Nine Sols

Nine Sols NSP ROM is an action-platformer game. Where players embark on an adventure in a fantasy Asian world, explore lands once inhabited by an ancient alien civilization, and join a hero’s quest for revenge against the Nine Rulers, the fearsome rulers of this forgotten world.

All of this creates one of the best stories I’ve ever seen in a two-dimensional platformer, at least visually. Nine Suns has a remarkably distinct and science fiction atmosphere, both in its world and in its characters. Red Candles presents itself as a game rooted in Taopunk, a fusion of cyberpunk and Taoism, a philosophy and religious belief originating in China that posits spiritual immortality. In the early hours of the game, there is much to explore in its world, and the incorporation of post-human elements can make it difficult to comprehend.

Yi’s quest for revenge unfolds in a world that blends mysticism with cutting-edge technology, creating a stunning narrative

The game achieves this goal perfectly, thanks to its vast and dazzling world and its central story of revenge. Before we get into the complex mechanics of the platforms and the fearsome combat system, it’s worth mentioning something that anyone who ventures into the world of New Kunlun: Nine Suns will notice: its impressive visuals. Recently, many innovative games have emerged with an aesthetic that combines the cartoonish style of the Cartoon Network era with more mature and realistic games like Samurai Jack.

Deal devastating blows to Yi as you dominate the battlefield using martial arts, Taoist amulets, and the divine bow

On the rare occasions when Yi encounters someone he doesn’t want to kill, it’s usually near his camp. The diverse community that has grown up there — from a solitary robot and a mage to a conspiracy expert (who’s almost always right) — offers fascinating, moving, and surprisingly funny insights into the land Yi left behind and is trying to reclaim. Nine Souls understands the importance of this context in Yi’s journey and has designed a fluid transition system that provides constant information between points on the map: instant changes in location.

Each battle against a leader pushes your fighting skills to the limit, pitting you against unique enemies that require precision and skill with your weaponry

While the story is well-integrated into the game, the dialogue is less than polished. Overall, Yi leaves a bad impression. Despite his charismatic appearance, he’s a typical cynical hero. There’s nothing wrong with a cynical hero, but his humor here only makes Yi an unpleasant person. This flaw would be less noticeable if the comedic elements were more effective, but the humor is mostly predictable and sometimes even boring (one person is ridiculed for being too heavy).