By Nine Sols stands out as one of the top Metroidvania titles of the recent past, featuring a unique “taopunk” milieu that seamlessly fuses science fiction aspects with a futuristic Asian-fantasy aesthetic. The narrative continues to unfold with an official prequel manga, now accessible in several languages.
This prequel, illustrated by artist Yang Chi-Cheng in collaboration with the manga platform MOJOIN, encompasses numerous narrative arcs that were developed in tandem with the game but could not be incorporated into the final storyline.
“As we worked on Nine Sols, our team had a plethora of ideas regarding Lear’s story; however, due to time limitations and various other considerations, we couldn’t include everything,” stated Nine Sols developer Red Candle Games’ official announcement regarding the unexpected prequel manga, titled The Way of Lear: Prelude.
“Fate smiled upon us about a year ago when we partnered with MOJOIN and encountered the incredible artist, Yang Chi-Cheng,” it added. “Thus, what began as an extravagant notion gradually materialized through the collective dedication of all participants, especially Mr. Yang’s invaluable input. This enabled us to further expand on the narrative of Lear and the realm of Penglai.”
The saga will delve into the origins of Nine Sols, set 500 years before the game’s events.
“Long ago, well before the journey of Nine Sols, two Solarians drastically transformed Penglai’s destiny,” the official synopsis reveals. “One was a visionary Fangshi, while the other was a king among monarchs. Bound by destiny and divided by ideology, their unexpected connection would lead to a fate-challenging conflict. Discover the veiled history. Experience the inception of the Nine Sols saga!”
The manga is now available in English, Chinese, and Japanese via MOJOIN.
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