The idea of combining tactical shooters and puzzle games with the addition of a single bullet that must be steered around a map is something we seldom witness in any regular games, even though we've played plenty of both types of games. Developed by René Rother and published by Devolver Digital, Children of the Sun puts you in charge of doing just that.

To put it another way, it offers an experience similar to that of Sniper Elite, but with visuals reminiscent of the film Mandy. Playing this game isn't necessary for enjoyment or winning; it's just a puzzle game, and it's a lot of fun. The game truly rewards speed and accuracy with high scores. Have we finally found the silver bullet in Children of the Sun, or has it completely missed the mark?

As the developers of Children of the Sun themselves have stated, the game is, in fact, a puzzle shooter with a tactical focus. You take on the role of a girl who is entrusted with the mission of bringing down a wicked cult headed by a leader with beetle-like yellow eyes. The only way to win is to eliminate the leader. The narrative is conveyed through highly stylized, schizophrenic flashing cutscenes that effectively bring this universe to life; there is very little conversation in this.

Although additional character development would have been beneficial, the developer effectively conveys their core idea, which may come across as overly preachy depending on the viewer. Additionally, the storytelling was spot-on for me, a story nerd at heart. Brief, chaotic cutscenes appear every few levels (though they aren't chronologically ordered) and explain why The Girl went on a solo frenzy against the cult and how she's been mentally ill.

Playing the game will lead you through a very straightforward revenge plot, but it's delivered in a very stylized style with minimal speech and deals with some really grim issues. Parts of the story are portrayed through 2D comic panels with a graffiti art style that is pretty cool. Sadly, I don't think the game's 3D parts do it justice, and the final result is an awkward mashup of low-poly nostalgia and seventh-generation gaming. However, the settings are generally really nice. The music fits the mood perfectly: gloomy, strange, and completely dark. The cymbal crash upon hitting a target, the synth pulsating to your footfall as you aim, and the harsh, distorted droning that follows level completion and the bullet's course across the map are all fantastic elements.

There are a total of 26 distinct stages in Children of the Sun, and each one of them features a leaderboard. Upon level selection, you will be treated to a short cutscene that provides a general overview of the area. Subsequently, they will be able to assume full control of the female protagonist. Moving the protagonist, on the other hand, is a fairly intriguing experience because she is firmly attached to a two-dimensional plane that revolves around you.

The movement was reminiscent of the original Killer7, however without the option to choose between various halls and paths. Indeed, stylistically, Children of the Sun owes a great deal to the work of the renowned Goichi Suda. You might be familiar with the gameplay and controls of this game from older PlayStation 1 titles like Pandemonium! if you're a fan of those 2.5D games.

It is a puzzle game in which you take control of a magic bullet. You can change the trajectory of the bullet with each hit. At first, the challenge is straightforward: kill a group of cultists while threading the needle through different circumstances and selecting the correct targets in the correct sequence. However, more complications emerge shortly afterward, such as the ability to detonate gas tanks and utilize birds and fish to re-direct your bullets. Eventually, you will also be able to alter the trajectory of your projectiles or even change their direction mid-shot.

The choice between using the mouse or control is essentially a matter of where you wish to launch your initial shot from, as far as movement is concerned. Having said that, the mouse is my go-to for Children of the Sun. With a joystick, you won't be able to achieve the level of precision needed to succeed in this campaign. Placing a small marking above the heads of cult members allows you to identify them as you move about and shoot down your sights. Additionally, this aids in plotting a course for your bullets to follow. After you have identified the visible cult members—though some may prefer to remain hidden—it's time to select your initial target and unleash the deadly force.

After the sniper bullet has been released and has struck its first target, it is up to you to transfer the bullet to the next enemy, however, you will be restricted in the areas in which you may move it and the ways in which you can move your character. At this point, Children of the Sun's puzzle element becomes apparent. It's important to hit a target or one of the many destructible items in the game for the first bullet to stay in play, therefore where it's placed is vital. Your run will end if you miss an objective.

There are no save places; instead, you must finish each run by ensuring that your single bullet hits each of the predetermined targets. If you are the only one left alive, you will have won the level. The puzzles are always fair, even when you're facing enemies that need maximum velocity to penetrate and targets in vehicles that require careful timing. Juggling all these factors becomes quite challenging, though.

This indicates that runs might be as little as a minute or even shorter depending on your skill level, and they can last as long as an hour as you progress through each level. Mastering the terrain, determining the optimal shooting position, and selecting an effective approach are all crucial. It's up to you to decide whether the bullet would be more effective to ping pong off of birds in the skies to gain a better angle, or to shoot a gas tank to explode a car, potentially eliminating multiple cult members at once.

Although there is some leeway for experimentation, I got the impression that the developers have laid out a rather obvious path for you to follow; now all you have to do is learn it. There are some powers that become available to you as you progress, which makes matters even more complicated. Over time, I mastered the ability to reverse the bullet's trajectory around. These, when hit, activate a special ability on the enemy. Additionally, I mastered the art of the charged-up shot, which necessitates building up speed. In order to eliminate members of the cult who are clad in heavy armor, this is an essential prerequisite.

The gameplay is addictive and occasionally entertaining, though I will admit that my frustration levels did rise on multiple occasions. It was quite frustrating to get so close to landing the final shot that would have completed the level, only to miss my last cult member by a few centimeters. I did not always get the impression that it was detecting everything perfectly; there were times when I felt as though a bullet would just fly through foes without registering as having hit the target.

The level of accuracy required to succeed in Children of the Sun is, without a doubt, enormous. and the importance of the mouse controls becomes apparent at that point. After finishing a level, you can expect to receive a score. The score is determined by several factors, including the distance your bullet travels, the number of headshots you land, the number of moving targets you hit, and the number of side objectives performed on the map.

In addition to the leaderboard competition, there are a few side objectives to complete for some extra replay value. Although I never felt rushed by any in-game timer (aside from the one level that has one), finishing levels faster results in fewer points deducted from your final score. You'll also lose points depending on the number of shots you shoot. Your overall performance is determined by how well you do in comparison to other players across the world.

Even though I was frustrated, I did like solving each puzzle.  It's clear that Children of the Sun stands out from the crowd because there aren't many games like it. So, it definitely deserves some marks for uniqueness.  It took me about five hours to complete the campaign, but it could take you even longer depending on how skilled you are. Additionally, you might need a little bit of luck to get through it without any difficulties.

The game offers a significant deal of variety among its various components. All the way up to and including the game's final level, new powers, target types, and other difficulties are introduced throughout the entirety of the game. In the game, there are only two levels that have a frustrating difficulty spike. One of these levels is a strange minigame that is similar to Pacman, and the other is a vehicle level in which everything is a moving target. Other than that, the remaining levels are just tricky enough to be gratifying to figure out. Apart from the sniping, Children of the Sun does try to change up the gameplay now and then, but not very frequently.

Somewhere in the middle of the game, I was steering the girl's head through a Pac-Man-style labyrinth, and later on, I had to swerve my automobile to dodge blazing Molotov cocktails. Although the mini-games were scarce, I would have preferred it if the game had embraced its basics more heavily. Nonetheless, it is a pleasant change of pace. Ultimately, I don't think Children of the Sun is going to appeal to those who are only interested in shooters and aren't fond of puzzles. This isn't your typical action flick; rather, it's more of a strategy game that requires some brainpower. Killing cult members with a machine gun is not an option here.

Children of the Sun operated flawlessly on my personal computer, and I did not encounter any problems with its performance. Despite the handheld's less-than-stellar frame rates and noticeable visual drops, the game still maintains frame rates of 40 FPS or more, and occasionally even 60 FPS, depending on the level. yet again, using joysticks will severely limit your precision unless you intend to connect a mouse to your Steam Deck. Regardless, interested portable players shouldn't be too worried about the game's performance.

From a stylistic standpoint, however, Children of the Sun has a fantastic appearance. The art style of this game is reminiscent of a horror film set in a desolate forest, but I still find myself returning to Suda 51's earlier titles. The lighting is very stunning, the cult members are downright terrifying, and the landscapes are incredible. Depending on the location of your bullet, it was a delightful experience to observe some of the more intricate characteristics.

Furthermore, the sound design is both beautiful and dynamic. The music that tracked the girl's footsteps was my favorite feature; it created an eerie atmosphere that came alive when listened to through high-quality headphones. Ultimately, it's difficult to deny the excellence of Children of the Sun's soundtrack and visuals.

Regardless of its merits, Children of the Sun seemed like a game I finished once and wasn't particularly interested in picking back up. For someone like me, who isn't naturally very competitive, leaderboards just didn't cut it. and I simply do not intend to return to it, with the possible exception of perhaps attempting to complete the few challenges that I did not complete.

The story's preachiness may turn off some viewers, but I found the themes portrayed to be strong and effective, even though the characters were underdeveloped. Once again, I think it's an enjoyable experience, but I don't think I'd want to play it again and again. On the other hand, that is not a problem at all; it was a rather brief encounter that I found enjoyable.

Children of the Sun is a game that is not only bizarre but also highly exciting; it is one of the more unusual games that I have played in recent times. A brief yet charming puzzle shooter that draws inspiration from Killer7, Mandy, and Sniper Elite. You'll have to play (and restart) a bunch of levels until you figure out the best path to take to defeat all of the enemies and top the scoreboard.

This game is sure to be a hit with you if that's what you're after. It was fun for me to go through the stages and figure out how to advance using just one bullet. It's an interesting idea that's been implemented well, and I can imagine it being expanded upon in future games made by the company, fingers crossed.

Although certain levels were exceedingly frustrating, it was possible to finish all of them after enough practice.  In addition, the visual and auditory design is just outstanding in this instance. It's clear that this is a game tailored to a specific audience; after all, not every game has to appeal to the masses. Those who prefer action-packed adventures over puzzle games might want to look elsewhere than Children of the Sun. Despite some minor annoyances, I had a great time playing this game because of its engaging gameplay loop, beautiful graphics, and well-executed soundtrack.
 

Azfar Rayan (@AzfarRayan)
Senior Editor, NoobFeed