What are the pros of Nine Sols?

Exceptional parry-based combat system that draws favorable comparisons to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.. High-quality hand-drawn visuals and elegant animations that create a memorable aesthetic.. Engaging and rich narrative that is simple yet memorable.. Challenging and well-designed boss encounters, particularly the final boss fight.. Includes a Story Mode difficulty option that can be toggled at any time for a more accessible experience..

What are the cons of Nine Sols?

Significant difficulty spikes, especially during the final boss and true ending path.. Mandatory parry mechanics are central to the gameplay and may frustrate players seeking traditional metroidvania combat.. Contains missable and mutually exclusive achievements that may frustrate completionists.. The game's pacing can feel drawn out or slow in certain sections..

Nine Sols

Nine Sols is a lore rich, hand-drawn 2D action-platformer featuring Sekiro-inspired deflection focused combat. Embark on a journey of eastern fantasy, explore the land once home to an ancient alien race, and follow a vengeful hero’s quest to slay the 9 Sols, formidable rulers of this forsaken realm.

94%

Very Positive

DeveloperRedCandleGames

PublisherRedCandleGames

Release DateMay 28, 2024

$29.99

Peak Players6.5K

Controllerfull

PlatformsWindows · macOS

Action

Adventure

Indie

AI Review Summary

Nine Sols is a highly acclaimed 2D metroidvania that blends Sekiro-inspired parry-based combat with a rich Taopunk narrative and elegant hand-drawn visuals. While it offers a rewarding challenge and exceptional boss design, the steep difficulty spikes and mandatory parry mechanics can be polarizing for some players.

Pros

Exceptional parry-based combat system that draws favorable comparisons to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.95%
High-quality hand-drawn visuals and elegant animations that create a memorable aesthetic.90%
Engaging and rich narrative that is simple yet memorable.85%
Challenging and well-designed boss encounters, particularly the final boss fight.90%
Includes a Story Mode difficulty option that can be toggled at any time for a more accessible experience.70%

Cons

Significant difficulty spikes, especially during the final boss and true ending path.85%
Mandatory parry mechanics are central to the gameplay and may frustrate players seeking traditional metroidvania combat.75%
Contains missable and mutually exclusive achievements that may frustrate completionists.60%
The game's pacing can feel drawn out or slow in certain sections.50%

Notable Mentions

Boasts an impressive average playtime of 37 hours with a very high percentage of credible reviewers.
Frequently cited as a potential 'best of all time' entry within the metroidvania genre.

Confidence: 58%

Based on the 190 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Aug 12, 2026

Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak

872

Peak · last 90 days

2.1K

All-time peak

6.5K

Price

Current price

$29.99

Lowest tracked

$11.99since Jan 3, 2026

Review Sentiment

Launch week

—

Last 30 days

95%

All-time positive

94%

Review Statistics

Total Reviews45.2K

Positive: 42.6K (94%)Negative: 2.5K (6%)

Reviews from Steam Deck

Dev Response Rate

37h

Avg Playtime at Review

89%

Credible Reviews

Nine Sols