Review of Children of the Sun

Where cerebral riddles, one bellicose cult survivor, and bullet time collide.

Children of the Sun
Platform: PC
Developer: René Rother
Publisher: Devolver Digital
Release date: April 9th, 2024
Price: $14.99
Digital availability: Steam

Children of the Sun rarely lives up to expectations, and that’s a very positive thing. At first glance, it could appear to be a condensed version of the Sniper Elite series by Rebellion Development. You will creep along the edge of each stage, identifying targets with the sight on your weapon that may be adjusted. You get the same kind of bullet-cam perspective as the projectile accelerates toward its target once the protagonist pulls the trigger and discharges her single shot.

What comes next is not only another slow-motion, viscera-gushing exhibition. You can freely re-aim after making contact with a target in an effort to produce a chaotic series of ricochets that eliminate a group of cultists as a whole. If you take out the entire squad, you’ll be rewarded with an overhead replay of your ultraviolence, which typically looks like someone lining up the stars in a constellation. I never thought murder would look so lovely.

The Ability to Analyze Space is Fundamental

Children of the Sun is more than simply another long-gun simulation, as the 25 next phases demonstrate. It’s not as easy as it looks; each level requires you to use your spatial reasoning skills. You may have to line up a shot to send your lone bullet flying through an open window or door as attackers may soon be hiding in shacks. You’ll later shoot down a school of fish and a flock of birds. However, there are several obstacles separating the various creatures, so you have to plan two or even three ricochets ahead. Because of this, Children of the Sun seems to work a section of your brain that isn’t used much.

Sometimes that feels annoying because you have to restart the game after missing an adversary, which ends the game. Positively, you will not lose your target marks, allowing you to try taking out another group of enemies. And even while Sun always gets harder, every level has several answers. Therefore, if you’re stuck, stop attempting to force the same strategy on me and instead, be a better player. From time to time, you will be able to shoot at ambient items, which will both assist you keep up your chain of kills and provide a visual barrier when flames emerge from the battlefield.

Ambiguity in Exposition and Visuals

There’s not much expositional evidence, but it appears like the cult members you’re shooting are aware of your deadly adventures. They will soon put on armor, which will require more preparation and attention to detail. Thankfully, your skills are developing; before long, you’ll be bending bullet trajectories in the manner of the golf balls from the classic Tiger Woods games. Bending bullet routes also feels incredibly satisfying, much like winding a ball around a water hazard and feeling like an invincible professional assassin.

The most intriguing aspect of the game is its plot, which takes you to unexpected locations. At first glance, it could appear as though lone developer René Rother is parodying the styles of Taratino and Suda51, with brief cinematics establishing a very conventional vengeance story. Important characters are also unnamed. As THE GIRL, a former member of THE CULT, hunts out its members—all leading up to a violent showdown with THE LEADER—roles are instead employed as monikers.

Grunge, Grime, and Glitch

The majority of Children of the Sun’s four hours of play is devoted to portraying its masked protagonist as a vigilante hero who seeks revenge for her father’s death, without giving too much away. However, as the story comes to a close, the protagonist’s motivation for her ruthless behavior becomes less clear, casting doubt on her character.

Sun’s images are likewise characterized by indiscriminateness, with their delicious low-poly ambiguity. The color scheme of the game gives the impression that you are playing through an infrared filter; adversaries are surrounded by golden auras, and flames are everywhere on the screen, with scorching orange hues. Consistent with the protagonist’s mental state, the game’s soundtrack is distorted, heavy, and unpredictable.

The review code for Children of the Sun was obtained from the publisher and used on a PC.

Review Overview

Gameplay – 85%

Controls – 80%

Aesthetics – 80%

Content – 75%

Accessibility – 75%

Value – 85%

80%

VERY GOOD

Summary :One of the best examples of independent talent is Children of the Sun. Similar like the bullets of its protagonist, the game’s path is unpredictable. René Rother, a lone developer, first entices you with distant carnage. However, the sniping soon gives way to clever spatial riddles. The encounter will later provoke you to second-guess what you did. Without a question, Devolver employs some of the top talent scouts in the industry.