Nine Sols (v2025.03.10)

A ruined celestial sanctuary becomes the stage for a precise, punishing 2D action adventure built around revenge. Nine Sols follows Yi, an awakened warrior hunting the nine godlike rulers of New Kunlun, a vast sealed city shaped by a collision of Taoist myth, strange technology, and the remains of an alien civilization. Its mood is melancholy and often brutal, but the hand-drawn anime presentation gives every quiet shrine, industrial corridor, and blood-soaked duel a striking sense of place. Narrative mysteries unfold gradually through environmental details, manga-inspired scenes, and conversations with the few inhabitants still surviving in this supposedly perfect refuge.

Combat demands timing rather than reckless button-mashing. Yi attacks with his sword, parries incoming blows, fires a bow, and plants Taoist talismans that can be charged and detonated for heavy damage, creating a satisfying rhythm of deflection, positioning, and retaliation. The interconnected map encourages Metroidvania-style exploration, with movement powers, keys, upgrades, side paths, and concealed rewards steadily opening previously unreachable sections. Boss encounters are the real tests: each guardian has distinct attack patterns and usually punishes panic, so learning when to evade, deflect, heal, or commit to a talisman burst matters far more than simple level grinding. Friendly NPCs provide story context, useful tools, and progression options, while checkpoints keep repeated attempts demanding without becoming exhausting.

What separates Nine Sols from most side-scrolling action games is its “Taopunk” identity, where sacred talismans and philosophical imagery sit naturally beside advanced machinery and biomechanical horrors. Red Candle Games pairs that unusual setting with exceptionally readable animation and bosses that feel closer to Sekiro’s duels than typical platformer damage races. Exploration has the atmospheric reward loop of Hollow Knight, while the parry-centered combat is best suited to players who enjoy studying enemies and improving through failure. Newcomers can adapt thanks to clear systems and flexible upgrades, but veterans of hard action games will get the most from mastering its demanding defensive mechanics.