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Nine Sols similar games & best alternatives

Nine Sols

PC (Microsoft Windows), Mac, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 • 2024

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Quick resume

Nine Sols is a lore rich, hand-drawn 2D action-platformer featuring Sekiro-inspired deflection focused combat. Embark on a journey of eastern fantasy, explore the land once home to an ancient alien race, and follow a vengeful hero’s quest to slay the 9 Sols, formidable rulers of this forsaken realm.

Global score

95/100

Genres

Action, Adventure, Indie, Platform, Hack and slash/Beat 'em up

Similar games

    Pros

    • Challenging and rewarding combat
    • Unique and beautiful art style
    • Deep and engaging story
    • Rich world-building and lore
    • Meaningful progression and customization

    Cons

    • Steep difficulty curve may frustrate some
    • Some ui and map navigation issues
    • Punishing death mechanics
    • Lack of multiplayer or social features
    • Loading times and occasional minor bugs

    Analysis

    A very typical example of its motivational profile. Motivations that often define this kind of title include Relaxation, Survival, Violence, Fellowship. Here, the score leans higher than usual among comparable games on Story, Expression. It leans lower than usual among comparable games on Status.

    How to use the graph
    Similar games map

    Each dot is a game. They are arranged from the same motivation profile as in the “Motivations” section below. Closer dots usually mean more similar reasons to play (exploration, competition, relaxation, etc.)—not that one game is “better” than another.

    • Larger dot with a light outline: the game you are viewing.
    • Colour: groups of games with comparable motivation patterns (statistical clusters).
    • Hover a dot to see the game name; click to open its page.
    • Scroll or double-click the chart to zoom out and see more games.

    Why don’t the axes read like a score? This view uses t-SNE: it only keeps who is close to whom. The scales are not “good to bad” or hours played—they separate groups on the map. Read distance between dots, not the axis numbers.

    Motivations

    • Autonomy
      4

      "Players have significant control over combat style, skill upgrades, and exploration order within a mostly linear but somewhat open metroidvania structure."

    • Competence
      5

      "The game is challenging with a steep learning curve, requiring mastery of timing-based parrying and combat mechanics, rewarding skill development."

    • Competition
      -3

      "Focus is on personal mastery and overcoming game challenges rather than competing against other players."

    • Continuation
      4

      "Players report long play sessions, repeated boss attempts, and high engagement with the game’s combat and story."

    • Cooperation
      -5

      "Single-player experience with no multiplayer or cooperative elements."

    • Creativity
      3

      "Players customize combat builds via skill trees and charms, and explore a richly designed world, though within predefined structures."

    • Domination
      -5

      "No evidence of exerting control over others; gameplay is solitary and focused on self-improvement."

    • Escapism
      4

      "Players use the game’s immersive world, story, and challenging gameplay as a form of escape and engagement."

    • Expectation
      -4

      "Players engage voluntarily out of interest and enjoyment; no indication of obligation or external pressure."

    • Experimenting
      3

      "Players experiment with different combat styles, charms, and upgrades to find preferred playstyles."

    • Exploration
      3

      "Metroidvania exploration with some freedom in area order and backtracking to discover secrets and upgrades."

    • Expression
      2

      "Customization of combat abilities and charms allows some self-expression, though character appearance is fixed."

    • Fantasy
      5

      "Strong fantasy elements with Taoist mythology, cyberpunk aesthetics, and imaginative narrative."

    • Fellowship
      -5

      "No social or community features; experience is solitary."

    • Growth
      5

      "Players develop skills, learn enemy patterns, and improve combat proficiency over time."

    • Health
      -4

      "Requires extended sedentary play with intense focus; no physical activity involved."

    • Idle
      -4

      "Requires constant attention and focus due to challenging combat and precise timing."

    • Intimacy
      -5

      "No evidence of forming close relationships; interactions are with NPCs in a narrative context only."

    • Leadership
      -5

      "No leadership or group management roles; single-player focused."

    • Progression
      4

      "Players accumulate upgrades, skill points, charms, and abilities to enhance combat and traversal."

    • Relaxation
      -3

      "High difficulty and tension in combat create sustained challenge rather than relaxation."

    • Sensation
      4

      "Rich audiovisual presentation with striking art, music, and satisfying combat feedback."

    • Status
      -5

      "No social recognition or ranking systems; focus is on personal achievement."

    • Story
      5

      "Strong narrative emphasis with deep lore, character development, and immersive storytelling."

    • Strategy
      4

      "Combat and boss fights require strategic timing, pattern recognition, and tactical use of abilities."

    • Thrill
      4

      "Combat tension and boss encounters provide suspense and excitement."

    • Value
      4

      "Players perceive high value due to quality, length, and engaging gameplay."

    • Violence
      4

      "Combat involves intense fighting, parrying, and defeating enemies with graphic violence."

    • Survival
      4

      "Players must avoid death and manage resources like health and currency under threat of loss."

    Where to buy

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    Last update: 29/04/2026