As a fan of Red Candle Games' previous projects, Devotion (episode 139) and Detention (bonus episode on Patreon), Nine Sols instantly leapt onto my watchlist as soon as it was announced. However, as it released, I was a bit nervous to dive into it due to its Sekiro-inspired combat. I like Sekiro a lot, but did I want another one right then? Luckily, a few friends (including Josh, today's guest) convinced me to give it a whirl...and I was not disappointed. The combat is smooth and satisfying, the art and music are fantastic, and it tells what might be the best story in the genre. This is an awesome game, and I hope you enjoy the discussion! Guest info: Josh aka DogNozzle. You can follow him on BlueSky! TIMESTAMPS Intros/Personal Histories/Opening Thoughts 0:22 Story Setup 12:05 Presentation 28:41 Combat 43:14 Metroidvania Design 1:12:19 SPOILER WALL 1:31:47 Music used in the episode: Awakening (FFXX) A Glimpse of the Future (FFXX) Festival (FFXX) Crossing Blades (FFXX) Take a Tour in New Kunlun (Troy Lin) A Place for Restless Souls (FFXX) The Path for Us All ~ Yi's Theme (FFXX, Im Baek Hun) Main Theme II (FFXX, Im Baek Hun) Support Tales from the Backlog on Patreon! or buy me a coffee on Ko-fi! Join the Tales from the Backlog Discord server! Social Media: Instagram Twitter Facebook Cover art by Jack Allen- find him at https://www.instagram.com/jackallencaricatures/ and his other pages Listen to A Top 3 Podcast on Apple, Spotify and [other podcast platforms](atop3podcast.fireside.fm)! Support Tales from the Backlog