Nine Sols

Nine Sols is truly the revolutionary Metroidvania we were waiting for. Even though it doesn't do anything groundbreakingly new, it is a truly masterful creation. From its elaborate taopunk world, gorgeous art and design, challenging Sekiro-like combat, and remarkable enemy diversity and originality, it is a game that any fan of the genre must experience.

Nine Sols offers a nearly perfect blend of challenging "Soulslike" combat with a unique, vibrant world. The game stands out with its fluid mechanics and captivating art style, making each encounter both difficult and rewarding. While it might not appeal to those unfamiliar with the genre’s difficulty, fans of challenging action games will find it an almost purrrfect experience.

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.

A delightful 2D Metroidvania action game for parry and furry lovers, brought to you by a developer specializing in horror games.

Nine Sols is a Metroidvania that does what many have failed to do within the genre and actually creates an experience that feels like an authentic, grueling, atmospheric and unique 2D Souls game. Artistically, it's hard to find any fault with it as the blend of Tao Tradition and Cyberpunk dystopia is captivating. The narrative is gritty, mature and uncompromising, which leads to an engaging story from start to end, and the gameplay is a refined showcase of combat, platforming and puzzle-solving. The difficulty settings may be a little askew, and some may feel that the central themes are too graphic and unsettling at times. But all in all, Nine Sols, in a stacked year, as far as Metroidvanias are concerned, does more than enough to force itself into the conversation, as it could be a contender for indie game of the year.

Nine Sols is a masterfully crafted 2D Sekiro-like Metroidvania that explores a lore-rich Taoism fantasy setting through science fiction elements.

Nine Sols is one of those games that once you get into, you'll probably have a hard time stopping, and the reasons are understandable - the high-quality combat system alone manages to keep you in the thick of things, the boss battles provide a challenge that is one of the most satisfying things you can give yourself, and the exploration experience feels great and also provides an impressive level of content and things for you to experience during your adventure.

Nine Sols masterfully combines 2D action with Souls-like mechanics, paying tribute to games like Hollow Knight and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The unique "Taopunk" setting creates a fresh and original world, while the bosses serve as standout moments, enhancing the game’s deep, though occasionally inconsistent, narrative. Nine Sols is well worth your attention with its distinctive world, thrilling combat, and unforgettable boss battles.

Despite a few minor issues, Nine Sols has a compelling, addictive and highly explorable world, and a slick, responsive combat system.

Quotation forthcoming.

Of course, horror as reflection of the social and psychological is what we've grown to expect from Red Candle. That it couples here with such a confident step into pastures new, though, means we're keener than ever to see what's next. [Issue#400, p.114]

Nine Sols offers a polished action experience at its best, but at times clouded by overly long and tedious fights. Combat that feels like an endurance test, but with mechanics so precise that it's a joy to get smacked by the bosses over and over again.

Nine Sols is an enthralling combat gauntlet with death-defying moves and sleek systems for a rapturous experience, let down only slightly by its somewhat lacklustre pacing and focus, and tired fat-shaming quips.

Nine Sols offers a metroidvania experience that may not be entirely unique, but it remains an excellent choice for fans of the genre. Kudos to the developers for successfully differentiating it from other metroidvanias through its combat system, employing challenging but fair use of parries, not unlike Sekiro.

Nine Sols feels like a love letter to Sekiro and the Metroidvania genre as a whole. Though slow at times, the game’s focus on storytelling pairs well with its great visuals, presenting a narrative experience paired with some challenging but fair gameplay.

Nine Sols mixes platform and metroidvania elements with a Sekiro-lite combat system. The result is a game that does many things well without excelling at anything.