Nine Sols review: "Metroidvania blended with Soulslike elements and the execution is nothing short of astonishing"

GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Pros+Pulse-pounding combat+Exceptional riff on Sekiro’s systems+Stellar story of revenge and regret Pulse-pounding combat Exceptional riff on Sekiro’s systems Stellar story of revenge and regret Cons-Map design isn’t always in sync with plot-Downright weird fat-shaming Map design isn’t always in sync with plot Downright weird fat-shaming Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. I can’t even imagine what it takes to completely switch genres and make an entirely new type of game after crafting two of thebest horror gameexperiences of the past decade. That’s what Red Candle Games has done, pivoting from the harrowing halls of Detention and the infamousDevotionto make a hard-as-nails Metroidvania blended with Soulslike elements in Nine Sols, and the execution is nothing short of astonishing. Fast Facts: Nine Sols(Image credit: Red Candle Games)Release date:May 29, 2024Platform(s): PCDeveloper:Red Candle GamesPublisher:Red Candle Games Fast Facts: Nine Sols (Image credit: Red Candle Games)Release date:May 29, 2024Platform(s): PCDeveloper:Red Candle GamesPublisher:Red Candle Games (Image credit: Red Candle Games) Release date:May 29, 2024Platform(s): PCDeveloper:Red Candle GamesPublisher:Red Candle Games A captivating entrance (Image credit: Red Candle Games) Horrific story moments are what Red Candles do best, be it Detention’s final realization or Devotion’s unraveling family, and moments like these haven’t been lost in the genre switch. A child comes within seconds of decapitation in Nine Sols’ opening minutes, and there are confident strides into exploring posthumanism and how one can utterly lose their mind and sense of self. Nine Sols is a surprisingly graceful transition of horror storytelling from a traditional narrative game structure to an action-packed Soulslike Metroidvania. (Image credit: Red Candle Games) There are though, weirdly, a lot of fat-shaming jokes in Nine Sols. One character’s screen time is mostly geared towards being a punching bag for others over their weight, and I can’t for the life of me work out why this is a major character trait in a game in 2024. It doesn’t make the character themselves particularly memorable, nor the people taunting them, including Yi - it just makes everyone look like a bit of a dick. Nine Sols is so futuristic and forward-thinking that the whole immaturity of the jokes is just painfully awkward and off-putting. Flying fists of fury (Image credit: Red Candle Games) (Image credit: Red Candle Games) When you see an enemy glowing with a red attack, Yi must jump and hit the parry button while above said enemy, just as their strike lands. This is exactly how the same aerial parry worked in Sekiro, and it’s wonderful to see it plucked out of another game and slotted effortlessly into Nine Sols. The system works just perfectly enough to be a tribute to Sekiro’s ace combat system, without feeling like it’s actively ripping off FromSoftware’s work. Other than that one ability though, you’ll dodge and dash through arrows, bombs, claws, teeth, and swords as Yi, and Nine Sols’ combat feels fast, fluid, and stunningly clean. There are times when Nine Sols employs bullet hell-tendencies with the sheer amount of attacks headed straight at you, but Red Candles does such a good job of teaching you all the tools you’ve got to work with that you never feel overpowered and helpless. (Image credit: Red Candle Games) If anything does get a little frustrating at times, it’s the boss battles. The story-oriented fights against Yi’s former allies frequently feature foes far taller and bigger than the comparatively little Yi, and certain attacks like explosions ripple outwards across the screen. It’s beautiful, but it is possible to lose sight of Yi, however temporarily, in among all the flying fists of fury. In such a rapid combat system and extreme difficulty levels, even this split-second lapse can spell disaster for Yi. Nine Sols’ sense of direction can similarly frustrate at times. The Metroidvania map is pretty open-ended near the start of the game - there aren’t too many areas where you’re instantly barred from entry because you don’t have a certain ability, for example - but Nine Sols does a pretty poor job of pointing Yi in the right direction to continue the overarching story after a boss fight has wrapped. (Image credit: Red Candle Games) You’re spat back out into the main world, oftentimes, with very little sense of where to go next, from either Nine Sols’ story, or literal in-game hints and directives. It’s a crying shame, because between the sinister factory regions and the heat-blasting forges, Nine Sols’ background aesthetic and level design is outstanding, but it could’ve done with a little more of a guiding presence in shepherding Yi along the beaten path, instead of having him run helplessly between regions looking for the next step over hours. Nine Sols marks a stupendous return from Red Candle Games after five years, and the horror masters are on top form in a brand-new genre. The combat is captivating and exhilarating, while the overarching story of revenge and regret is one that drives Nine Sols forward for nigh-on 20 hours. It’s a shame the story doesn’t push you forward in the lush environments with more focus, and the fat-shaming jokes are similarly irksome, but Nine Sols is still a massively confident step in a huge new direction for Red Candles. 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