Summary
Children of the Sunis an indie, third-person shooter game with a simple goal: get revenge. The road to getting there isn’t as easy, however, and watching cutscenes from the main character’s past can be a bit uncomfortable. Players will take on the role as the sole sniper with one bullet whenChildren of the Sunreleases in just a few days.
In a recent interview with Game Rant, solo developer René Rother described how supplying one bullet to The Girl, the unnamed protagonist, changed the whole dynamic of the game and eventually became a metaphor for a deeper meaning behindChildren of the Sun.
One Bullet Means Something More In Children of the Sun
Children of the Sunallows players who assume the role of the sniper to control one bullet and guide it through each level to kill cultists. Before going for the kill, players must scope out the area and mark their targets to ensure the shot won’t miss; if successful, they move onto the next target, but if it’s not, the kill must be restarted. Not only is the bullet used to take out targets, but it also triggers traps and “reshapes the environment.”
Additionally, depending on the location, the path isn’t always clear. Players may find themselves peeking through objects, waiting for the right moment to take the shot, or needing to think quickly about how to send the bullet through the cracked roof of a building. In later levels,the ability to curve bulletsmid-flight can be unlocked. Each level is replayable and there are multiple solutions, “encouraging creativity and experimentation.” Rother said utilizing just one weapon with one bullet wasn’t the initial plan, but when he tried thinking about how to explain the mechanic, it somehow worked out perfectly; he compared it to “connecting the dots in three-dimensional space.”
I think it just creates a very interesting dynamic of thinking about what you even need to do. This is what makes it actually a puzzle game. I was experimenting a little bit with making multiple bullets that you may have multiple shots, but that just made it suddenly into a completely different game. It just changed it a lot. It’s more of a gameplay decision than it is in a story decision.
It’s just much more interesting gameplay to me and it fits to the theme also very nicely that you are just this one person, you have this one bullet and this is all you have.
The Girl Is Not A Hero
Cutscenes throughout the gameplay show that The Girl was raised to be a hunter. She easily kills animals, which can be transferred to people, Rother said. In the trailer, it’s revealed that The Girl is able to identify her targets by seeing glowing figures, almost like a sixth sense, but Rother said that ability speaks more to her skills and how she was raised. Still, The Girl shouldn’t be viewed as a role model, the developer added. She can be compared to iconicprotagonist Dante fromDevil May Crywho is a paranormal mercenary seeking revenge on those who killed his mother and tainted his brother; he is violent, disrespectful, and lax, yet many admire his character not for his lethal actions, but more for his attitude and determination. As for The Girl inChildren of the Sun, Rother thinks she represents someone taking life into their own hands.
If we take away going out with a gun and taking revenge, it’s more about taking your life into your own hands and doing something about it. And maybe talking about trauma’s maybe a bit too much, so talking more about like, how do you want to live your life? You always need to be a bit more active.
You cannot just wait for things to happen. Even luck is one of those things which you need to be prepared for. It’s like luck is when preparation meets some case which just happens. You need to be prepared for things and that’s maybe something that people can take out of it to be active about living their life but not with a gun. Please.
WithChildren of the Sun’s focus on seeking revenge, it may provide comfort for any player seeking that type of refuge. The opportunity to replay levels with different outcomes and compare scores with scoring leaderboards around the world may also help keep the game engaging for long periods of time.Children of the Sunseems to be a mix of classic shooter gameslikeHitman, Killer7andSniper Elite, but with an evil religious cult tossed in. While the villainous cult trope might be a tad overplayed, Rother’s approach to the concept could be refreshing due to the bold game mechanics, melancholic world, and accompanying eerie, electronic music.
Children of the Sunwill be released on PC on June 27, 2025.
