The Metroidvania and Soulslike genres have crossed paths multiple times over the past few years as they have both exploded in popularity and mesh extremely well together. However, Red Candle Games decided to go left and take more inspiration from FromSoftware’s other big game in Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for their debut game Nine Sols. The game is an absolutely beautifully hand drawn 2D Metroidvania with heavy action based combat. As someone who played Sekiro for the first time just a few month prior to play this, Nine Sols gives that same feeling of satisfaction, and the developers made a great decision in how to implement their inspiration.
With that, the developers were able to translate Sekiro’s parry based combat immaculately into the 2D gameplay of Nine Sols. There aren’t many games where parrying is the heart and soul of combat, but it is what makes this game special. While your basic attack combo and charged attacks can take out most weaker enemies, however parrying the tougher enemies is essential. Normal attacks are parried easily, but there are stronger attacks that can’t be parried at first until you unlock a certain ability later in the game. Parrying also builds up Yi’s Qi guage as every time you parry grants you a Qi point with up to five of them able to be unlocked as you progress through the game. You then use these Qi charges to place a talisman upon enemies that detonate and cause additional damage if you are able to trigger them in time.
Yi also has a bow that can be upgraded to have five shots as well as having three different types of arrows and is good for taking out enemies from afar or stunning certain enemies out of their attacks. There are also a variety of skills to unlock that help with traversal and combat. These include two which alter the ability to trigger talismans. One such will automatically trigger them to detonate, but only use two of your Qi charges while the other lets you hold down a button to trigger a powerful detonation that can use all five of the charges. Yi can also be equipped with Jades that grant different abilities such as one that lets you come back with partial health after a fatal blow or causing an enemy to temporarily freeze after using a talisman on them. These skills and Jades bring so much to the combat and lets you tackle the game and build a play style that fits you most.
Then, there’s the bosses. Bosses are on a completely different level than other enemies in the game. They come at you with a litany of different moves and attacks along with having multiple phases that can completely change up the fight. You have to incorporate everything you have learned about combat and parry their attacks to be able to stand a chance against them. Though, you may die over and over, you constantly feel yourself improving against them as you study their attacks and nail down your parry timing. These are some of the best and most engaging bosses I’ve encountered in a 2D game, and the immense sense of satisfaction you feel after conquering them is pure gratification. Once you beat the game, you are able to challenge all the bosses again from the menu.
While combat is the main draw of Nine Sols, the game also tells an emotional tale of revenge, tragedy, and growth. Yi is one of my favorite characters of 2024. His growth from his stoic, serious self to one who is more accepting and understanding of the world thanks to his interactions with the other characters is handled extremely well. Characters like Shuanshuan and Shennong also have their own growth throughout the game and are must sees each time you visit the main area of the game. Even the other Sols are their own characters with fleshed out motivations for how they handle things.
Exploration is pretty straightforward in Nine Sols. While being a Metroidvania, the game doesn’t have most of the usual trappings you would find in the genre. While, yes, there are a few areas you have to backtrack to to gain access once you obtain a new ability later, the progression of exploring the world is pretty linear. There are a few secret bosses and items that can be traded to increase your health, so exploration is still encouraged. The biggest downside to the world of New Kunlun is that there isn’t much variety in the areas you explore. Most areas feel so industrial with little mix to that. While it makes sense in the story, there are some eye catching areas like Peach Blossom Village and the hub of the FOur Seasons Pavilion which I would’ve liked to see more of. There are also a few different side quests follow throughout which give more significance to side characters. I did have one side quest glitch out on me at the end, so I wasn’t able to complete it.
Overall, Nine Sols is a brilliant and beautiful 2D action game some of the best combat you can find in the genre. The Metriodvania aspects aren’t the most fleshed out for the genre, but the combat easily overcomes that deficit. With an engaging story that will leave you reeling by the end and a secret ending that just hits harder, Nine Sols is a fantastic first game from Red Candle Games that will put them on the map for years to come.
Score: 9 out of 10
Reviewed on PlayStation 5