There’s often a game that comes along within gaming that creates a ‘pre’ and ‘post’ era – a time before its industry-altering revolution and the time after when everyone jumps on the bandwagon to rake in that sweet, sweet coin. For everyStardew Valley, there is aCoral Island. For everyGTA, there is aSaints Row, and recently, there have been a ton of games trying to match or better the brilliance ofHollow Knight.
Many have tried and failed, but this year has seen truly magnificent pops at the champ where Metroidvanias are concerned. We have seen the brilliantAnimal Wellblow gamers away. We have seen plucky little gems likeBIOMORPHandUltrosthrow their hats into the ring. And even big companies likeEAandUbisoftare making moves withTales of KenzeraandPrince of Persia: The Lost Crown, respectively. I mention this because we have a new competitor, and even with the stiff competition flexing their Metroidvania muscles, it could just be the next big thing. If you want to know why, then join us for thisNine Solsreview.
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Tao Tradition Meets Cyberpunk Chic
Before we get into the meat and potatoes of the refined and tight platforming and combat mechanics, we need to address what will be obvious to anyone with eyes the moment they hop into New Kunlun: Nine Solsis visually outstanding. There have been quite a few games of late that have tried to push the envelope with an aesthetic that threads the needle between Cartoon Network-era cartoons and the more bombastic, mature cartoons with grit like Samurai Jack, for example, but none have managed to thread it quite as expertly asNine Sols.
Nine Solsplaces you in a world that feels steeped in lore and Eastern traditions, but equally feels like a new age, futuristic and dystopian cyberpunk world. The hand-drawn art style is nothing short of jaw-dropping and every little pocket of this world has a seemingly minute little detail that may feel superfluous, but when these little additions all come together, it culminates in a living, breathing world that feels bigger than you could ever imagine.
The animations feel slick, the characters and biomes feel distinct without ever compromising on the gritty and inhospitable nature of the world around you, and just when you think the game can’t lean into the pageantry more, you’re treated to comic book cutscenes, surreal visual effects and so much more. Often there are little chinks in the armor that can be picked at, but in this case, it just seems like airtight art design. So full marks toNine Solson presentation.
Going For Gasps
Looking the part is half the battle, and we can consider that battle well and truly won whereNine Solsis concerned, but you need to have a central plot that makes the player care about the pretty world around them. Which, surprise, surprise,RedCandlemanaged to do with aplomb here. As with many Eastern tales, this is a story of vengeance, as your mentor has betrayed you, leaving you to die, and after years of recuperation, you are ready to come out of hiding and take on the pillars of New Kunlun, the Nine Sols of the realm.
This is the narrative framework and the rather obvious setup for a Metroidvania world with nine distinct areas to visit and conquer. The world is a joy to explore slowly, bit by bit, and the core premise is a strong one. But it’s the stories told along the way that are so gripping.
Whether it be the true intentions and background of your protagonist Yi, the relationship between Yi and ShaunShaun and its parallels with Yi’s Sister or the harrowing backstories and fates of those Sols who would stand in your way. In a lot of ways, the mature tone is reminiscent of howLaika: Aged Through Bloodtackled Metroidvania storytelling, and in case you don’t know, that’s high praise.
How to Beat Goumang in Nine Sols
Reap What You Sow in Nine Sols.
Nine Solsdoesn’t hold back on dark and disturbing imagery, presenting an unsettling alternative futuristic reality that will at times make you feel the same way ‘that scene’ inFull Metal Alchemistmade you feel. If you know, you know. But the takeaway here is that narratively,Nine Solspulls no punches, and to paraphrase Mac fromAlways Sunny, it knows that laughs are cheap and goes for gasps instead.
More Than Just 2D Sekiro
We have all seen enough promising Metroidvanias with excellent artwork and killer concepts to know that it’s often a means of covering up rather basic gameplay. The pretty screenshots get the people to sit at the dinner table, so to speak, but if it tastes rancid, they aren’t going to hang around for seconds.
Often, you find a game dines out on a gimmick to get by or just sticks rigidly to the blueprintMetroid 2andCastlevania: Symphony of the Nighthave established as the benchmark. But that cannot be said ofNine Sols, as while this game does sell itself asSekiro-inspired, it’s more than just 2DSekiro. It provides combat systems that feel dynamic, fluid and meticulously crafted to reward patience, precise inputs and strategic planning. Unlike many games of this nature, every encounter feels like a potential banana skin, making it feel like a genuine Souls game in its own right.
The deflection mechanics are the foundation on which the game is built on, but it offers some of the most fluid platforming you’ll find in an experience of this nature. It provides a variety of playstyles you can lean into, a unique health system with regenerative internal damage, bosses that are tailor-made to force players to master each new mechanic and exploration genuinely feels rewarding without feeling so unrestricted that you feel aimless or overwhelmed with choice. In short, whatNine Solsaccomplishes here without ever reinventing the wheel in terms of what one would expect from a Metroidvania is nothing short of sublime.
Save Our Sols
It’s truly hard to find holes inNine Sols, no matter what angle you hold it up against the light. That being said,Nine Solsisn’t a game without flaws, and the most glaring issue is when it’s played in Standard Mode. This should not be misconstrued as a complaint about the game being ‘too hard.’ It sets its stall out as difficult and you have to respect that. The issue here is that when you approach it as such, it highlights flaws and imbalances.
To put it in simple terms, the hard mode is too hard and the easy mode is too easy. This can be remedied to an extent with the difficulty multipliers present when you flip to ‘Story Mode’. If you want to play the game as the developer intended, you’ll experience a game where cheap deaths are frequent and some areas require complete perfection for extended periods to overcome. At the end of the day, evenDark Soulsallows you to get back up when an enemy hits you hard, but sometimes,Nine Solsdoesn’t even afford you that luxury. It’s not a critical issue, but it’s one that could use tweaking to find a balance that is fair, and allows for a perfect mix of challenge and fun.
Other flaws that can be leveled are the presence of loading screens that break immersion ever-slightly. Some spelling mistakes that will likely be patched in no time and a map system that feels lacking when compared to the depth of detail and UI improvements that have become almost expected within the genre of late. None of these, however, do much to dampen your day when reveling in the brilliance ofNew Kunlun.
Closing Comments:
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.
Version Reviewed: PC
With its striking hand-drawn art style, Nine Sols is an action platformer from RedCandleGames that follows Yi, who must become one with the way of Tao to defeat the fearsome 9 Sols.
