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.
Starting Nine Sols can feel overwhelming. This guide tells you exactly what to focus on during your first hours so you don't waste time on things that don't matter yet.
What Kind of Game Is This?
Nine Sols is a action game built around deflect parrying and talisman abilities. The core loop involves mastering these systems to progress through increasingly challenging content.
What to expect: Time investment in learning mechanics, experimentation, and gradual mastery. The game rewards patience and knowledge.
Choosing Your First Role
| Role | Beginner Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Parry Focus | Good (but demanding) | Stand in enemy faces, deflect everything, attach Talismans, detonate for damage while healing. |
| Talisman Build | Excellent for beginners | Deflect to attach Talismans rapidly, detonate for burst damage, use Arrow Talismans during ranged phases. |
| Aggressive Rush | Situational | Aggressively attack to stagger enemies before they start combos, use Charged Strike for burst damage. |
| Balanced | Excellent for beginners | Adapt Talisman choice to each encounter, deflect reliably, use whatever tools the situation demands. |
| Exploration Build | Not recommended first | Speed through exploration areas, collect hidden items, accept harder combat in exchange for thorough map completion. |
Our recommendation: Start with Talisman Build. 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.
Avoid Exploration Build as your first pick. Prioritizes movement upgrades (air dash distance, wall jump height, grapple speed) over combat stats.
First Session Step-by-Step
Step 1: Learn 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.
This is the foundation. Spend your first 15-30 minutes getting comfortable with how deflect parrying works before worrying about anything else.
Step 2: Head to 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.
Clear the main content here before moving on. Everything teaches fundamentals you'll need later.
Step 3: Get Your First Upgrade
Look for Internal Arts — it's the most accessible early upgrade. 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.
Step 4: Understand 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.
This is the system most new players overlook. Invest time here early — it pays off throughout the entire game.
Step 5: Push to 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.
Essential Mechanics Explained
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.
Common Beginner Mistakes
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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)
First 5 Hours Checklist
- Understand deflect parrying and talisman abilities
- Choose Talisman Build as starting role
- Clear New Kunlun main content
- Acquire Internal Arts or equivalent upgrade
- Reach Apeman Facility
- 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.
Tips for New Players
- 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.
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
- Nine Sols Builds — Optimize your role once you've learned the basics
- Nine Sols Walkthrough — Full progression path
- Nine Sols Tips — Advanced strategies for when you're ready
