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Nine Sols

In any other universe, I would balk at Nine Sols’ difficulty. Yet, I gave it a chance, and it more than rewarded me for giving it a moment of my time. Over 20 hours later, I came out of it bruised, battered, and wanting more Taopunk goodness.
92%Game Brain Score
story, gameplay
grinding, replayability
97% User Score Based on 17,920 reviews
Critic Score 88%Based on 10 reviews

Platforms

MOMac OSNSNintendo SwitchPCPCP4Playstation 4P5Playstation 5SDSteam DeckWinWindowsXOXbox OneXSXXbox Series X|SCloCloudPlaPlayStationXboxXboxXCGXbox Cloud GamingXGPXbox Game Pass
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About

"Nine Sols" is a 2D action-platformer set in a lore-rich Asian fantasy world, where you play as hero Yi on a quest to defeat the nine Sols, the rulers of the forsaken realm of New Kunlun. With Sekiro-inspired combat, the game features a vengeful storyline and unique exploration in a beautifully hand-drawn 2D environment. Your journey will be filled with challenges as you uncover the truth behind this ancient sanctuary and its protectors.

Genres & Tags
Play Modes
Nine Sols screenshot
Nine Sols screenshot
Nine Sols screenshot
Nine Sols screenshot
Nine Sols screenshot
Nine Sols screenshot
Nine Sols screenshot
Nine Sols screenshot

97%
Audience ScoreBased on 17,930 reviews
story3.8k positive mentions
grinding228 negative mentions
  • The hand-drawn art style and taopunk aesthetic create a visually stunning experience that enhances the storytelling.
  • The game features a captivating and emotionally resonant story with well-developed characters, drawing players into its narrative.
  • The gameplay mechanics, particularly the parry system, are engaging and challenging, providing a rewarding experience for players who master them.
  • Some players find the gameplay repetitive and reliant on a single combat mechanic, leading to frustration during encounters.
  • The game suffers from minor technical issues, including stuttering and freezing, which can disrupt the experience.
  • While the visuals are praised, some environments feel generic and lack distinctiveness, detracting from the overall immersion.
  • story
    8,123 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The story of "Nine Sols" is widely praised for its depth, emotional resonance, and engaging character arcs, often drawing comparisons to the narratives found in titles like "Hollow Knight" and "Sekiro." Players appreciate the game's unique blend of sci-fi and Taoist themes, with many noting that the storytelling is more direct and accessible than typical metroidvanias, making it easier to follow and invest in the characters. The inclusion of a "story mode" allows players to adjust difficulty, ensuring that those more interested in the narrative can enjoy the experience without the frustration of challenging combat.

    • “The story and atmosphere are top notch, and I was heavily invested in the well-designed characters.”
    • “The story is amazing, the characters are very likable, and the player character himself presents a very unique perspective on the world that the player might actually disagree with.”
    • “The story is captivating and gripping, and the characters are wonderfully crafted.”
    • “The world is interesting and the story too, but the dialog is really boring; I understood everything in the story even though I skipped 90% of the dialog.”
    • “As others have said, the story takes some time to kick in, and for a large chunk of the game it tends to be very linear.”
    • “The story is very dark and often times very sad and depressing.”
  • gameplay
    4,227 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The gameplay of "Nine Sols" has been widely praised for its engaging and challenging mechanics, particularly its parry system, which is central to combat and requires precision and timing. Players appreciate the fluidity and responsiveness of the controls, as well as the variety of mechanics introduced throughout the game, which keep encounters fresh and rewarding. While some find the difficulty spikes and reliance on parrying to be frustrating, many agree that mastering these elements leads to a deeply satisfying experience, making it a standout title in the metroidvania genre.

    • “Gorgeous hand-drawn style, unique and difficult combat, enthralling story and overall great mechanics and level design.”
    • “The gameplay strikes a fine balance between challenging combat and rewarding exploration, making every victory feel well-earned.”
    • “The parry mechanics feel both rewarding and challenging, hearing that sound after you pull off a perfect parry is just the cherry on top.”
    • “The gameplay is mostly fair, but there are some high difficulty boss spikes in a few instances where it borders on almost unfair.”
    • “The parry mechanic limits how much movement and dodging is a part of the combat skill.”
    • “The gameplay can be demanding and requires developing some careful coordination and muscle memory, but will never present unreasonable challenges.”
  • music
    2,732 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The music in "Nine Sols" has received widespread acclaim for its exceptional quality and ability to enhance the gaming experience, with many players praising its blend of traditional Eastern instruments and modern electronic elements. The soundtrack is noted for its emotional depth, fitting seamlessly with the game's atmosphere and intensifying key moments, particularly during boss fights. While some tracks are described as less memorable, the overall composition is considered a standout feature, contributing significantly to the game's immersive storytelling and gameplay.

    • “The soundtrack and soundscape are incredible.”
    • “The music is outstanding, enhancing the emotional depth of the story and drawing you deeper into its mesmerizing world.”
    • “The soundtrack is genuinely amazing and kept me at the edge of my seat.”
    • “The art looks like clip art combined with generic taoist imagery and the music is almost exclusively kept to a single gong sound or standard, uninspired boss music; really forgettable stuff.”
    • “The music is mostly just okay.”
    • “While serviceable, the music fails to reach the heights achieved by the game's other elements.”
  • graphics
    2,570 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The graphics of *Nine Sols* have been widely praised for their stunning hand-drawn art style, which combines elements of traditional Chinese aesthetics with a unique "taopunk" theme, creating a visually captivating experience. Reviewers highlight the game's vibrant colors, intricate details, and fluid animations, noting that the visuals significantly enhance the storytelling and overall atmosphere. While some mention minor inconsistencies in enemy designs and hitbox issues, the overwhelming consensus is that the game's graphics are a standout feature, contributing to its status as a top-tier metroidvania.

    • “The visuals are gorgeous and the story (with the true ending) is so very well written.”
    • “The art style is stunningly fitting for the world it portrays, and the music perfectly complements the tone and intensifies key moments.”
    • “The hand-drawn visuals are gorgeous, and the world feels alive with its blend of Asian-inspired mythology and mystery.”
    • “The unique taopunk aesthetic they went for is certainly bold and evocative, but I'll admit that I don't think they realized its full potential.”
    • “A lot of the environments feel very generic and blend together (more than just a general cohesion due to the aesthetic) but then you'll stumble across an area that looks and feels totally alien and draws you in.”
    • “Boring, too childish, seems like something is missing in visuals - the trailer made me think of the game as something more vibrant.”
  • emotional
    676 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The emotional aspect of "Nine Sols" is widely praised, with many players expressing that the game made them cry multiple times, particularly during the true ending. Reviewers highlight the game's ability to evoke a range of feelings, from joy to heartbreak, through its well-crafted narrative, character development, and impactful music. The combination of a touching story, engaging characters, and challenging gameplay creates a deeply resonant experience that leaves a lasting emotional impact on players.

    • “I've been called cold from time to time, and generally fiction has a hard time emotionally moving me, but this game had me shed a few tears.”
    • “The story is well written, unobtrusive, mysterious, emotional, and much more.”
    • “The story is a perfect blend of cute, emotional, and gruesome.”
    • “Clunky and not fluid controls, the entire game is dependent only on parrying. The world building is bad, the story is boring, and the gameplay is repetitive with only a few enemy types. It's not clear where to go next; exploration feels like a chore. The game forces the 'block/parry and then insert a bomb into the enemy' mechanic, which is the only way to play since standard attacks deal too little damage. This is a typical example of how developers wanted to add something new and ended up making it worse. Overall, it's an example of how not to make a metroidvania. It's a pity for the wasted visuals and art, as they are the only redeeming qualities.”
    • “Clunky and not fluid controls, the entire game is dependent only on parrying. The world building is bad, the story is boring, and the gameplay is repetitive with only a few enemy types. It's not clear where to go next; exploration feels like a chore. The game forces the 'block/parry and then insert a bomb into the enemy' mechanic, which is the only way to play since standard attacks deal too little damage. This is a typical example of how developers wanted to add something new and ended up making it worse. Overall, it's an example of how not to make a metroidvania. It's a pity for the wasted visuals and art, as they are the only redeeming qualities.”
  • atmosphere
    332 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The atmosphere of the game is widely praised for its stunning visuals, unique blend of cyberpunk and taoist aesthetics, and an immersive soundtrack that enhances the emotional weight of the narrative. Players find the world captivating and beautifully crafted, with each area offering distinct atmospheres that invite exploration and engagement. Overall, the game's atmosphere is described as haunting, rich, and integral to the overall experience, making it a standout feature that resonates deeply with players.

    • “This exceptional game captivates primarily with its atmosphere and narrative.”
    • “From the moment you step into its beautifully crafted world, you’re immersed in a stunning blend of traditional East Asian aesthetics and sci-fi futurism, creating an atmosphere that's both unique and captivating.”
    • “The soundtrack complements the visuals perfectly, with a hauntingly beautiful score that enhances the atmosphere and emotional weight of the game.”
    • “The difficulty, I would argue, also helps to enhance the atmosphere and the at-times bleak and brutal feeling of this world.”
    • “My only real gripe is that each area has more or less the same visual and auditory atmosphere of what Red Candle calls 'tao punk'.”
    • “I wish more areas moved away from this style a bit or deviated in atmosphere, but I understand how that could potentially come off as incohesive.”
  • grinding
    244 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Grinding in the game is a mixed experience; while some players find it necessary for upgrades and boss encounters, many describe it as tedious and frustrating, particularly due to the high health of enemies and the need to repeat phases in boss fights. Exploration is generally rewarding, but backtracking and farming for resources can feel burdensome, especially without fast travel options early on. Overall, while some enjoy the challenge of grinding, others feel it detracts from the overall enjoyment of the game.

    • “Game is not tedious to play, with very minimal backtracking and checkpoints are all near places where you are going to die a lot.”
    • “Finding items was fun and not tedious.”
    • “Finding items was fun and not tedious.”
    • “I really had to force myself to try to finish the game, but it is just outright tedious.”
    • “Enemies and especially bosses have huge amounts of HP, making almost every single encounter a tedious test of endurance.”
    • “Should you want to unlock everything in the game you will inevitably have to grind enemies in order to get enough of the currency Jin to get everything, this is unfortunate as it does make a portion of the game tedious.”
  • character development
    210 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Character development in the game is widely praised for its depth and integration with the narrative, featuring well-crafted characters with unique backstories that enhance the overall lore. Players appreciate the gradual and meaningful growth of characters, which is complemented by stunning character designs and engaging dialogue options that contribute to a rich storytelling experience. While some critiques mention inconsistencies in character focus, the overall consensus highlights a strong emotional connection to the characters and their journeys, making the development feel organic and impactful.

    • “Character development is directly symbolic of the core themes from the mechanics of the game to mastering oneself, and you are not without dialogue options that tip the scales.”
    • “While it can be a little difficult to wrap your head around its nuances, the world is well-constructed with characters that have gradual and sensible character development.”
    • “The clear character development and relationship building was wonderful.”
    • “No character development, no backstory, nothing.”
    • “Although the overall world-building is decent, the weakest aspects of the game are probably the dialogue and character development.”
    • “I think the game still may be guilty of saving its most interesting characters for the end of the game and not giving as much screen time to some of the solarians who engaged me the most, but on the whole I think the game punches above its weight in its character development and dialogue.”
  • humor
    136 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The humor in the game is widely praised for its charm and cleverness, blending light-hearted moments with darker themes. Players appreciate the funny character interactions and side quests that provide a whimsical break from the main storyline, making the experience both entertaining and emotionally engaging. Overall, the humor is seen as a significant strength, enhancing the game's appeal and relatability.

    • “The game doesn't take itself too seriously, with large parts of character progression locked behind cutesy and funny side-quests, essentially indulging your obsession with the zany and unique characters.”
    • “The charming character interactions really endear you to them; there's a system of checking in with your companions every so often, and I greatly looked forward to each one. These were really cute and funny, providing a nice break from the darkness of the main storyline while still touching on deeper themes.”
    • “It's funny that the game made me feel calm despite hundreds, if not thousands, of deaths.”
  • replayability
    92 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The replayability of the game is a mixed bag, with many players noting that while it offers enjoyable gameplay and some new modes like boss rush, it suffers from unskippable cutscenes and a lack of significant content to encourage multiple playthroughs. Some players appreciate the depth added by player choices and combat variations, but overall, many feel that the game lacks the replay value found in similar titles, particularly due to its linearity and limited side content. Future updates and additional modes could potentially enhance its replayability, but as it stands, it is seen as having low immediate replay value and moderate long-term potential.

    • “Upgrades are balanced and allow for replayability and variations in combat style.”
    • “Also, there's a boss rush mode now, which adds a ton of replay value in my eyes.”
    • “Players’ choices and actions determine the outcome, adding depth and replayability.”
    • “This kind of kills replayability as sitting through certain scenes on repeat playthroughs, especially the intro, can get tedious, and no game with boss fights this good should ever not have a feature to fight them again.”
    • “Replayability was not in mind when they made this game.”
    • “Only negative thing to say is that it has little replay value since the combat isn't deep and backtracking a lot through the same areas is tedious.”
  • optimization
    80 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    Overall, the game's optimization is generally praised, with many players reporting smooth performance and high frame rates across various systems, including mid-range PCs and the Steam Deck. However, some users noted minor issues such as stuttering, flickering, and occasional crashes, particularly in specific areas or under high settings. Despite these concerns, the majority of players found the game well-optimized and enjoyable, with expectations for future patches to address any lingering performance issues.

    • “Unlike many other promising-looking games, this game is actually very well optimized in my experience.”
    • “The performance was rock solid throughout, with the game running at 170+ fps at 1080p on a 1660ti and 500+ fps at 1440p on a 4070 on the highest settings with uncapped fps.”
    • “Performance on the Steam Deck was great too, with a solid 60 fps on medium settings.”
    • “I'm playing on a somewhat older laptop, and playing with the default resolution sometimes made for sluggish game performance.”
    • “At the fifth boss area, the game starts stuttering a lot.”
    • “I would like to see some performance improvements on their loading times.”
  • stability
    52 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The game's stability has received mixed feedback, with many players reporting smooth performance and stable frame rates, particularly on the Steam Deck and desktop PCs. However, several users have encountered notable bugs, including freezing during specific actions like hacking or opening the map, which can lead to progress loss. Overall, while some players enjoy a bug-free experience, others highlight persistent glitches that the developers are reportedly addressing.

    • “The game runs great and looks amazing.”
    • “I encountered few/no glitches, and played on the PC version using a Nintendo Switch Pro controller perfectly smoothly. The only non-trivial glitch I encountered was if you get hit by an enemy while using a rest point, your UI becomes non-responsive, but this was easy enough to avoid.”
    • “It has also been bug-free so far!”
    • “Sometimes when you go to hack something, the game just freezes and forces you to quit out of it completely, which could lead to tons of progress loss.”
    • “Only issue is that I've now been getting a problem where the game freezes super bad sometimes when I open the map, and I have to close and restart.”
    • “I have had a few freezes/glitches that wouldn't let me progress unless I turned the graphics down to low.”
  • monetization
    14 mentions Positive Neutral Negative

    The monetization aspect of the game is generally viewed positively, as it is priced at $30, which is considered reasonable compared to the $70 standard for many games that often include microtransactions. However, some players express frustration with the presence of frequent ads that disrupt gameplay, particularly during challenging boss encounters. Overall, the game is praised for providing a solid experience without resorting to aggressive monetization tactics.

    • “I highly recommend this game; don't spend your $40 on microtransactions.”
    • “Some bosses (2-3) are hard because of the unnecessary ads/environment problem.”
    • “Unnecessary 2 ads that respawn all the time.”
    • “Overall, in a dying industry with games listed for $70 that are infested with microtransactions and other issues trying to suck every penny out of your wallet for unfinished products, this game at only $30 manages to push through its many shortcomings to make a really fun combat experience coupled with a standout story.”

88%Critics’ scoreBased on 11 critic reviews

Buy Nine Sols

24h Median play time
28h Average play time
11-32h Spent by most gamers
*Based on 80 analyzed playthroughs

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