Nine Sols

Nine Sols is a hand-drawn 2D action adventure from Red Candle Games. As the warrior Yi, players explore the realm of New Kunlun, where ancient myths meet advanced technology. The story revolves around a journey against nine powerful rulers.

The game combines exploring connected areas with precise combat, dodging, parrying and demanding bosses. It is a single-player adventure from the studio behind Detention and Devotion.

Red Candle Games released Nine Sols for PC in May 2024. The original developer announcement gives May 29, while the international Steam product page sometimes shows May 28. These different store dates should not be read as two separate PC versions.

On Nov 26, 2024, native versions followed for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. This console release is confirmed by the platform stores.

The PC version runs natively on Windows and macOS. Separate standalone versions are available for PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Nintendo Switch. Microsoft marks the game as optimised for Xbox Series with Smart Delivery. PlayStation lists the two console versions separately in its store.

According to Nintendo, the Switch version can be played on a Switch 2 through compatibility. This does not prove a standalone native Switch 2 release. There are six versions: PC plus exactly these five console platforms.

In combat, timing and correctly reading enemy attacks decide the outcome. Yi deflects blows, then follows up with precise counterattacks, and uses Taoist talismans as well as his bow. The fights focus on precision and, according to the developer, draw on the defensive mechanics of Sekiro.

Along the way you will face platforming sections and enemy groups. Boss fights in particular test your handling of attack patterns, movement and the arsenal you have available.

Steam lists at least Windows 10 (64-bit), AMD Athlon X4 or Intel Core i5-4460, 8 GB RAM, GeForce GTX 950 or Radeon R7 370, DirectX 11 and 15 GB of storage. For smoother gameplay, Ryzen 3 or Intel i5 Skylake and GTX 970 or RX 570 are recommended.

The Mac version requires at least macOS 10.13, Apple M1 and 8 GB RAM; an M1 Pro is recommended.

New Kunlun combines traditional Taoist motifs with science-fiction technology. Red Candle Games calls this style Taopunk. The hero Yi goes on a revenge campaign against nine rulers and comes across traces of a lost civilisation.

The areas are connected, so revisiting known places becomes worthwhile once you gain new abilities. The hand-drawn backdrops are complemented by animated characters and manga-style story sequences.

Yi meets characters who teach new abilities, items or technical knowledge. These upgrades open up previously unreachable areas and expand your options in combat. That is why backtracking and searching for hidden paths are a permanent part of the game.

The game tells its revenge story not only through cutscenes but also through the background of the game world, which players discover while exploring.

Nine Sols is designed for a single player. Nintendo lists one player per system, Microsoft lists single-player, and PlayStation confirms offline play for one person. Online co-op, local multiplayer and PvP are not part of the core game.

Cloud saves or other platform services are different from multiplayer: they do not turn the single-player campaign into a multiplayer game.

PlayStation and Nintendo list German as a supported on-screen language. The platform lists differ in detail, so check individual language options for each version. German full voice acting cannot be confirmed from these details.

Story mode lets you adjust the combat difficulty using modifiers. Alongside the regular progression, there is the permanently added Battle Memories mode: after finishing any ending, you can challenge bosses you have already defeated again.

These replays add to the campaign but do not replace exploration or the story.