Nine Sols is a hand-drawn 2D action-platformer blending Chinese mythology with sci-fi cyberpunk aesthetics. You play as Yi, a vengeful hero seeking to kill the nine ruling Sols (god-like beings) of New Kunlun. The combat centers entirely on the deflect/parry mechanic — instead of dodging, you deflect enemy attacks to charge Talisman counters for devastating ripostes. With Sekiro-level precision demands wrapped in a Metroidvania structure, Nine Sols is one of the most mechanically demanding 2D action games available.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best characters, weapons worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
deflect parrying
Deflecting is the core mechanic — pressing the deflect button at the exact moment of enemy contact negates damage and charges your Talisman gauge. Unlike dodge-based games, Nine Sols actively punishes dodging and rewards standing your ground. Each enemy has unique attack rhythms that must be memorized. Some attacks require multiple sequential deflects without gaps. Mistiming a deflect results in full damage taken.
talisman abilities
Talismans are sticky charges attached to enemies after successful deflects. Once attached, activating the Talisman triggers a powerful counter-explosion. Arrow Talismans deal ranged damage, Bomb Talismans explode for AoE, and Jade Talismans heal Yi on detonation. Talisman choice fundamentally changes your approach to each encounter — healing Talismans for survival, damage Talismans for aggression.
Tao arts
Internal Arts are special abilities charged by successful deflects that deal massive damage or provide utility. Charged Strike is a heavy downward slash, while other Tao Arts provide gap-closing, aerial combat, and crowd control. Internal Arts have cooldowns and require Talisman gauge to activate, creating a resource management layer during combat.
platforming
Environmental traversal uses wall-jumping, air-dashing, and grapple points to navigate New Kunlun's verticality. Some platforming sequences require precise timing between hazards (laser grids, falling platforms, spike walls). The Metroidvania structure gates areas behind ability upgrades — new movement abilities open shortcuts and previously inaccessible zones.
lore terminals
Data terminals scattered throughout New Kunlun reveal the story through text logs and holographic recordings. The narrative is cryptic — piecing together the truth about the Sols, Yi's past, and New Kunlun's purpose requires finding and reading most terminals. Missing terminals leaves significant story gaps.
Characters Overview
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parry Focus | S | Stand in enemy faces, deflect everything, attach Talismans, detonate for damage while healing. | Deflect window, Talisman damage, HP recovery |
| Talisman Build | A | Deflect to attach Talismans rapidly, detonate for burst damage, use Arrow Talismans during ranged phases. | Talisman damage, Talisman charge speed, Attack power |
| Aggressive Rush | B | Aggressively attack to stagger enemies before they start combos, use Charged Strike for burst damage. | Attack power, Attack speed, Stagger damage |
| Balanced | A | Adapt Talisman choice to each encounter, deflect reliably, use whatever tools the situation demands. | HP, Deflect window, Balanced attack and Talisman stats |
| Exploration Build | C | Speed through exploration areas, collect hidden items, accept harder combat in exchange for thorough map completion. | Movement abilities, then minimum viable combat stats |
Parry Focus (S-Tier): The intended playstyle — maximize deflect consistency to maintain constant Talisman pressure. Upgrade deflect timing windows through jade investments and equip passive buffs that reward successful parries. This build has the highest damage ceiling since every deflect is also offense.
Talisman Build (A-Tier): Focus on maximizing Talisman attachment speed and detonation damage. Bomb Talismans for AoE encounters, Arrow Talismans for ranged boss phases. This build prioritizes Talisman upgrades over combat stats, trading per-hit damage for burst detonation damage.
Aggressive Rush (B-Tier): A high-risk build that chains Charged Strikes and aggressive attacks to overwhelm enemies before they can attack. Requires precise knowledge of enemy stagger thresholds. Works against regular enemies but struggles against bosses with super armor who can't be staggered.
Balanced (A-Tier): A mix of deflect proficiency and Talisman variety. Switch between Jade (healing), Bomb (AoE), and Arrow (ranged) Talismans based on the encounter. This build sacrifices specialization for flexibility — useful for first-time players navigating unknown encounters.
Exploration Build (C-Tier): Prioritizes movement upgrades (air dash distance, wall jump height, grapple speed) over combat stats. Useful for reaching hidden areas and backtracking efficiently, but makes boss fights significantly harder due to lower combat stats. Only recommended for second playthroughs.
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our Nine Sols builds guide.
Weapons Guide
| Weapon | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Charged Strike | Yi's heavy melee attack that deals 3x normal damage after a short charge animation. | All builds — the core damage follow-up after successful deflects |
| Internal Arts | Special abilities powered by successful deflects. | Aggressive Rush build for gap-closing, Balanced build for utility |
| Arrow Talisman | A ranged Talisman that fires at a distance instead of requiring melee attachment. | Talisman Build for ranged boss phases |
| Bomb Talisman | An AoE explosion Talisman that damages all enemies near the detonation target. | Talisman Build for AoE encounters and grouped enemies |
| Jade Talisman | A healing Talisman that restores Yi's HP on detonation instead of dealing bonus damage. | Parry Focus and Balanced builds for sustained boss fight survival |
Charged Strike: Yi's heavy melee attack that deals 3x normal damage after a short charge animation. Can be canceled into deflect if an enemy attacks during the charge. The primary damage tool against staggered enemies — deflect an attack, then immediately Charged Strike during the stagger window.
Internal Arts: Special abilities powered by successful deflects. The gap-closing dash attack is invaluable for reaching ranged enemies, while the AoE ground pound clears surrounding mobs. Internal Arts charge from your Talisman gauge, creating a choice between saving gauge for Talisman detonation or spending it on Arts.
Arrow Talisman: A ranged Talisman that fires at a distance instead of requiring melee attachment. Essential for boss phases where the boss is unreachable (flying, distant platform). Arrow Talisman damage is lower than Bomb Talisman but the range makes it irreplaceable for certain encounters.
Bomb Talisman: An AoE explosion Talisman that damages all enemies near the detonation target. The highest raw damage Talisman, ideal for rooms with multiple enemies where a single detonation can hit 3-4 targets. Less useful against solo bosses where Arrow or Jade provide better utility.
Jade Talisman: A healing Talisman that restores Yi's HP on detonation instead of dealing bonus damage. The healing scales with Talisman power upgrades. This is the survivability Talisman — equipping Jade for boss fights where you expect to take hits provides sustain that extends your attempt length.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| New Kunlun | Hub (all game) | Upgrade stations, save points, NPC lore, fast travel nodes |
| Apeman Facility | Early game (Sol 1-2) | First Sol defeat, basic Talisman upgrades, deflect training encounters |
| Greenhouse | Early-mid game (Sol 3-4) | Poison resistance upgrades, new movement abilities, mid-tier Talisman upgrades |
| Factory | Mid game (Sol 5-6) | Mechanical enemy drops, advanced Internal Arts, factory-themed upgrades |
| Grotto | Late game (Sol 7-8) | Critical lore reveals, endgame Talisman upgrades, highest-difficulty regular enemies |
New Kunlun: The hub area connecting all major zones. New Kunlun's central area contains save benches, upgrade stations, and NPC interactions. The area expands as you defeat Sols and unlock new zones. Fast travel points within New Kunlun reduce backtracking.
Apeman Facility: The first major zone with laboratory enemies (mutated primates, automated defenses). The facility teaches core deflect timing against predictable enemies before ramping up difficulty. The zone's Sol boss introduces multi-phase deflect patterns.
Greenhouse: A bio-lab zone overgrown with mutant plant life. Enemies here use poison and grab attacks that require specific deflect timing. The platforming sections feature vine grapple points and falling petal hazards. The Greenhouse Sol boss uses the most complex attack chains of the early bosses.
Factory: An industrial zone with mechanical enemies (robots, turrets, conveyor hazards). Enemies here attack in patterns timed to factory machinery, requiring awareness of environmental timing alongside enemy deflection. The Factory Sol boss combines mechanical patterns with melee attacks.
Grotto: A mystical underground zone where the lore deepens significantly. Enemies are ethereal and use delayed attacks designed to bait early deflects. The Grotto contains the most cryptic story revelations through extensive terminal networks. One of the game's hardest zones combat-wise.
Tips That Actually Matter
- Deflect is the core mechanic — master it before progressing past the first zone. Every boss and most enemies are designed around deflect timing. Practicing against basic enemies until deflect is muscle memory saves hours of frustration later.
- Talismans deal massive damage when attached and detonated — a full Talisman chain (deflect > attach > detonate) deals more damage than 5-6 regular attacks. Always prioritize getting Talismans attached.
- Internal Arts charge from successful deflects, creating a reward loop: deflect > charge gauge > use powerful abilities > repeat. Never waste fully charged Internal Arts — use them on the next safe opening.
- Save at jade benches frequently — they're your only save system. Running past a bench without saving means replaying from the last one on death. Benches also refill health and Talisman charges.
- Lore terminals explain the cryptic story — New Kunlun's purpose, the Sols' true nature, and Yi's history are revealed through terminals scattered in hidden alcoves. Read everything for the full narrative experience.
- Some attacks have red indicators meaning they cannot be deflected — these must be dodged. Learn which enemy attacks are deflectable (white flash) versus undeflectable (red flash) to avoid damage.
- Boss fights have multi-phase patterns that change at HP thresholds. The first time you see a new phase, focus on surviving and learning the pattern rather than dealing damage. Knowledge is the real progression.
- Upgrade deflect window passives first — the wider your deflect timing, the more forgiving every encounter becomes. Raw damage upgrades matter less than consistent deflection.
- Backtrack with new movement abilities to reach previously inaccessible areas — the Metroidvania structure hides powerful upgrades behind movement gates. New air dash > revisit old zones > find hidden upgrades.
- The game has an accessibility assist mode that expands deflect windows for players struggling with timing. Using it doesn't lock any content — it's a valid way to experience the story.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Trying to dodge instead of deflect — Nine Sols is built around deflection, not evasion. Dodge invincibility frames are very short and dodging doesn't charge Talismans. Stand your ground and deflect.
- Deflecting too early on delayed attacks — many enemies wind up attacks with long delays designed to bait early deflects. Wait for the white flash indicator, not the animation start.
- Ignoring Talisman variety — using only one Talisman type for every encounter is suboptimal. Jade Talisman for bosses (healing), Bomb Talisman for mobs (AoE), Arrow Talisman for ranged phases. Switch based on the situation.
- Rushing past lore terminals — the story is intentionally cryptic without terminal context. Players who skip terminals often find the plot incomprehensible and miss the game's most compelling narrative elements.
- Not upgrading deflect window passives first — spending jade on damage before deflect timing means you die more often and deal less total damage (since Talisman damage requires deflects to charge).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nine Sols like Sekiro?
The deflect/parry focus is very similar to Sekiro's posture system, but Nine Sols is a 2D Metroidvania rather than a 3D action game. The Talisman system adds a unique counter-attack layer that Sekiro lacks. If you enjoyed Sekiro's parry rhythm, Nine Sols delivers the same satisfaction in a 2D format.
How hard is Nine Sols?
Very hard. Boss fights require memorizing multi-phase attack patterns and executing precise deflect timing. The game is easier than Sekiro in some ways (2D simplifies spatial awareness) but harder in others (some boss combos require 6+ sequential perfect deflects). An accessibility mode is available for players who want to experience the story without extreme difficulty.
How long is Nine Sols?
The main story takes 15-20 hours for experienced action game players. Full completion (all terminals, upgrades, hidden areas) takes 25-30 hours. Boss fights can add significant time depending on skill level — some players spend 1-2 hours on individual bosses.
What is the story of Nine Sols about?
You play as Yi, seeking revenge against the nine Sols — god-like rulers of New Kunlun, a mysterious facility blending Chinese mythology with sci-fi technology. The story explores themes of divine authority, rebellion, and the nature of the Sols' immortality. The narrative is deliberately cryptic and revealed primarily through lore terminals scattered throughout the game.
What to Read Next
- Best Nine Sols Builds — Detailed breakdowns with gear, stats, and playstyle guides
- Nine Sols Tier List — Current meta rankings
- Nine Sols Walkthrough — Step-by-step progression from start to endgame
- Nine Sols Beginner's Guide — First session essentials
- Nine Sols Tips & Tricks — Advanced strategies and hidden mechanics
