Nine Sols Is A Masterpiece

I played through Nine Sols and absolutely loved the game, but it's not a game for everyone. I wanted to make this review to give the game some fair criticism, and also explain what I loved about it. Also hoping to give some insight into whether it might be interesting to you!

I've kept the video very light on spoilers, mainly just discussing some game design and mechanics that aren't immediately evident from the start. If you're not sure about the game, I streamed the whole thing, so you're more than welcome to watch those!

▶ FOLLOW

▶ MUSIC
Nine Sols OST - Take a Tour in New Kunlun
Nine Sols OST - Hammer of New Kunlun ~KuaFu's Theme
Nine Sols OST - In the Thick of Battle
Nine Sols OST - Stop at Nothing
Nine Sols OST - Tempo of Growth

#NineSols #Metroidvania #Review

[firebrn]

Also want to note that I spoke about Red Candle Games using a lot of Taiwanese culture in their storytelling, but I wasn't trying to erase that the mythology is (from what I've been told) Chinese is origin, so I kind of misspoke there. Apologies for that.

[jamesonmcmullan]

One of the must suprising things about Nine Sols and Red Candle is that their first two games were philisophical horror games. The fact that they went from that to a high energy combat game is incredibly impressive.

[clarfonthey]

I thought about it a lot and honestly, I think that the connection with Shuanshuan in the game is like, the one piece that really makes the entire game fit together. In a way, you as the player are experiencing the story like him: Yi is going on all these badass adventures and fighting people and winning, and despite understanding all the terrible things he took a part in, you love him anyway. It really makes the true ending (no spoilers!) hit the hardest out of just about any game.

[makaires]

I'm really glad you mentioned the way the pavilion evolves throughout the game. Honestly haven't seen much mention of that elsewhere, but it was absolutely one of the most endearing aspects of the game for me, just watching it go from a sterile hideaway to, as you said, a home. Noticing new paintings appear on the wall, the pottery around, and especially the Yi plushie, it all felt special in a way I haven't really seen in too many games.

[gattoleone]

I also want a Yi plush. I want to hug and squish the edgy pipe cat so bad.

[Stridey-gal]

I absolutely adored nine sols, the combat is some of the best Metroidvania combat I’ve seen in a long time, it’s difficult and so satisfying to pull off. Some of the boss fights in this game are absolute masterclasses in design. The story made me cry. If you’re watching this and haven’t played nine sols yet please do so. It quickly became one of my favorite Metroidvanias of all time.

[sneakysnek]

You said “soulslike” and “metroidvania” and “punishing” and I said I’m in. I’m going to get this game as soon as possible

[Zyckro]

I’m happy I played it alongside you. This game is really special.

[-Rua-]

I am seriously so insanely glad you streamed this, otherwise I likely would not have played it or even have known about it.
Yeah, while it does have some issues, holy hell I enjoyed every damn second of this game (ye I know I've already said this but it's seriously one of, if not my top favourite games this year by far). Once I got the feel of the combat the bosses were some of the most fun fights I've experienced in any game. It just has such a fun rhythm to it and it's intensely satisfying once you learn how to parry everything. I also really love how different every fight felt. Not just with combat, but with overall tone. The devs did a really good job making each boss' motive and personality come through in the fights, some of the later game fights in particular.

Also holy hell that Yi amigurumi is amazing!! Vampy is so goated!

[jurtheorc]

I'm glad you didn't give the title of a "New Hollow Knight?" or "Hollow Knight Killer?"
Hope that Nine Sols will get more attention, in part thanks to videos like these, in part through other word-of-mouth. Got myself more interested in it than I thought I would be when I learnt about it. There's a lot to offer.
(That said, where hand-drawn 2D MVs are concerned, Cookie Cutter is one i'm personally very, very fond of).

[mic]

I also like how DOWN TO EARTH the story of Nine Sols is for this story-driven Metrodvania.
Most of the Metrodvania that tries to present a deeper story tend to make the story-telling as complicated/ as confusing as most of the Soul series, for example, Blasphemous and many imitation of Souls-like Metrodvania games.
Those games may have good setting, but the way they tell their story are so convoluted/ confusing to the point most people stop caring about it.
Nine Sols and Ender Lillie are some of the few exceptions which tells a coherent, relatable and touchy story .

[kevinchan]

The developer said that they have been rushed for the last 3 bosses due to the time and budget. They wanted to make a phrase 3 for Ji (even have to fight Ji in two different locations) and more content in the last laboratory. The dragon boat was supposed to be a Boss fight too. Hope they will make a DLC for some of the abandoned contents.

But still, the ending is great and enjoy every monent of it. Thanks for the playthroguh and review.
*What a coincidence that all three protagonists from Red Candle are on the road of redemption.

[RedGamer-wh]

I'm so glad you mad a video on Nine Sols, this game deserves more attention. I think its only a matter of time before it pops off and eventually it will be regarded alongside the likes of Hollow Knight and Ori. I bought this game a few weeks ago after I saw your first video on it where you talked about your experience with the tutorial, and it is now one of my favorite games, so thank you for giving this game the praise it deserves.

[sleepysnuck]

I love this game so much and (spoilers ahead) after a second playthrough, knowing what you learn in the endgame, everything is framed differently and you understand things that seem to be off-hand lines. My favorie character has to be Lady Ethereal because her theme is dealt with incredibly, and since her work is so closely related to Yi’s, you dont understand a lot of what she says the first playthrough. Incredible game, one of my favorites of all time.

[bennettcarlson]

This games combat was so good that after I beat the true final boss I was ITCHING for more, so I went and played Sekiro and am now currently fighting the final boss

Edit:beat him

[Mekran]

Something that I feel worked to the benefit of Nine Sols having a linear series of bosses is that boss design was able to accomodate the abilities of the player. Hollow Knight is famously very open ended but most bosses were not able to tune their movesets around the player having skills such as double jump or the shade dash because the player may not have them.

[ThaOrthodoX]

I absolutely enjoyed playing through Nine Sols for the first time and it can comfortably be GOTY. A solid 9/10 for sure with my only gripe being a lack of replayability for some reason

[BattleFolly]

Red Candle Games put their heart into Nine Sols and stole mine ♡♡ Awesome review and I'm curious whether you intend to speedrun the game :-D

[Deadlyblack]

Found out about the game through Fireborne, bought it, 30 hours later absolutely fell in love with it.

[adiveler]

I personally prefer this type of direct story telling, over the theories-bait vagueness of souls-like games (which included Hollow Knight).