Nine Sols Review – Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance

2024 will be remembered for many reasons but chief among them will be developers like Shift Up and Game Science, proving they can hang in the action space with Stellar Blade and Black Myth: Wukong. Another studio made its mark this year, and that’s Red Candle with Nine Sols. Given how it’s known for narrative horror games like Detention, this is a big departure from its comfort zone, mixing cyberpunk with a parrying system inspired by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and hand-drawn 2D visuals.

After garnering significant acclaim on PC, both from Steam users (currently Overwhelmingly positive) and critics, it’s available for consoles. Suffice it to say if you’re a genre fan, someone seeking exceptional combat, or find the general premise intriguing, Nine Sols is an incredible experience that shouldn’t be missed.

"The areas themselves are also well-realized and imaginative. Each boss is in charge of a “district” of sorts, and their approach to managing it manifests in different ways."

The story follows Yi, a powerful warrior betrayed by the titular Nine Sols, the authoritative figures of the Tiandao Council governing New Kunlun. Though left for dead, the mysterious Primordial Roots keep him alive until he’s eventually discovered by Shuanshuan of a nearby village. The two become friends as Yi slowly recovers, but when Shuanshuan is chosen for a sacrificial ceremony, the former begins his quest for revenge anew, seeking to slay the Nine Sols and take their Sol Seals.

There’s a lot more going on than meets the eye, especially when factoring in flashbacks of Yi’s sister during their younger days, the origins of the council, and more. The amount of lore can be surprising at first, but it unravels steadily as you learn more about the Eternal Cauldron project and why Yi is so obsessed with reclaiming the Sol Seals. The characterization is also on point throughout, particularly the dichotomy when Yi interacts with Shuanshuan versus the Nine Sols, and offers quiet moments of reflection and some light comedy (Shennong’s poison consumption or Shanhai 9000 and its aloof nature) without losing the plot.

However, the two main pillars of the title are its exploration and combat. If you’ve played other games in the genre, the gameplay loop will look very familiar – explore areas, uncover secrets and upgrades, unlock an ability, defeat a boss, and use that new ability to open up new locations. Sometimes you’ll encounter places closed off and necessitating a new technique, but exploring out-of-the-way areas could yield rewards, like currency called Jin for purchasing Jades to equip for passive benefits. It’s a time-tested mechanic, and Nine Sols makes good use of it.

The areas themselves are also well-realized and imaginative. Each boss is in charge of a “district” of sorts, and their approach to managing it manifests in different ways. For instance, the Agricultural Zone has many facilities in ruin or disrepair and almost feels zombie-like in how it continues to function (foreshadowing, if nothing else).

"Unlike Sekiro, there’s no execution mechanic once you’ve broken an enemy’s posture. Instead, Yi gains Qi Charges, which can be used to attach a talisman that explodes after a short duration, dealing extensive damage."

Though they’re not as large as they may first appear – those moments where two areas link back together can feel a bit underwhelming – they’re still full of things to discover, whether it’s minibosses, challenging platforming sections or nodes and treasure chests to hack into. The only grievance I have is how some of them (ahem, Cortex Center) can feel unrelenting sometimes with their environmental hazards and enemies.

Speaking of which, there’s a fair bit of variety to the enemies, ranging from your average guards with swords and spears to drones and Wardogs. There are a fair amount of soldier types to encounter, but each presents different hazards to Yi’s well-being. A regular long-ranged enemy with a wrist-mounted crossbow will periodically send arrows your way and doesn’t pose much challenge. However, a proper sniper that can deal massive damage with their shots will keep you on your toes, the long charge time providing a window for attacking. Some melee-focused foes will also test your parrying skills and it can be a lot to manage at first.

This brings us to the other core pillar of the experience: Combat. Yi has your basic attack combo and eventually gains the ability to fire arrows with the Azure Bow along with charging up heavy strikes for more damage and breaking shields. He can also parry – time it right, and the attack is negated. Slight mistiming will reduce the damage from an attack, but it can quickly spell doom when dealing with combos. Enemies also have unblockable Crimson Attacks that can’t be parried normally and require a Tai-Chi Kick, performed mid-air, to stagger them.

Unlike Sekiro, there’s no execution mechanic once you’ve broken an enemy’s posture. Instead, Yi gains Qi Charges, which can be used to attach a talisman that explodes after a short duration, dealing extensive damage. The more Qi charges stored, the higher the damage dealt. Upgrading your skills provides more control over these, like detonating the talisman earlier (which can be useful against multiple enemies). Jades can also help in this endeavor, like incapacitating enemies stuck with talismans to provide breathing room.

"If it wasn’t obvious enough by now, Nine Sols is pretty great. Each element, be it the visuals, combat, or environments is honed to perfection, following a unified vision that perpetuates throughout."

While it’s initially challenging to master the parry timing, especially when taking on multiple enemies, Nine Sols’ overall combat oscillates pretty well between calculated battles and desperate struggles. That initial battle against a miniboss may be a wash, but after learning their patterns and quickly adjusting, attacks feel more surgical and precise. It is all the more notable in boss battles, which all feature unique mechanics, amazing spectacles, and robust challenges.

If exceptional combat, boss battles, and exploration aren’t enough, then Nine Sols deserves a look for its visuals. They’re hand-drawn, backed by remarkable designs for all characters and enemies, and animated so well. Of course, even the environmental aesthetics are noteworthy, playing with lighting and instilling different moods, whether it’s a sense of mystery or outright dread.

The soundtrack is also simply sublime – there are elements of traditional Chinese opera singing and classic instruments mixed with fast-paced techno and distortions, which must be heard to be believed (and they pair well with the combat). To say that the presentation values are exceptional would be an understatement, even with the comic book-style panels preceding some boss battles.

If it wasn’t obvious enough by now, Nine Sols is pretty great. Each element, be it the visuals, combat, or environments is honed to perfection, following a unified vision that perpetuates throughout. The plot can be initially challenging to follow, but it’s still compelling, and the in-game glossary helps keep track of everything. The challenge may not be for everyone, but there is a Story Mode available to adjust the amount of damage inflicted and endured.

Nine Sols warrants a look, delivering an unorthodox adventure without compromising on a single element. It doesn’t just stand out as a compelling side-scrolling action title with endearing characters, memorable boss fights, and a robust gameplay loop, but as one of the better games the genre has seen in years.

This game was reviewed on PlayStation 5.