I’ve never wanted to join a cult before, and having played Delvolver Digital and Rene Rother’s Children of the Sun, I know that I never will. And it’s not for the fact that cults have been widely known as pretty negative spaces, but it’s the fact the chance that a powerful hunter could take you out when you least expect it. At least, that’s how things are set up in Children of the Sun. This was a title that I was excited to play after having tested out its demo earlier this year. Now having played the full product, I can say for sure that it’s one of a kind.

Story and Gameplay

A lot of what goes on in Children of the Sun’s storyline is ambiguous to players, with scenes, often bloody, giving us slight context for the motivations that our main anti-hero protagonist is using to snuff out the light of the cult that she’s hunting. But it’s made clear that she was once part of this cult, used for her special abilities which she has honed since escaping them. It’s a pretty heavy game from start to finish, as there’s no spark of hope even when our anit-hero, The Girl, wastes encampments full of cultists. This is a brutal and grim tale of revenge at its purist.

On the gameplay side, that dark feeling is echoed just as perfectly. Every cultist is a basic, faceless, empty vessel that’s just there waiting for you to kill them. The Girl is able to sweep from left to right in a circular motion around each camp, temple, or other cultist-infested location, stalking like a vicious hunter. Only once you’ve marked your targets and have found a good vantage point, should you pull the trigger.

You see, Children of the Sun allows players to harness some really great powers through The Girl, giving this game a sort of a Quicksilver meets Yondu set of skills. The Girl only takes one shot to take out each level of enemies, so once that trigger is pulled, time slows and then the fun begins; you become the bullet. You’ll be able to move from one enemy to the next, watching as they begin to run in terror.

There are multiple enemy types and interactive items around each environment, making each level feel like a murderous puzzle. It’s a truly addictive experience that has some moments to take a breath, thanks to the mini-games strewn throughout the campaign.

Audio and Visuals

I truly love the fact that this title doesn’t have state-of-the-art visuals. it makes the game feel all the more bleak. Between the soulless enemies and The Girl’s nightmarish mask, you get the feeling of this just being a fever dream. The cutscenes are done wonderfully though, with colorful and gruesomely designed as if they were comic strips. The audio is good too but nothing stuck out to me.

Feedback

The thing I love most about Children of the Sun is that it knows exactly when to ramp up the gameplay and how to do it correctly. I was never bored when playing this title and it’s exactly the type of great game development that I’d love to see in every game.

Conclusion

Children of the Sun is one of those games that I would call an indie darling. It takes such a simple premise and makes it feel so fresh and unique. if you’re into crime or horror or just want a new take on a shooter game, then you have to try this. My only hope is that it’ll come to even more platforms because it deserves it.