Nine Sols: Unique Taopunk Souls-like Platformer

Nine Sols, a souls-like 2D platformer by Red Candle Games, is arriving on Switch, PS, and Xbox consoles shortly! Leading up to the game's console release, producer Shihwei Yang has shared what distinguishes their title from others.

Nine Sols' Unique Art and Combat Are Its Standout FeaturesDraws Inspiration From Eastern Philosophy and Gritty Cyberpunk

Leading up to Nine Sols' console release next month, co-founder and producer Shihwei Yang discussed how Red Candle Games' souls-like platformer distinguishes itself from other 2023 releases. Much of Nine Sols' unique aspects, encompassing gameplay, visuals, and narrative, are rooted in its "Taopunk" aesthetic, a fusion of Eastern philosophies, like Taoism, and cyberpunk stylings.

The game's visuals and art draw inspiration from 80s and 90s manga/anime such as Akira and Ghost in the Shell, critically acclaimed sci-fi works featuring futurism, vibrant cities, neon lights, and the human-technology interface. "Since we’re all fans of ‘80s and ‘90s Japanese anime and manga, cyberpunk classics like Akira and Ghost in the Shell became key inspirations for our art development," Yang shared. "These works deeply influenced how we approached the visual style of Nine Sols, blending futuristic tech with an artistic flair that feels both nostalgic and fresh."

These artistic elements also informed Nine Sols' audio design, according to Yang, who explained how the game's unique music incorporates traditional Eastern musical elements with modern instrumentation. "We wanted the soundscape to stand out, so we fused traditional Eastern sounds with modern instruments to create something truly distinct," he said. "This combination gave Nine Sols an identity that sets it apart from other games, making the atmosphere feel both grounded in ancient roots and futuristic at the same time."

But apart from the meticulously crafted audio-visual presentation of its Taopunk world, Nine Sols' combat is where the unique fusion of these elements excels. "We thought we had found our stride, creating settings that resonated with the philosophical tenets of Taoism while embracing the raw energy of cyberpunk. But then, just when we thought we could take a breather," Yang began, "another challenge emerged: the gameplay. Designing the combat system proved to be one of the most arduous hurdles we faced."

Initially, the studio drew inspiration from classic indie titles like Hollow Knight for Nine Sols' overall gameplay, according to Yang, "but it quickly became apparent that it didn’t fit the tone of Nine Sols," he then explained. The Nine Sols developers already knew they didn't want to follow "the path of other great platformers" as they felt it didn't align with the studio's vision—a deflection-heavy 2D action game."It wasn’t until we returned to the game's core concepts that we found a new direction. Around that time, we coincidentally encountered the deflection system from Sekiro, and it resonated profoundly with us," Yang said.

However, instead of utilizing aggressiveness for its fights that depend on counter-moves, the Nine Sols team decided to draw from the quiet intensity and concentration that's rooted in Taoist philosophy. With this combat design choice, the studio was able to achieve a combat system that "uses an opponent’s strength against them."

Nine Sols features a combat system that "rewards players for deflecting attacks and maintaining equilibrium." However, Yang said that building this "deflection-focused" style presented its own challenges to Red Candle Games. "It’s a rarely explored mechanic in 2D, and it took countless iterations to perfect. Thankfully, after much trial and error, everything finally clicked," he explained.

"As we assembled everything, the overall narrative also began to strengthen. Themes like nature vs. technology and the meaning of life and death naturally integrated into the story," he detailed further in the blog. Strangely enough, it felt like Nine Sols was forging its own path, and we were merely guiding it as it found its voice."

Nine Sols' robust gameplay mechanic, along with its captivating artwork and intriguing story, are indeed aspects that left Game8 absolutely stunned. You can read more of our thoughts on Nine Sols in our review linked below!