So... Nine Sols... What else can I say other than this is the greatest Metroidvania ever! And probably my all time favorite game!

There is so much to unpack but what this game does is consistently deliver in every category, straight up 10/10s across the board!

Whether its the visuals/graphics, the MUSIC (OH GOOD HEAVENS), unique mechanics Ive never seen before, story, character design, world building... Its all utter perfection QwQ

This is something I only meme'd about and didnt think it would actually happen but once this game picks up in popularity it will be the SILKSONG KILLER. Everything about this game I cannot see possibly being topped unless the Radiance 2 electric boogaloo smites it to dust. And there are many reasons I believe this with every category Nine Sols absolutely does PERFECTLY and I mean EVERY CATEGORY!

Visuals (∞/10): idk what else to tell ya its staring at you right in the face with how beautiful it is. There have been multiple occassions when I would just stare at the art and background and just got lost in it. The combat and fight animation visuals are so perfectly made and timed with the rhythm and flow of the fight and music to the finest degree. The sheer utter detail done by literally 12 people is insane. The visuals crushed Okami as my all time fav game for art.

Music (10000/10): DONT EVEN GET ME STARTED! While most of the idle music is a bgm tuned to the environment they are all arranged perfectly to fit the atmosphere of the area you're exploring. But once a fight begins OH MAN DOES IT PICK UP! Even the regular enemy fights are catchy and help you feel a flow for the enemies you're fighting. And then the bosses... Bruh the blissful tunes on my ears with every single fight. Smile at my Cursed Dream having the literal peak music of the entire soundtrack while fighting not just the best boss of the game but of any game imo. Our Passion literally having a Kabuki Theater vibe for this Taopunk game fitting how effed up the entire fight is. And Long Awaited Death sending actual shivers down my spine reminding me of so many iconic aminous tracks Ive heard throughout my life. ITS PEAK plain and simple.

Mechanics (10/10): This game gets compared to a love child of Hollow Knight and Sekiro but I feel its so much more than that. With all the unique parries and using every bit of horizontal and vertical spacing you can grasp allowing you to chain together your moves on the ground or in the air it almost feels limitless to approach your enemy in whatever way you please giving you so many options. Its difficult to grasp at first but once you get it you are a POWERHOUSE! And in some cases if you struggle with certain mid bosses theyll just give you a free LITERAL MECH or something to even it out for you as a workaround.

Story (10/10): I havent even finished the game, but the amount they keep secret from you is actually insane when they throw the end game elements and plot right in your face! I went in thinking this was a love child story of Promised Neverland (but good) and Samurai Jack but jeez was I wrong, it has the vibe of that but its story is so much deeper than I ever expected in this furry dystopia! Especially the way the characters grow, change, and support each other over time it is so bittersweet and find myself actively cheering for them every step of the way! And the ending is one of the best Ive ever seen, so much emotion and satisfying conclusion.

Sidenote: to people potentially worried about this being like other games like Hollow Knight or FromSouls the story here is incredibly direct and impactful with some tidbits of lore but it doesnt make you search for them and straight up indicates "oh hey! MORE LORE!" This game will not leave you in the dark but does require piecing some things together to figure things out sooner or more subtle areas of the story!


Bosses (10/10): These bosses arent just perfect they're ICONIC I WILL NEVER FORGET SOME OF THESE FIGHTS!! Even the recycled bosses have entire new kits while you're exploring the big areas that make them so interesting with how these devs played around with what their mobs can do! But the MAIN BOSSES... ICONIC EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM!! While all of them are extremely fun, they are also extremely difficult... But these fights are honestly fair you just have to give them all your focus and use the abilities and tools you have to their full potential! This game has some of the best bosses and one of them is undoubtly the greatest boss fight Ive ever had the joy of fighting! Even just getting their was a blast and when the reveal hits OH MY GOD IT ONLY GETS BETTER FROM THERE!! THE VISUALS, THE MUSIC, THE INTENSITY OF THE FIGHT, THE TRAGEDY AND STORY BEHIND IT, MAKING YOU USE YOUR KIT TO ITS FULLEST EXTENT! Ive never had a greater time in a boss fight ever!!!


Exploration (10/10): Everything a Metroidvania should be and far, far more. While I still prefer Hollow Knights layout, the method of exploration is so finely tuned to its mechanics that with each area and upgrade it feels so fresh with the world acting against you. All I can think about is the factory sending literal timed death rays and you having to activate a shield to prevent yourself from straight incineration. The puzzle solving and interaction of the areas are absolutely incredible whether to get to the main bosses with dodging sniping lasers, or navigating a dream/hellscape that felt like Path of Pain every single one of them was absolutely unique in its own awesome way!

Overall its the best game ever idk how else to say it, not even gonna hide my bias. Hollow Knight is still in my top 5 but this absolutely blows it out of the water! And this is a game that honestly think anyone can approach, whether a rabid metroidvania fan, newcomer to metroidvanias, or even someone that doesnt like metroidvanias/soulslikes. This game gives you options including a lighter difficulty if you just wanna experience it or challenge yourself. Its a fair game that takes practice to get used to while not leaving you in the dark either, its not convoluted or indirect with its story or its narrative. And once you get your map pieces it straight up tells you what is left to grab on the bottom right. It makes you work at it but doesnt leave you confused or frustrated at all imo. This is what makes me believe it will be the Silksong Killer because it seems like a game that anyone can pick up and get invested in and deserves way more praise and attention its getting right now!! PLEASE SUPPORT THESE DEVS AND BUY THEIR GAMES!!! THEY MADE SOMETHING TRULY BREATHTAKING!!