Red Candle Games built its reputation on psychological horror, but Nine Sols proves the Taiwanese studio is just as capable of delivering tense action as it is existential dread. Arriving now in a new physical PlayStation 5 edition distributed by U&I Entertainment and Fangamer, the game finally gets the kind of collector-focused release its artistic ambition deserves. Between the included manual, the double-sided art cards and the striking box presentation, this physical edition feels designed for players who see standout indie releases as worth preserving on a shelf rather than disappearing into a digital backlog. More importantly, it gives renewed attention to one of the strongest and most distinctive metroidvanias of the past few years.
Set within the decaying realm of New Kunlun, Nine Sols follows Yi, a long-forgotten warrior awakening from centuries of slumber to hunt down the rulers who betrayed him. On paper, the revenge-driven setup sounds familiar, but Red Candle Games layers the narrative with enough emotional depth and philosophical weight to elevate it beyond a straightforward kill list. The game’s self-described “Taopunk” world – a fusion of Taoist mythology, futuristic technology and cyberpunk aesthetics – gives the story a strong identity from the opening moments onward. More importantly, the world itself feels lived in. Each of the Sols has history, personality and ideological motivations that gradually unfold through conversations, environmental storytelling and manga-inspired cutscenes, giving many of the confrontations a surprising emotional charge. The opening hours do lean heavily on exposition before the game fully opens up, and the pacing occasionally slows whenever the lore takes priority over momentum, but the payoff is ultimately worth the investment.
Combat is where Nine Sols truly separates itself from the crowded metroidvania field. The comparisons to Sekiro are absolutely justified, because nearly every encounter revolves around precise timing, defensive mastery and the ability to read enemy patterns under pressure. Yi’s parry system forms the backbone of the experience, rewarding perfectly timed deflections with opportunities to unleash devastating talisman attacks powered by accumulated Qi. Simply blocking attacks is rarely enough. Even defensive mistakes can leave players carrying internal damage that must either be recovered through skilled play or risk becoming permanent. The result is a combat system that feels closer to a rhythmic duel than a traditional hack-and-slash platformer, especially during the larger boss encounters where chains of consecutive parries become essential for survival.
That intensity does come with drawbacks. Nine Sols is unapologetically difficult, and while the game does include a Story Mode to ease some of the harsher edges, the standard experience can occasionally feel overtuned. Enemy attacks hit extremely hard, healing opportunities are limited and many bosses demand near-perfect execution for extended stretches. Boss fights sometimes devolve into choosing between attacking or healing because opportunities to safely do both are rare, creating encounters where survival takes priority over maintaining offensive momentum. For some players that razor-sharp challenge will be exhilarating, while others may find it a little exhausting. Still, even at its most punishing, the game rarely feels unfair mechanically. Deaths usually come from missed reads, poor timing or panic under pressure rather than inconsistent systems.
Outside of combat, Nine Sols delivers a strong sense of progression through exploration and movement upgrades. The map steadily unfolds through interconnected regions packed with hidden lore, optional encounters and ability-gated paths, while Yi’s growing arsenal gradually transforms traversal into something fluid and deeply satisfying. Wall-running, air dashes and mobility-focused platforming sections all feel responsive thanks to extremely precise controls, and the game smartly avoids overloading the player with movement abilities too early. Even familiar metroidvania staples are introduced carefully enough that progression retains a sense of earned mastery rather than becoming overpowered too quickly. Some stretches of backtracking can become repetitive, especially when revisiting areas populated by hard-hitting enemies, but the world itself remains compelling enough to keep exploration rewarding.
Visually, Nine Sols is exceptional. The hand-drawn art style constantly shifts between serene landscapes, industrial decay and grotesque monstrosities without ever losing cohesion, while the manga-inspired storytelling gives many scenes an almost graphic novel-like rhythm. Red Candle Games also blends 2D animation with subtle 3D techniques in ways that give the environments depth without compromising the game’s illustrated look. The “Taopunk” aesthetic could easily have become a messy collision of ideas, yet the combination of Eastern mythology and futuristic technology ends up feeling surprisingly natural. Audio work is equally strong, with the soundtrack blending traditional instrumentation and electronic elements to reinforce both the spiritual and sci-fi sides of the setting. Sound cues also become critical during combat, subtly helping players anticipate attacks amidst the chaos of battle.
What makes Nine Sols memorable isn’t just that it successfully combines genres, but that it understands why those elements work together in the first place. The demanding combat reinforces Yi’s journey of discipline and revenge, the oppressive difficulty mirrors the desperation of the world itself and the exploration continuously feeds the player’s curiosity about New Kunlun’s collapse. Even the flaws – the slow opening hours, occasional balance frustrations and punishing boss design – stem from a game aiming aggressively high rather than playing things safe. In a genre already packed with excellent releases, Nine Sols still manages to carve out its own identity through sheer confidence of vision.
With this new physical PlayStation 5 edition, Nine Sols finally gets a release that matches its stature. It remains a brutally demanding game that will absolutely test players’ patience and reflexes, but it also stands as one of the most artistically cohesive and mechanically rewarding metroidvanias in recent years. Red Candle Games took a massive creative risk moving away from horror into action-platforming, and the gamble paid off spectacularly. To now have it available in a physical format, with high quality extras and the ability to proudly sit on a shelf of some of the best games in recent years, is great news for gamers everywhere.
Score: 9.0/10