Nine Sols Walkthrough — Start to Endgame

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 walkthrough takes you from your first session to endgame content. Each phase has specific goals, priorities, and milestones. Follow this path to avoid common traps that stall most players.

Quick Progression Summary

Phase 1: Getting Started — 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.

Level/Difficulty: Hub (all game) Key Rewards: Upgrade stations, save points, NPC lore, fast travel nodes

What to Do in New Kunlun

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. Spend your first session getting comfortable with this.
2. Pick Talisman Build as your starting role. It's the most forgiving option.
3. 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.
4. Acquire your first weapons upgrade — Internal Arts or whatever's available.
5. Clear all main content before moving on.

Phase 1 Checklist

• Understand deflect parrying fundamentals
• Talisman Build selected and functional
• New Kunlun main content cleared
• Ready for Apeman Facility

Phase 2: Early Game — 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.

Level/Difficulty: Early game (Sol 1-2) Key Rewards: First Sol defeat, basic Talisman upgrades, deflect training encounters

What to Do in Apeman Facility

1. Work on talisman abilities. Talismans are sticky charges attached to enemies after successful deflects. This system becomes critical from here on.
2. Farm for Internal Arts if you haven't already. It's the key upgrade for this phase.
3. 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.
4. Complete all objectives before pushing to Greenhouse.
5. Consider whether Parry Focus might suit your playstyle better than Talisman Build.

Phase 2 Checklist

• talisman abilities integrated into gameplay
• Internal Arts acquired
• Apeman Facility fully cleared
• Ready for Greenhouse

Phase 3: Mid Game — 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.

Level/Difficulty: Early-mid game (Sol 3-4) Key Rewards: Poison resistance upgrades, new movement abilities, mid-tier Talisman upgrades

What to Do in Greenhouse

1. Master Tao arts. Internal Arts are special abilities charged by successful deflects that deal massive damage or provide utility. This unlocks a new layer of gameplay.
2. Start working toward Charged Strike. It's the best weapon and becomes accessible around now.
3. 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.
4. This area is the main skill check. If you can clear it, you're ready for late game.
5. Start investing in platforming for the tactical depth you'll need going forward.

Phase 3 Checklist

• Tao arts mastered
• Charged Strike acquired or in progress
• Greenhouse fully cleared
• Ready for Factory

Phase 4: Late Game — 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.

Level/Difficulty: Mid game (Sol 5-6) Key Rewards: Mechanical enemy drops, advanced Internal Arts, factory-themed upgrades

What to Do in Factory

1. Finalize your build. You should be running Parry Focus or Talisman Build with optimized gear.
2. Charged Strike should be your primary. If you don't have it yet, prioritize getting it.
3. 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.
4. lore terminals optimization starts here. Small improvements compound into massive advantages.
5. Farm this area for the resources needed to push into Grotto.

Phase 4 Checklist

• Build fully optimized
• Charged Strike upgraded to max
• Factory fully cleared
• Ready for Grotto

Phase 5: Endgame — 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.

Level/Difficulty: Late game (Sol 7-8) Key Rewards: Critical lore reveals, endgame Talisman upgrades, highest-difficulty regular enemies

What to Do in Grotto

1. Grotto tests everything. Come prepared with your best build and gear.
2. 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.
3. The endgame loop: run Grotto, optimize gear, push harder content.
4. Experiment with Exploration Build for a fresh take once you've mastered the standard builds.
5. This is where lore terminals mastery separates good players from great ones.

Phase 5 Checklist

• Endgame content on farm
• Best-in-slot gear acquired
• Grotto fully cleared
• Ready for challenge content

Common Progression Mistakes

• 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).

Key Tips for Smooth Progression

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.

For detailed build optimization, see Nine Sols builds. For quick wins, check tips & tricks.