Unlocking all achievements in Red Candle Games' masterpiece Nine Sols requires completing every main story boss, uncovering hidden collectibles, making specific narrative choices, and mastering advanced combat mechanics like the Qi-infused Unbound Counter. Because the game features missable achievements tied to NPC side quests and specific ending conditions, earning a 100% completion rate demands careful planning across New Kunlun. To learn more about unlocking hidden elements, check out this guide on how to unlock all secret characters in Nine Sols, and optimize your frame rates during frantic parry sequences using the Nine Sols best graphics settings for high performance.
Understanding Missable Achievements and Save Management
Before diving deep into New Kunlun, you must understand that Nine Sols does not feature a post-game free-roam state after the final boss battle. Once you trigger the point of no return in the Empyrean District, you are locked into the climax of the narrative. To secure all achievements in a single run—specifically those tied to different endings—you must utilize manual save backups. On PC, your save files are located in the AppData local folder. By backing up your save right before entering the final boss encounter against Eigong, you can reload your progress to experience both major endings and save dozens of hours of repetitive playthroughs.
Furthermore, several achievements require completing every NPC questline in the Four Seasons Pavilion hub. Characters such as Shennong, Kuafu, Shuanshuan, and Chiyou will request various items, seeds, and artifacts throughout your journey. Failing to complete these requests before progressing the main story can permanently lock you out of crucial achievement flags. Always talk to every NPC after every major boss defeat and check the bulletin board for new tasks.
Combat and Progression Achievements
A significant portion of your achievement list revolves around mastering combat, upgrading Yi's cyber-Taoist abilities, and surviving grueling encounters against the nine Sols. You will unlock trophies automatically for defeating the primary antagonists: Goumang, Yanlao, Ji, Lady Ethereal, Fuxi & Nuwa, Jiequan, and the final tyrant, Eigong. However, standard completion is only half the battle. Several combat achievements require mastering specific mechanics, such as successfully executing 100 Unbound Counters, destroying projectile attacks back at enemies using Azure Bow arrows, and overloading targets with internal poison damage using talisman paper tags.
To maximize your combat efficiency, you should also focus on exploring every nook and cranny of the Grotto of Sages, Agricultural Zone, and Factory. Finding all Pipe Vials to increase your HSIO healing flask capacity, upgrading your Azure Bow quiver size, and maxing out your Pipe Node slots for powerful Jade passive boosts are all tied to exploration achievements. If you enjoy challenging action titles that demand high skill ceilings, you might also appreciate looking into other demanding experiences, much like preparing for high-difficulty encounters detailed in this Lies of P best weapons tier list.
Collectibles, Research Notes, and Lore Achievements
New Kunlun is dense with lore items, computer logs, historical artifacts, and mysterious relics that flesh out the grim lore of Solarian society. Achievements such as 'Historian' and 'Archivist' require you to collect and read every single piece of text data scattered across the map. Pay close attention to terminal computers in the Research Center and hidden USB drives tucked away behind destructible walls. Many of these areas require unlocking advanced traversal tools first, such as the Cloud Piercer charge attack or the ability to air-dash through corruption barriers.
Additionally, you must collect all mutated flora for Shennong's herbalism side quest. Cultivating every seed in the greenhouse planter box not only grants powerful healing consumables and passive upgrades but also triggers the associated achievement for completing the botanical compendium. Keep a meticulous checklist of every zone's completion percentage displayed on your map UI; if a zone reads less than 100%, there is still a hidden chest, item, or NPC interaction waiting to be discovered.
Slaying the Nine Sols: Boss Strategies and Flawless Victories
The true test of your mettle in pursuit of 100% completion is conquering the game's brutal boss roster. Each Solarian leader possesses multi-phase attack patterns that punish imprecise parrying. For instance, Lady Ethereal introduces relentless illusion attacks that test your spatial awareness and reaction speeds, while Jiequan utilizes overwhelming hyper-armor strikes that demand precise timing with the Unbound Counter.
When facing the ultimate boss, Eigong, you must survive three distinct phases, the last of which introduces screen-filling cosmic attacks that can deplete your entire health bar in seconds. Equipping defensive Jades that increase parry windows, enhance internal damage absorption, and boost healing efficiency is vital. Study boss telegraphs carefully; red attacks must be countered with the Unbound Counter dash, while yellow attacks require standard parries or dodging. For players who love deep progression systems and character building, similar strategic optimization can be found when learning how to level up fast in Metaphor ReFantazio.
Unlocking All Endings and Final Steps
Nine Sols features distinct narrative conclusions based on your relationships with the inhabitants of the Four Seasons Pavilion and whether you choose to use the Tai-Dao seed device. To unlock all ending-related achievements, you must fulfill specific prerequisite conditions throughout the campaign, such as fully curing Kuafu's ailment and completing every resident's personal questline.
Consult official community hubs like the Nine Sols Steam Store Page or the developer's announcements on the Red Candle Games Official Website for hotfixes or balance adjustments that may affect achievement triggers. By meticulously backing up your saves, leaving no stone unturned in exploration, and mastering the intricate parry system, you will successfully earn every single achievement and conquer the haunting sci-fi world of New Kunlun.