of the Styx franchise. Don’t miss your chance to get your hands dirty.