The Nine Oaths is an indie RPG adventure for PC that follows eight travelers bound by a shared promise to protect the world. The story unfolds through their individual perspectives as they navigate a land shaped by the fall of the Light. Players begin with Aldren, a guard captain carrying a cracked stone that hums with unknown power, and gradually assemble the first four companions across successive chapters. The remaining four travelers can then be sought in any order across different regions, allowing the narrative to branch according to personal choices.
Gameplay
Core gameplay centers on exploration and character-driven storytelling across 27 hand-built diorama maps. These compact environments include farm villages, a cathedral city, an ancient wood, a mining town, a lighthouse coast, and a crater of black glass. Paper-doll characters move, blink, gesture, and fidget amid details such as swaying grass, real fire, rain, snow, and falling stars. An original score built around one main theme supports the atmosphere throughout.
Combat emphasizes tactical depth over simple button presses. Players identify a foe's weakness, reduce its Bulwark, and apply chained effects like Bind, Expose, and Sunder to deal heavy damage. Resources such as Valor and Surge enable multiple strikes in a single turn. The Oath mechanic links all four active travelers into a powerful finishing chain, while each Warden later gains access to a personal Oath ability. New ideas appear one at a time through purpose-built encounters rather than lengthy text explanations.
Side quests and optional content expand the experience. Each traveler possesses a unique talent usable on townsfolk, and hidden bosses plus one superboss await dedicated players. After the main story concludes, Echo Trials unlock rematches against every defeated boss.
Game Modes
The primary experience follows a single-player story structured around chapters. The first four companions arrive in sequence, after which the remaining four can be recruited in flexible order. Three chapters per traveler incorporate Fireside Talks that reveal relationships between companions. All paths lead to a shared ending where the group confronts their choices with open eyes.
Post-credits content centers on Echo Trials, a mode dedicated to boss rematches. Full controller support includes matching button icons and a dedicated Steam Deck preset, alongside accessibility options that adjust various gameplay elements.
Story and World
Eight strangers gather at a hilltop circle of nine standing stones long before the Light fell. A guard captain, priestess, hunter, astronomer, thief, sell-sword, weaver, and lighthouse keeper each arrive with separate motivations yet swear the same oath to safeguard the world. The narrative presents events from within their viewpoints, emphasizing personal stakes and collective purpose. The game stands alone as a prequel, requiring no prior experience with related titles.
Is It Worth Playing?
The Nine Oaths suits players who enjoy narrative-focused indie RPGs with deliberate pacing and layered combat. Its chapter structure and flexible recruitment order reward replay attempts through different companion combinations and side content. Echo Trials provide meaningful post-game challenges for those who complete the main story. Controller support and accessibility features broaden its appeal for varied play styles and hardware setups. Those seeking a compact yet detailed single-player adventure centered on character stories and tactical battles will find a cohesive experience here.
