Wild Lands of Devolver Digital
Devolver Digital isn’t your typical video game publisher. They specialize in the gloriously weird, with independent titles that push the boundaries of storytelling and gameplay while keeping the fun part of a good video game. From the ultra-violent ballet of Hotline Miami to the bizarre deck-building roguelike with a talking squirrel in Inscryption, Devolver embraces the strange.
This eccentricity explodes into their legendary live conferences, where press conferences turn into wrestling matches, CEOs ride flaming motorbikes, and the line between hilarious promotion and genuine chaos blurs beautifully (go see on youtube the best moments of their press conferences). It’s a perfect reflection of their development philosophy: embrace the crazy, and get ready for a wild ride.
One Bullet, Endless Possibilities
Children of the Sun is hoping to deliver that same experience. However, it seems that Devolver took this title “more seriously” than its predecessors.
In this peculiar strategy game disguised as a shooter, we take control of a character simply known as THE GIRL, whose mission is to eliminate THE CULT. Yes, the capitalized presentation is intentional, as that’s how the characters are introduced to us. How does THE GIRL achieve this? By shooting everything and everyone in sight. You might think it’s just another puzzle game with FPS mechanics, but I assure you, it’s something you’ve never seen before.
The core gameplay revolves around manipulating the trajectory of a bullet in a “frozen” world. Each level becomes a gruesome puzzle box where you strategically ricochet the bullet off walls, trigger environmental hazards, and eliminate cultists in a symphony of violence. It’s a unique blend of slow-motion shooter and strategic puzzler, demanding meticulous planning and lightning-fast reflexes.
From Combo King to Bullet Master
The key to racking up points is swift execution. Create combo kills by staying alert and strategically utilizing your environment. You can even exploit birds and gas tanks to extend your bullet’s deadly path until the stage ends. Remember, time only moves when the bullet travels towards its next target, similar to Superhot’s core mechanic.
The campaign in Children of the Sun might be on the shorter side, clocking in at around four to five hours. But don’t let that fool you! To help keep the experience fresh, the protagonist unlocks new psychokinetic abilities as she progresses. These abilities act like power-ups, adding a new layer of strategic depth. Imagine manipulating the bullet’s speed for extra punch or bending its trajectory mid-flight to catch enemies off guard. The enemies themselves evolve too. Bulletproof vests and force fields necessitate careful planning before engaging them. In the end, mastery lies in optimizing your approach, minimizing wasted moves, and making every bullet count.
The scoring system in this game keeps you coming back for more. It takes into account various factors like the distance the bullet travels, the time spent in each stage, the part of the opponent’s body hit, and whether the target is moving. There’s also a global leaderboard where you can compare your scores with others. But the real replayability comes from the multiple ways to approach each stage. And to top it off, a panoramic view of the bullet’s path lets you see the epic destruction you’ve caused.
While the intricate level design is impressive, the occasional hidden enemy can be frustrating to discover, forcing you to replay sections until you find them.
Beauty With Minor Frustrations
The art style is strangely appealing, perfectly matching the game’s quirky atmosphere, a deliberate choice that complements the bizarre events unfolding on screen. Even the act of controlling the bullet as it soars through odd winds adds a layer of beauty to the strange landscapes. This is a Devolver game after all.
As I said, the story is short and nothing special. It gets a somewhat dark tone to it. I like it but maybe is to much for some people. The well-paced game leaves you wanting more after the credits roll, it could have been just a little longer in terms of stages.
A Unique Niche With Devolver DNA
Children of the Sun carves out its own niche with a bold and memorable identity. The game takes a “less is more” approach to its mechanics, but the variety of situations you encounter with those mechanics keeps things fresh and engaging. It’s just a pity that the experience is over too soon, leaving you wanting more from this stylish blend of paranormal mystery, occult horror, and creeping paranoia. I still had a lot of fun with it and something tells me we will hear about Children of the Sun again in the future.
