Home News Nine Sols: A Unique "Taopunk" Souls-Like Platforming Experience

Nine Sols: A Unique "Taopunk" Souls-Like Platforming Experience

by Emma Jan 27,2025

Nine Sols: A Unique Taopunk Souls-like Platformer

Nine Sols, a 2D souls-like platformer from Red Candle Games, is poised for release on Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox consoles. Producer Shihwei Yang recently highlighted the game's distinctive features, setting it apart from other titles in the genre.

Nine Sols' “Taopunk” Identity Sets it Apart From Other Souls-Like Platformers

A "Taopunk" Aesthetic

Nine Sols' unique identity stems from its "Taopunk" aesthetic, a fusion of Eastern philosophy (particularly Taoism) and cyberpunk visuals. Inspired by 80s and 90s anime like Akira and Ghost in the Shell, the game boasts a striking visual style that blends futuristic technology with a nostalgic, artistic flair.

Nine Sols' “Taopunk” Identity Sets it Apart From Other Souls-Like Platformers

This aesthetic extends to the audio design, which seamlessly integrates traditional Eastern musical elements with modern instrumentation, creating a soundscape that's both ancient and futuristic.

Innovative Combat System

While initially inspired by games like Hollow Knight, Nine Sols' combat system ultimately diverged. The developers rejected a typical platformer approach, opting instead for a deflection-heavy system inspired by Sekiro. However, Nine Sols' implementation emphasizes the quiet intensity and balance inherent in Taoist philosophy, rewarding players for deflecting attacks and maintaining composure. This unique mechanic, rarely seen in 2D games, required extensive development and refinement.

Nine Sols' “Taopunk” Identity Sets it Apart From Other Souls-Like Platformers

This innovative combat system, coupled with the game's captivating visuals and narrative exploring themes of nature versus technology and the meaning of life and death, creates a truly unique and memorable gaming experience.

Nine Sols' “Taopunk” Identity Sets it Apart From Other Souls-Like Platformers

Nine Sols' distinctive blend of art, sound, and gameplay promises a compelling and unforgettable experience for players.

Latest Articles More+
  • 04 2025-03
    Merge Flavour: Decor Restaurant brings more casual puzzle fun to Android, soon to iOS

    Merge Flavor: Decor Restaurant: A New Culinary Merge Puzzle Game Merge Flavor: Decor Restaurant, from TAAP Game Studio, enters the crowded cooking sim and merge puzzle genre. The game blends restaurant management, merge puzzles, and a dramatic storyline. Currently available on Android (Google Play)

  • 04 2025-03
    Marvel Rivals Dev Says They're Not Trolling Dataminers - 'We'd Rather Spend Our Time Developing the Game'

    Marvel Rivals developers address datamining rumors: No intentional trolling, just a lot of ideas. Dataminers have been uncovering a treasure trove of potential future characters within Marvel Rivals' code, sparking debate about the authenticity of these finds. Some believe the developers are intent

  • 04 2025-03
    Grafted Review

    This is a short announcement, and there's not much to paraphrase without losing the core message. Here are a few options, maintaining the original meaning and image placement (though there are no images in the input): Option 1 (Most similar): Grafted is currently available for streaming on Shudder.