Imp of the Sun

Feels like it has potential but this ended up being a waste of money. Went the mountain route first, the crumbling rocks are such a terrible design that it's not possible to wall jump off them in a consistent manner. Not going to spend ages trying to get to a position to try and pick up a collectible over and over when you can't be sure that the platforming you're going to perform works due to luck.

Imp of the Sun, developed by Sunwolf Entertainment and published by Fireshine Games, is a visually arresting 2D action-platformer that draws heavily from the myths, music, and culture of pre-Columbian Peru. Unlike many titles in the Metroidvania-inspired genre that fall back on European medieval or generic fantasy aesthetics, this game roots itself in a world shaped by Andean legend, ancient ruins, and solar deities. The result is a unique experience that stands out aesthetically even before a player makes their first jump. The protagonist, Nin, is a small but fiery creature created from the last spark of the sun, sent to a dying world trapped in eternal eclipse. His mission is to rekindle the dying light by defeating four powerful Keepers who hoard its essence, each hidden in their own distant region of the world. The game wastes little time throwing you into its exploratory loop. While not a full-blown Metroidvania, it borrows many of the genre’s staples: interconnected environments, optional side areas, upgrades that unlock new paths, and scattered collectibles that flesh out the world’s backstory. What’s refreshing is that it offers a more open-ended structure than many of its peers—you’re allowed to choose the order in which you pursue the Keepers, with each region boasting a distinct biome. These areas range from lush forests and desolate deserts to shadowy caverns and sky-piercing mountain temples, all designed with a painterly hand-drawn aesthetic that’s both vibrant and melancholic. The art direction is complemented by an excellent soundtrack that utilizes traditional instruments from Andean cultures, some of which are thousands of years old. This auditory and visual cohesion creates an atmosphere that feels both authentic and imaginative, enhancing the sense of journey and rediscovery that the narrative is built upon. Gameplay in Imp of the Sun centers around platforming, exploration, and combat. Nin is quick and agile, with access to a range of movement abilities including double jumps, wall climbs, and mid-air dashes. Combat is combo-based, allowing players to chain attacks in the air and on the ground, and some of these moves can be upgraded or enhanced by finding hidden items throughout the world. Enemies vary in design and difficulty, with some regions offering more environmental hazards than direct threats. While the concept is solid, the game’s controls occasionally undermine the experience. Nin’s movement can feel sluggish at times, particularly when attempting precise platforming sequences. A lack of tight responsiveness—especially when combined with occasionally floaty jump mechanics—can lead to frustrating moments, particularly in sections that require rapid maneuvering or timing-based puzzle-solving. While most encounters are forgiving enough to compensate, the more punishing sections expose this shortcoming in a noticeable way. Boss fights against the four Keepers serve as the game's primary tests of skill and are some of the more memorable sequences in the journey. Each boss is thematically linked to their domain—one might manipulate shadows, another commands the wind—and the fights are designed to reflect those themes both visually and mechanically. Some players may find the difficulty inconsistent, with certain fights posing little threat once you’ve acquired a few upgrades, while others feel like sudden spikes in challenge, especially given the limitations in precision movement. Still, these encounters are generally satisfying and deliver some of the game's most impressive animations and visual storytelling. In terms of progression, the game uses a system of checkpoints marked by ethereal spirit figures known as Qaris, which double as fast travel points once unlocked. You also collect artifacts such as quipus—an ancient Incan system of knot-based recording—that serve as narrative breadcrumbs, enriching the backstory and providing a subtle incentive to explore more thoroughly. There are also “Inner Fire” mechanics that serve as your energy pool for certain special moves and healing. You can only heal in proximity to fire or heat sources, which cleverly ties back to the theme of sunlight and warmth as vital forces. These systems give the game some mechanical depth without overwhelming newer players, making it accessible while still rewarding exploration. One aspect that might disappoint some players is the overall length. A focused playthrough might only take five to seven hours, and even a completionist run with all upgrades and collectibles rarely stretches past ten. While this shorter runtime allows the game to stay tight and avoid bloat, it also limits the opportunity to deeply develop its systems. Some areas feel underutilized, and the game’s narrative arc resolves fairly quickly, with limited character development outside of Nin’s quest. This might leave players who prefer more expansive, layered Metroidvanias feeling underwhelmed, though for others the compact size might be seen as a refreshing change of pace in a genre often known for sprawling labyrinths. Yet, despite its mechanical limitations and relatively brief runtime, Imp of the Sun succeeds in delivering a heartfelt and distinctive adventure. Its cultural inspirations are more than surface decoration—they form the core of the game's identity, influencing everything from its storytelling and visuals to its music and even some of its mechanics. The sense of world-building is palpable, and even when the gameplay stumbles, the game’s art direction and thematic consistency keep the player engaged. It feels like a labor of love, and the passion of the small development team behind it is visible in nearly every frame. Ultimately, Imp of the Sun is a vibrant and culturally rich platformer that carves out its own niche in a crowded genre. While it may not reach the mechanical finesse or content density of more well-known titles, it compensates with originality, atmosphere, and heart. Players seeking a deeply polished combat system or ultra-precise platforming may find it lacking, but those looking for a beautiful, compact adventure with strong thematic cohesion and a unique cultural voice will likely find it a rewarding journey. It's a commendable debut from Sunwolf Entertainment and a promising sign of what they might create next. Rating: 6/10

on pc, only keyboard controls are supported, I would really prefer using a gamepad, though

Its not good. combat feels too slippery and imprecise. Its especially finicky if you use a thumb stick instead of a dpad for directional controls. this is kind of an issue cause the game is pretty hard, it does not mess around. Also the animations are kinda everywhere, the enemies dont hurt you via contact but the attack animations and the movement/idle animations are way too similar. Its hard to tell if something is attacking or just idling. Finally the fact you get a pathetically small hp bar and zero iframes kinda kills it for me.

Loved it, great little game. DISCLAIMER: yes, sadly there's a bug that prevents you from getting Steam achievements, but at least the achievements are shown in-game. It's unfortunate that the game didn't make enough money for the devs to keep supporting it and fix this issue. Probably the main reason it gets some negative reviews. But other than that, I didn't notice any other bugs and the game is quite decently polished overall. It's pretty much a Peruvian Ori with a couple of twists (you can charge your energy and heal yourself in the sun/fire etc.). It's a humble indie game, so it's obviously simpler and shorter than Ori, but it does scratch that itch while not overstaying its welcome. It looks beautiful, the fast-paced gameplay feels good and the level design is creative and fun. The story is also quite nice. There can be couple of difficulty spikes in the beginning depending on the order you tackle the bosses (and a more detailed map would come in handy), but it's pretty accessible after you push through it and get some upgrades and skills. You can find this game on huge 90% discounts nowadays, so it's definitely worth it. It didn't even need to be that cheap and it can last over 6 hours (which it not huge, but not super short either), so there's no excuse not to give it a try.

Вы - бесёнок, чья задача - помочь Солнцу высвободиться от коварства Луны и вернуть человечеству надежду на существование Приятный красочный платформер, к управлению которого, конечно, придётся привыкнуть. Персонаж двигается очень быстро, и по началу с инерцией могут возникнуть проблемы, но в последствии к такому управлению быстро привыкаешь. Коротенький, но с хорошо продуманным дизайном уровней. Боссы, в основном, не представляют сложностей ([spoiler]испытания из конца игры оказались в разы сложнее[/spoiler]). Складывается ощущение, что разработчиком задумано, что игрок может прийти в эту локацию без определённых умений, но вместо того, чтобы развернуть игрока, даёт возможность исследовать и пройти до конца без особых проблем (но за коллекционными предметами, конечно, придётся вернуться после прокачки). Сами навыки приятные и прекрасно дополняют игровой процесс. Персонажи не раздражают, с ними приятно взаимодействовать. Если игрок где-то замешкался - внутренний помощник всегда готов дать подсказку. История похожа на добрую сказку, поэтому можно спокойно играть с ребёнком. То, с чем могут возникнуть сложности у игрока: - Как уже говорилось: к инерции главного героя нужно привыкнуть, порой его слишком "заносит", но это мелочи. Так же есть жалобы на невозможность перебиндить кнопки на клавиатуре, поэтому лучше сыграть с геймпадом и не портить себе нервы; - Иногда возникали проблемы с дэшем в воздухе - лёгкое отклонение стика могло привести к тому, что главный герой летел не вверх, а, например, вправо, но к этому тоже нужно приноровиться; - В игре нет карты. Хоть уровни сами по себе небольшие, да и игра сама коротенькая, иногда, при поиске коллекционных предметов, охота обратиться к карте на подобии той, что была в Ori. Но, справедливости ради, найти все коллекционные предметы удалось без неё. Также ачивки в стиме не работают, как и Steam Cloud не прикручен. С чем это связанно - не знает никто, но разработчик за столько лет существования игры так и не починил вышеуказанное, так что надеяться, что это исправят, не стоит. В то же время достижения засчитываются в самой игре, так что, если ищите челленджей - при прохождении можете опираться на них Вердикт: увидите на распродаже - смело берите

A very gorgeous game that captivated me , a friend recommanded this game and i love the story if it and the designs. The controls seems...way off than i use to play in these types of games, but for me i found out the more i played ,the more i got used to the controls. The bosses are fun, but can be a quite tricky especially with how they act sometimes, they spam the same abilities twice if not 3 times on some bosses. It seems they do not have cooldown on their own making them able to just overwhelm you with ease. The leveling up system is a must against them, i find it hard to almost impossible to beat them without leveling up ,especially for its achievement. But overall, great game ,i really love it !

메트로배니아를 어설프게 만들면 나오는 게임 같음. 수집아이템이랑 능력업그레이드도 별로 다양하지 않고 npc가 3명뿐임. 그말은 즉 돈쓸 곳도 별로 없단 것임. 맵지도도 자세히 못봐서 내가 어디 안갔는지 전혀 모름. 어이없게도 걍 길외워야됨. 보스 전투는 그냥저냥인데 특정 보스는 기믹을 거지같이 만들었음. 그리고 개인적으로 조작키 변경 좀 넣어줬으면... 스페이스바가 점프인게 헷갈리고 점프높이 고정돼있어서 컨트롤하기 개힘들었음ㅡ; 게임 구성 개허접한데 2만원 가격에 약 4시간 분량은 진짜 말이 안됨. 그래도 하고싶은 사람은 꼭 90퍼 할인할 때 사쇼.

i like Ori and i hate this game, i like Hollow knight and i hate this game, i love Terraria and i hate this game, i love Rain world and i hate this game. if you're thinking of buying this game. dont. as somebody who played Calamity in my spare time, i would know what's unfair, this is the one. i cant stop but to admire the thinking behind this thing, like, i wonder if the entire team had a severe case of catastrophic brain damage to approve of this thing being made the way it is now. it's hard to imagine that the entire team didnt have an aneurysm one by one until the product was finished, but we will never know. and before you ask, the only reason i still have this game in my library is because am an achievement freak

Откровенный шлак, больше сказать нечего. Управление убогое.