Styx: Blades of Greed
H-Pi
" H-Pi's score to Styx: Blades of Greed is still impressive. "Written by Joep de Bruijn - Review of the download only release
French game developer Cyanide, beyond a chain of uninspired sports video games, struck a chord with the RPG game Of Orcs and Men (2012). The goblin assassin Styx received his own video game extended series, from which Styx: Blades of Greed (2026) marks the third in the franchise. In basic terms, the games expanded, and this third game attempted to feature a semi-open world, more emerging cliché storytelling, and a larger scope, but it is still one of the few games that provides simple and effective stealth video gameplay.
From the first game onward, French composer H-Pi (Henri-Pierre Pellegrin) composed music using the Sinfonia Pop Orchestra, numerous soloists, and the composer performed instruments, such as the electric bas s,synthesizers, and others, himself. While there was some programming, the composer felt getting different nuances from live instruments was much more emotional and time-saving, as programming would consume much more time. The first game's score was excellent and aided the advancement in changing environments, but foremost was best at underscoring all stealth issues, the deceit, and the shadows. The musical feel of stealth and changing environments grew exceptionally throughout the series, with additional instruments and ideas in writing, often to expand on how to use sounds and instruments and present them in the process of composing, gradually more expansive and more in tune with dark fantasy, but also injecting more melancholic and personal emotions.
The third game's score largely preserves the beginning of the two earlier Styx scores in a number of ways, but in particular, the use of both orchestral and electronic processing to keep the overall adventurous intent is still fairly standard in theory. Yet, the greater emphasis on storytelling and melancholy from the second game's score also reappears in limited samples from the duduk, percussion, contrabassoon, and the cello quartet.
The new, expansive, and referential elements to previous music develop concurrently. However, attempts at a semi-open world are not entirely satisfactorily represented in the original score of Styx: Blades of Greed.
Whereas the character-based quartet and further strings, using progressive plucking of instruments, a staccato rhythm, and more melodic content, are not new, but they are still surprisingly strong and embrace memorable melancholic feelings. Secondly, the still most important, unemotional concept of the score, aiding the environment in relation to the exemplary but simple stealth, is still so well executed using playful and engaging strings, percussion, electric bass and much more, often well presented in relation to the aforementioned adaptive pieces of musical content but also the overall concept of building a musical world.
H-Pi's score to Styx: Blades of Greed is still impressive.
Tracklist
1. Blades of Greed 1:42
2. Once Upon a Time 1:01
3. The Escape from Korrangar 3:37
4. Back to Business 2:53
5. Wall Fortress 2:03
6. Shadow Steps 2:09
7. Under Pressure 6:07
8. Empire of Rot 2:37
9. Gob Sail Away 2:14
10. Sweet Hideout 2:03
11. Turquoise Dawn 2:03
12. Welcome to the Jungle 2:05
13. Lurking in Bushes 1:46
14. The Hunt Begins 4:59
15. Akenash Ruins 3:05
16. Stealth Memories 3:26
17. Ruins Awaken 7:23
18. The Gob Father 2:09
19. Sails of the Inquisition 2:58
20. Geoffroi 1:51
21. Flux 3:06
22. A Maze of Memories 1:20
23. Another Breakthrough the Wall 1:48
Total duration:64:25
(14-08-2026)
From the first game onward, French composer H-Pi (Henri-Pierre Pellegrin) composed music using the Sinfonia Pop Orchestra, numerous soloists, and the composer performed instruments, such as the electric bas s,synthesizers, and others, himself. While there was some programming, the composer felt getting different nuances from live instruments was much more emotional and time-saving, as programming would consume much more time. The first game's score was excellent and aided the advancement in changing environments, but foremost was best at underscoring all stealth issues, the deceit, and the shadows. The musical feel of stealth and changing environments grew exceptionally throughout the series, with additional instruments and ideas in writing, often to expand on how to use sounds and instruments and present them in the process of composing, gradually more expansive and more in tune with dark fantasy, but also injecting more melancholic and personal emotions.
The third game's score largely preserves the beginning of the two earlier Styx scores in a number of ways, but in particular, the use of both orchestral and electronic processing to keep the overall adventurous intent is still fairly standard in theory. Yet, the greater emphasis on storytelling and melancholy from the second game's score also reappears in limited samples from the duduk, percussion, contrabassoon, and the cello quartet.
The new, expansive, and referential elements to previous music develop concurrently. However, attempts at a semi-open world are not entirely satisfactorily represented in the original score of Styx: Blades of Greed.
Whereas the character-based quartet and further strings, using progressive plucking of instruments, a staccato rhythm, and more melodic content, are not new, but they are still surprisingly strong and embrace memorable melancholic feelings. Secondly, the still most important, unemotional concept of the score, aiding the environment in relation to the exemplary but simple stealth, is still so well executed using playful and engaging strings, percussion, electric bass and much more, often well presented in relation to the aforementioned adaptive pieces of musical content but also the overall concept of building a musical world.
H-Pi's score to Styx: Blades of Greed is still impressive.
Tracklist
1. Blades of Greed 1:42
2. Once Upon a Time 1:01
3. The Escape from Korrangar 3:37
4. Back to Business 2:53
5. Wall Fortress 2:03
6. Shadow Steps 2:09
7. Under Pressure 6:07
8. Empire of Rot 2:37
9. Gob Sail Away 2:14
10. Sweet Hideout 2:03
11. Turquoise Dawn 2:03
12. Welcome to the Jungle 2:05
13. Lurking in Bushes 1:46
14. The Hunt Begins 4:59
15. Akenash Ruins 3:05
16. Stealth Memories 3:26
17. Ruins Awaken 7:23
18. The Gob Father 2:09
19. Sails of the Inquisition 2:58
20. Geoffroi 1:51
21. Flux 3:06
22. A Maze of Memories 1:20
23. Another Breakthrough the Wall 1:48
Total duration:64:25
(14-08-2026)