Nine Sols

Item: Nine Sols
Rating: 91
Author: VaporLens

Last updated: 2025-05-11

Summary

Satisfying parry mechanic enables rewarding combat.
Unique world design with appealing aesthetic.
Exceptional boss fights are memorable.
Linear level design limits exploration.
Unforgiving difficulty leads to frustrating deaths.
Tedious backtracking due to limited fast travel.

Reviews (sample size): 2000
Helpful reviews: 71%
Unhelpful reviews: 28%
Protest reviews: 1%

91%
Helpful reviews with positive sentiment
9%
Helpful reviews with negative sentiment

Positive points: 4817
Negative points: 2005
Gameplay points: 785
Perf. points: 68
Rec. points: 1312
Misc points: 252

Point	Description	Importance
Satisfying and essential parry mechanic Description The parry mechanic is a central and well-executed aspect of the combat system, drawing comparisons to Sekiro. Perfect parries are satisfying and effective, while imperfect parries offer a degree of forgiveness. Mastering parrying is essential for success and enhances the overall combat flow. Importance 96%	The parry mechanic is a central and well-executed aspect of the combat system, drawing comparisons to Sekiro. Perfect parries are satisfying and effective, while imperfect parries offer a degree of forgiveness. Mastering parrying is essential for success and enhances the overall combat flow.	96%
Challenging, fair, rewarding combat Description The game features challenging but fair combat that requires players to learn enemy patterns and master parrying mechanics. The difficulty is well-balanced, and deaths feel like a learning opportunity rather than the game's fault. The game rewards experimentation and skill-based play, with a satisfying sense of accomplishment upon defeating bosses. Importance 94%	The game features challenging but fair combat that requires players to learn enemy patterns and master parrying mechanics. The difficulty is well-balanced, and deaths feel like a learning opportunity rather than the game's fault. The game rewards experimentation and skill-based play, with a satisfying sense of accomplishment upon defeating bosses.	94%
Unique and appealing world design Description The game features a unique and well-realized world that blends cyberpunk elements with traditional Taoist and Chinese mythology, creating a distinct aesthetic and atmosphere. The art style is visually appealing, with detailed environments, character designs, and animations that enhance the storytelling. Importance 62%	The game features a unique and well-realized world that blends cyberpunk elements with traditional Taoist and Chinese mythology, creating a distinct aesthetic and atmosphere. The art style is visually appealing, with detailed environments, character designs, and animations that enhance the storytelling.	62%
Combines familiar elements uniquely Description The game draws inspiration from other popular Metroidvanias and Soulslikes, such as Hollow Knight and Sekiro, but maintains its own unique identity. It successfully combines elements from these games while introducing new ideas and mechanics, resulting in a fresh and engaging experience. Importance 15%	The game draws inspiration from other popular Metroidvanias and Soulslikes, such as Hollow Knight and Sekiro, but maintains its own unique identity. It successfully combines elements from these games while introducing new ideas and mechanics, resulting in a fresh and engaging experience.	15%
Exceptional and memorable boss fights Description The boss fights are a major highlight, offering unique challenges and requiring players to master the game's mechanics. The final boss is particularly well-designed and provides a satisfying culmination of the player's skills. The music during boss fights is also exceptional, enhancing the intensity and emotional impact of the encounters. Importance 12%	The boss fights are a major highlight, offering unique challenges and requiring players to master the game's mechanics. The final boss is particularly well-designed and provides a satisfying culmination of the player's skills. The music during boss fights is also exceptional, enhancing the intensity and emotional impact of the encounters.	12%
Impactful and memorable endings Description The game's endings are impactful and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impression on the player. The story explores deep themes and features plot twists that add to the emotional resonance of the experience. The music during the ending credits is particularly noteworthy. Importance 6%	The game's endings are impactful and thought-provoking, leaving a lasting impression on the player. The story explores deep themes and features plot twists that add to the emotional resonance of the experience. The music during the ending credits is particularly noteworthy.	6%
Rewarding exploration, helpful map Description The game features a helpful map system that constantly updates to show new areas and loose ends. The game rewards exploration and makes it easy to find collectibles without being tedious. The game also has good replayability. Importance 5%	The game features a helpful map system that constantly updates to show new areas and loose ends. The game rewards exploration and makes it easy to find collectibles without being tedious. The game also has good replayability.	5%
Excellent and atmospheric soundtrack Description The game features a well-composed and atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The music is particularly effective during boss fights, creating a sense of intensity and excitement. The ending credits song is also highly praised. Importance 4%	The game features a well-composed and atmospheric soundtrack that enhances the overall experience. The music is particularly effective during boss fights, creating a sense of intensity and excitement. The ending credits song is also highly praised.	4%
Unique and well-designed bosses Description The game's bosses have unique designs, attack patterns, and backstories, making them memorable and more than just obstacles. The bosses are well-crafted in terms of design and narrative, with each having a different gameplay style. Importance 4%	The game's bosses have unique designs, attack patterns, and backstories, making them memorable and more than just obstacles. The bosses are well-crafted in terms of design and narrative, with each having a different gameplay style.	4%
Enjoyable and well-designed platforming Description The game features enjoyable platforming elements that are well-integrated into the level design. The movement feels tight and responsive, making exploration and traversal satisfying. New abilities encourage players to revisit areas and rethink obstacles, adding depth to the gameplay. Importance 4%	The game features enjoyable platforming elements that are well-integrated into the level design. The movement feels tight and responsive, making exploration and traversal satisfying. New abilities encourage players to revisit areas and rethink obstacles, adding depth to the gameplay.	4%
Polished and well-optimized experience Description The game is polished and runs well, with few bugs interfering with the gameplay. The overall satisfaction with the game is very high, and it is considered a masterpiece by some reviewers. Importance 4%	The game is polished and runs well, with few bugs interfering with the gameplay. The overall satisfaction with the game is very high, and it is considered a masterpiece by some reviewers.	4%
Unique and interesting setting Description The game features a unique and interesting setting that blends sci-fi and wu-xia elements, dripping with Chinese mythology and aesthetics. The story is well-detailed and engaging, with a good quality and a captivating mystery. Importance 3%	The game features a unique and interesting setting that blends sci-fi and wu-xia elements, dripping with Chinese mythology and aesthetics. The story is well-detailed and engaging, with a good quality and a captivating mystery.	3%
Smooth and responsive controls Description The game features smooth and responsive controls, making movement and combat feel fluid and satisfying. The animations are well-executed, adding to the overall polish of the game. Importance 3%	The game features smooth and responsive controls, making movement and combat feel fluid and satisfying. The animations are well-executed, adding to the overall polish of the game.	3%