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Children of the Sun Review: A One-Bullet Puzzle Shooter With a Dark Edge

A dark, focused puzzle-shooter built around planning and steering one bullet. Its inventive levels stand out, but retries and a short campaign narrow its appeal.
Length5 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Children of the Sun is worth playing if you enjoy short, demanding puzzle games built around observation and precision. Its defining idea—planning a route for one bullet, then steering it through a level—makes each encounter feel unlike a conventional firefight. The tradeoff is that failed plans can mean restarting, and the focused campaign may leave players wanting more.

What is Children of the Sun?

Children of the Sun is a single-player PC game developed by René Rother and published by Devolver Digital. Steam lists its release date as April 9, 2024, and its supported operating system as Windows 10 64-bit. The game follows THE GIRL, who is taking revenge on a cult.

Steam describes it as a tactical third-person puzzle-shooter: you guide one bullet through increasingly complex levels, killing cultists, triggering traps and changing the environment. Rather than fighting through waves with an arsenal, you study a scene and work out how a single shot can do the job.

What is the gameplay like?

Scout the scene and plan a route

Each level begins with an opportunity to observe the layout and tag enemies. Position, line of sight and the order of targets matter. Some enemies move, while others may be outside your initial vantage point, so a route that looks clear at first can require more observation or better timing.

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#1 Best Overall
Sale
Ayar: Children of the Sun by Osprey Games | Mid-Weight Euro Strategy Board Game for 1-4 Players, Ages 14+ | Inca Origin Myth Game
  • RETELL THE INCA ORIGIN MYTH: Dramatize the incredible origin myth of the Inca in this mid-weight eurogame of building and growth.
  • SATISFYING EURO STRATEGY: A mid-weight design that rewards planning and engine-building without overwhelming new strategy players.
  • SOLO TO FOUR PLAYERS: Plays from 1 to 4, with a solo mode for practice and a competitive game for the full table.
  • RICH, UNDER-TOLD THEME: Brings a fresh historical and mythological setting to the eurogame shelf.
  • AT A GLANCE: 1 to 4 players, ages 14 and up. A mid-weight strategy board game.

Fire, then control the bullet

After firing, the camera follows the projectile. You can steer it, redirect it after impacts, curve it around obstacles and use abilities to accelerate through armor. Environmental interactions add further possibilities: a shot can trigger traps or reshape parts of a level. The challenge is to chain these actions into a viable sequence rather than simply aim at the nearest target.

Expect puzzle retries, not stealth levels

There is limited movement on foot, so the central problem is not navigating a large space undetected. It is reading the scene and solving the shot. If a target order or trajectory fails, you may have to restart and try a different plan. Steam says levels allow multiple solutions and reward accuracy and efficiency with scoring; online leaderboards offer a reason to refine a successful route.

Rank #2
Rio Grande Games: Beyond The Sun - Strategy Board Game for 2-4 Players
  • As Earth begins to die, it is time for humanity to look Beyond the Sun.
  • Players take turns to take an action available on the technology board, then produce resources
  • Actions allow players to improve their economy, move spaceships, colonize systems, and research new technologies
  • For 2-4 Players. 90-120 minute playing time. Ages 14+

Is Children of the Sun a shooter or a puzzle game?

It uses the language and imagery of sniping, but it plays more like a tactical puzzle game than a standard shooter. You do not spend most of your time switching weapons or trading fire. You look for a solution, commit to a shot and make adjustments while the bullet is in motion. That makes the game a natural fit for players who enjoy planning and experimentation, but a less obvious choice for anyone looking for conventional firefights or weapon variety.

What critics say: a distinctive idea with a retry cost

PC Gamer’s Tom Sykes praised the game’s puzzle design and described its balance succinctly: “A killer puzzle game that tests your skill and your patience.” His review highlights the satisfaction of scouting and testing routes, while noting that a plan gone wrong can leave success feeling like relief after repeated attempts. He also wanted more challenge levels for players who had mastered the campaign.

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GameSpot’s Richard Wakeling called the unconventional approach to sniping “consistently thrilling and wholly satisfying.” His review also praised the game’s story, visual style and music, while identifying the short length as disappointing. In his assessment, the game’s longevity depends largely on how much enjoyment a player gets from its inventive puzzles.

Together, those assessments point to a clear preference test: retries are part of the intended challenge, but they can become frustrating if you want generous recovery after a mistake. The concise format may suit players seeking a focused experience; it is less compelling for those expecting a long campaign with a steady stream of new combat systems.

Rank #4
Continuum Games Go Fish Classic Card Game Fun
  • FISH ARE FRIENDS NOT FOOD: Swim with the sharks and lunch with the lobsters while playing this classic card game of Go Fish! A family favorite just got even more fun with these creative designs.
  • EDUCATIONAL: Go Fish is a great way for young kids to learn how to play cards – how to hold them, how to deal, how to read the numbers, and how to be polite by taking turns.
  • FAMILY TIME: Playing games with your child is an excellent way to foster closeness, teach social interaction skills, as well as challenge them to use their knowledge and strategize.
  • CONTENTS: Includes deck of 48 cards in a sturdy box along with instructions for three game variations; the art is fun, friendly and fresh and they are packaged to make a great gift!
  • SPECIFICATIONS: For 3 to 6 players ages 3 years and older; Go Fish is designed for easy and frustration free game play to encourage fun and challenges for your little ones.

Story, visuals and sound

The revenge premise gives the puzzle-solving a grim context, and the game’s environments and surreal art reinforce its dark, violent tone. The discordant soundscape is part of that atmosphere rather than a backdrop to a conventional action spectacle. GameSpot praised the presentation and story, though the game’s stylized approach may be a better fit for players drawn to mood and imagery than for those seeking a broadly explained, realistic military narrative.

Who should play it?

  • Good fit: Players who like compact, atmospheric games, precision challenges and experimenting with different solutions.
  • Potential mismatch: Players who want a long campaign, lots of weapons, standard firefights or a forgiving way to recover after a failed sequence.
  • For score chasers: Multiple solutions, accuracy and efficiency scoring, and online leaderboards provide reasons to revisit levels, though they may not add much for players who prefer new story content.
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PC requirements, languages and features

The following figures are the requirements published on Steam, not results from independent testing. Steam associates the minimum configuration with low quality at 720p and 30 FPS, and the recommended configuration with high quality at 1080p and 60 FPS.

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Best Value
Pokemon Sun - Nintendo 3DS Sun Edition
  • Pokemon Sun will launch in the US November 18th, 2016 exclusively for the Nintendo 3DS family of systems.
  • Embark on a new adventure as a Pokemon Trainer and catch, battle, and trade all-new Pokemon on the tropical islands of a new Region and become a Pokemon Champion!
  • Rated “E”; Everyone w/ Mild Cartoon Violence
Steam listing Minimum Recommended
Operating system Windows 10 64-bit Not stated
Processor Intel Core i5-2500K or AMD FX-4350 Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
Memory 8 GB RAM 8 GB RAM
Graphics GeForce GTX 760 or Radeon R9 270X GeForce GTX 1650 or Radeon RX 570
DirectX Version 11 Version 12
Storage 4 GB available space 4 GB available space
Store-associated target Low quality, 720p, 30 FPS High quality, 1080p, 60 FPS

Steam lists interface and subtitle support in English, French, German, Spanish (Spain), Japanese, Korean, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese. The listing does not show full audio for these languages. Steam also lists achievements, cloud saves and Family Sharing. PC Gamer’s review metadata identifies the game as Steam Deck Verified; check the current Steam listing for up-to-date compatibility information.

Steam reviews and current rating context

On October 8, 2026, Steam showed 92% positive from 1,396 English user reviews. Its recent-review snapshot showed 100% positive from 27 reviews. These are changing storefront snapshots, and the smaller recent sample should not be read as a broad, permanent consensus. Steam also displayed “81” alongside its Metacritic link on that date; the store page does not explain the aggregation method or critic-review count, so that figure is not presented here as a freshly verified Metacritic score.

Is Children of the Sun worth playing?

For players who want an atmospheric, precision-based puzzle experience, its one-bullet design gives the campaign a strong and unusual identity. Its short length and restart-heavy execution are real limits, not surprises to overlook: whether they feel like useful pressure or needless friction depends on how much you enjoy solving a level through repeated planning. Buy it for the tactical puzzle and mood, not for a sprawling shooter campaign.

Quick Recap

SaleBestseller No. 1
Ayar: Children of the Sun by Osprey Games | Mid-Weight Euro Strategy Board Game for 1-4 Players, Ages 14+ | Inca Origin Myth Game
Ayar: Children of the Sun by Osprey Games | Mid-Weight Euro Strategy Board Game for 1-4 Players, Ages 14+ | Inca Origin Myth Game
AT A GLANCE: 1 to 4 players, ages 14 and up. A mid-weight strategy board game.
$67.74
Bestseller No. 2
Rio Grande Games: Beyond The Sun - Strategy Board Game for 2-4 Players
Rio Grande Games: Beyond The Sun - Strategy Board Game for 2-4 Players
As Earth begins to die, it is time for humanity to look Beyond the Sun.; For 2-4 Players. 90-120 minute playing time. Ages 14+
$37.05
Bestseller No. 3
Bestseller No. 5
Pokemon Sun - Nintendo 3DS Sun Edition
Pokemon Sun - Nintendo 3DS Sun Edition
Rated “E”; Everyone w/ Mild Cartoon Violence
$48.90

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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