Red Candle Games made its name developing psychological horror titles such as Detention and Devotion, but its third game, Nine Sols, sees the studio veer into the action genre. First revealed in 2021, the Sekiro-inspired title is coming on May 29.

Nine Sols sports a hand-drawn art direction and an aesthetic that blends sci-fi, cyberpunk, Eastern mythology (the legend of Hou Yi in particular), and Taoism. Players control a cat-like warrior named Yi, who is awakened after years of slumber in New Kunlun, a city for humans created by nine god-like rulers. New Kunlun may appear to be a utopia, but a secret surrounds it as Yi embarks on a vengeful quest to take down all nine rulers. 

The 2D Metroidvania features fast-paced combat and a parry system directly inspired by Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In addition to a sword, Yi is armed with a divine bow and uses Taoist talismans to make enemies explode. A sprawling, interconnected map features numerous NPCs to assist, secrets, and challenging boss battles. 

Nine Sols is coming to PC via Steam (it also has a demo). You can learn more about Nine Sols’ creation and the history of Red Candle Games by reading our studio profile.