Pepper Grinder
Pepper Grinder
Game
Game2024
Children of the Sun
Developer René Rother
Children of the Sun is a 2024 action-puzzle video game developed by René Rother and published by Devolver Digital. In each level, the player character are tasked to eliminate all enemies using one sniper rifle bullet, but players can reaim the bullet each time after it strikes its target. The game was released for Windows in April 2024. From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
322 reactions from 3 sources (Steam reviews, Bluesky, Mastodon) · newest Nov 5, 2026 · last updated Nov 5, 2026 · How this works
Audience score
92
LovedLoved
193 positive · 16 negative
95% range 88–95%
| Source | + | − | = |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steam reviews | 193 | 16 | 0 |
| Bluesky * | 48 | 0 | 50 |
| Mastodon * | 7 | 2 | 6 |
* shown, not counted in the score (label accuracy below our 85% bar or not yet audited).
Steam's own rating
Very Positive
1,463 of 1,579 reviews positive (all languages, per Valve)
What players are saying
92% recommend · 179 yes, 16 no
Counted from the reviewers’ own thumbs up/down on the 195 English Steam reviews we collected, not by the AI. Valve’s all-language rating: Very Positive (2,162 of 2,325 positive).
Players praise the unique puzzle-sniper gameplay and stylish aesthetic. [1][2][3] Some note the game is short but satisfying, with a few frustrating levels. [4][5][6] A minority criticize the price, jankiness, or hidden enemies. [6][7][8]
Liked
Representative posts
- [6]
Interesting gameplay idea. Too short and too janky to be worth 20$. 5$? Yeah, for sure.
- [1]
Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment Would you capture it or just let it slip? This is a very unique game, the story is full of depressive anger, the more it reveal through chapters, the more hatred you have towards the enemies. The mechanic is crazy, demanding but at the same time very satisfying. Highly recommend.
- [3]
Children of the Sun is a mood Whether you like puzzle games with a little extra flair or got edginess to your core (like I do) you will enjoy this. Very little story to speak of but what is there is told brilliantly through little comics and dream sequences all with that edgy dream like neon aesthetic I absolutely adore. It doesn't matter that it's not all explained, the game sets the mood for killing cultists …
- [10]
Children of the Sun is essentially a puzzle game about killing your way through a cult with one bullet. Each time you hit a target, time stops and you get to reaim and shoot at another one. The levels start out easy aim-click-reaim-click, but as the game goes on, more and more complications are added to the missions. You'll unlock the ability to curve bullets, reaim midflight (limited per 2 critical hits) and speed …
- [2]
Children of the Sun is an experiment combining the critical thinking of a puzzle game with the satisfaction of shooting someone in the head. You play a telepathic sniper, bouncing your single shot from target to target. Occasionally using your abilities to curve the bullet, like in my favorite James McAvoy film, Wanted. Most levels follow a simple formula. An open area, a staggering of cultists who require bullets …
Summarised from 34 of the 291 public posts collected about this game; every point cites the posts behind it ([n] opens the post) and the split is counted from the posts’ own ratings. Updated Oct 9, 2026. How summaries are made
RottenBot@rottenbot · automated account
92% of the 195 Steam reviewers we collected recommend Children of the Sun. The complaint that keeps coming up: one level is considered terrible. Deal-breaker or nitpick?
Critics, per Wikipedia
The game received "generally favorable" reviews according to review aggregator Metacritic. Fellow review aggregator OpenCritic assessed that the game received strong approval, being recommended by 87% of critics. Diego Nicolás Argüello from Game Informer wrote that "Children of the Sun is a prime example of an experience born from a straightforward premise and then iterated for the right amount of time before it loses its charm". He felt that the core gameplay loop was engaging and satisfying, and he felt that the game's visuals and soundtracks "make for a haunting sensorial stimulation". Toussaint Egen from Polygon praised the game for its replayability and for encouraging players to…
From the “Reception” section of Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. Critic context only — not part of the audience score.
Reactions
60 of 322 · most liked firstA Valiskar from the Children of the Sun Clan, one of the pregens for the Fomoria quickstart guide I'm preparing. If want to get the demo once it's done, consider joining my mailing list to receive the download link and help me make a better game! #morkborg #fomoria #ttrpgs
neutral · AI labelView post →In case you're waiting for the new Genshin Impact update for that one just announced new game mode, just go get Children of the Sun instead while it's on sale!
neutral · AI labelView post →My Game of the Year 2024 List: 10. Astro Bot 9. Children of the Sun 8. Crow Country 7. Kunitsu-Gami 6. Unicorn Overlord 5. Webfishing 4. Metaphor ReFantazio 3. Nine Sols 2. Shiren the Wanderer 6 1. Balatro Game of the (other) year: Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Rescue Team Red.
positive · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun is a video game you can buy. It has received generally favorable reviews. If you don't believe it, that's what Wikipedia says. (Also it's 60% off right now in the @devolverdigital.com Publisher Sale if you feel like spending money 👀)
neutral · AI labelView post →A new Abnormal Mapping! We played Children of the Sun, a puzzle game about sniping an entire map of guys with a single bullet. How? Backwoods magic! A pleasant game to talk through, please enjoy the episode! www.abnormalmapping.com/the-abnormal...
neutral · AI labelView post →played like six or seven levels of Children of the Sun and lemme tell you: that game *fucks.*
positive · AI labelView post →Stoked to see many games I got to work with be nominated for The Indie Game Awards 😭 Buckshot Roulette, Mouthwashing, The Plucky Squire, Children of the Sun, Keylocker, Nine Sols, Animal Well, Magical Delicacy, DREDGE. IRL Buckshot Roulette Table is going to be a lot of fun next year! Stay Tuned~
neutral · AI labelView post →What's the best game you've played this year that you think most people probably haven't? Me: Apartment Story Arco Children Of The Sun DoronkoWanko [ECHOSTASIS] Isles Of Sea And Sky No Case Should Remain Unsolved Phantom Spark Phoenix Springs Sudden Death Sugar Tiny Terry's Turbo Trip Xenosphere
positive · AI labelView post →German indie developer René Rother is behind the creative game Children of the Sun. Over the course of the year, we had the opportunity to talk to him about the game, indie dev challenges and the failed pitch that led to a deal with @devolverdigital.com. www.gamesmarkt.de/business/int...
neutral · AI labelView post →Hi my name's René, I'm a solodev who most recently made Children of the Sun. I'm focusing on doing games with simple game mechanics and a strong atmosphere. 🔥
neutral · AI labelView post →A good time to buy Children of the Sun for cheap and make it your future 32th favorite game, or just gift it to a messy friend to make their Library even more cluttered!
neutral · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun is $8.99 during the steam sale A great sniper puzzle game but also EXTREMELY GOOD SOUNDTRACK BY AIDEN BAKER OF NADJA (and several other projects). store.steampowered.com/app/1309950/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Children Of The Sun is amazing, and its going to be such a shame when the entire game turns up as a "new and innovative mechanic" in the next Far Cry game. store.steampowered.com/app/1309950/...
positive · AI labelView post →For those curious about the design 🎲✂️ process, you can now pop over to BGG and read the design diary from @flopiano.bsky.social and me for our newly released game, Ayar: Children of the Sun. boardgamegeek.com/blog/1/blogp...
neutral · AI labelView post →As promised and delivered last second, the lineup for this year's Variety December specials (dates are estimates) Children of the Sun: TONIGHT Zeno Clash I & II: 13th-15th Sifu: 20th - 22nd Neva: 27th -29th And a surprise extra special game extending into the first weekend of 2025, on Jan 4th 👀
neutral · AI labelView post →Steam achievements (5 out of 42 that I can show) for the game "Legends of Savvarah: Children of the Sun" which will be released at the end of the year. #gameart #art
neutral · AI labelView post →Interesting gameplay idea. Too short and too janky to be worth 20$. 5$? Yeah, for sure.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I love this game to death, but it has a level so unbelievably terrible I recommend just editing your save and skipping it. 1 - Get to "Chasing a Lie" 2 - Play a little bit and go back to the map 3 - Close the game 4 - Go to "C:\Users\[YOUR NAME]\AppData\LocalLow\primaerfunktion\ChildrenOfTheSun\[YOUR USER ID]" 5 - Create a backup of "cots.horny" and put it somewhere else 6 - Open the original "cots.horny" in notepad and copy all lines between these dashes ↓…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Look, if you had one shot or one opportunity To seize everything you ever wanted in one moment Would you capture it or just let it slip? This is a very unique game, the story is full of depressive anger, the more it reveal through chapters, the more hatred you have towards the enemies. The mechanic is crazy, demanding but at the same time very satisfying. Highly recommend.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →as far as my personal game awards, i want to tell you to play Pepper Grinder. play Children of the Sun, Indika, 1000XResist, Crow Country, Nine Sols, Until Then, Thank Goodness You're Here, I Am Your Beast, Mouthwashing, SomnaBuster. give them love. give them what mainstream can't.
positive · AI labelView post →Just some thoughts on games I played last week Duck Detective - Chefs kiss Children of the Sun - my Neon White of 2024 Hellblade - not enough space for my opinion but good game Yellow Taxi Goes Vrooom - omfgoat Stardew Valley after 1 year - yeay Yakuza 4 - Fucking good as always
positive · AI labelView post →I get it, it's mostly about the aesthetics, but it's not for me, too much noise, grain, and edge for my tastes. I thought there would be a little more depth than "aim-click-aim-click", I imagined more akin Tactical Breach Wizard, albeit a much simplified version. But it's not. If you love the looks of it though, you'll have a blast.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Game Spotlight 11/3/2025 CHILDREN OF THE SUN Take down a sinister cult by way of sniper rifle. The catch? You only have one bullet. Use magical abilities to make your shot count, redirecting its trajectory to ensure everyone goes down in this puzzle-sniper. store.steampowered.com/app/1309950/...
neutral · AI labelView post →Just finished Children of the Sun! This game is so sick! Even the runs where I was flubbing it up BAD, I still felt like a bad ass every time I sniped someone in the skull!! Check it out if you haven't!
positive · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun is an experiment combining the critical thinking of a puzzle game with the satisfaction of shooting someone in the head. You play a telepathic sniper, bouncing your single shot from target to target. Occasionally using your abilities to curve the bullet, like in my favorite James McAvoy film, Wanted. Most levels follow a simple formula. An open area, a staggering of cultists who require bullets in their brains, and a plan to maneuver a single shot through them all. As the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →5. Children of the Sun from Misguided Games. I loved the dieselpunk fantasy lore of this game. A shame the creators seem to have vanished.
positive · AI labelView post →As for the GAME, we were playing CHILDREN OF THE SUN and it whipped ass. The Killer7 sniper vibes were palpable and I loved every minute of it. Go check it out!! store.steampowered.com/app/1309950/...
positive · AI labelView post →I finished playing Children of the Sun yesterday, and I had a good time for the 4 hours I spent with the game. The game doesn't give much by way of narrative, but I think the story it tells and the art style worked for me. It's a violent game that feels peaceful, and it deals with religious trauma.
positive · AI labelView post →I actually do want to play a game with all of you though - we're gonna do it when we start with the Minecraft after Children of the Sun and it's really simple because you don't even have to prep anything. It's called "Null's Chat Saves the World" and we're gonna save the "hypothetical" world.
neutral · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun seems like it's probably a one trick pony - it's a 4-6 hour game and it has one thing you do, but I feel like that's okay. It seems like one of those games that once you play it, you can play it once every few years for a few hours and that's lock. It's a good niche to have.
neutral · AI labelView post →Hey friends, I’ve got two really fun indie game streams this week! Thursday night, I’m playing #MikaAndTheWitchsMountain, to which I was kindly #gifted a key from @chibigstudio.bsky.social! Thank you, Chibig Studio! 📦🧹 Saturday morning, I’m playing Children of the Sun! 💜 Twitch.tv/Bo__Po
neutral · AI labelView post →We're live with the second half of the day, and I couldn't be more excited to be on the mic 🎤 Join in now to watch a very unique game with a special perspective in Children of the Sun 🌞 and stick around for the rest of the horrors we have tonight 👀
neutral · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun is a mood Whether you like puzzle games with a little extra flair or got edginess to your core (like I do) you will enjoy this. Very little story to speak of but what is there is told brilliantly through little comics and dream sequences all with that edgy dream like neon aesthetic I absolutely adore. It doesn't matter that it's not all explained, the game sets the mood for killing cultists perfectly. The premise is very simple. It's Sniper Elite, puzzle edition. You…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →I don't have a media list thread but I just want to post about Children of The Sun; It's a fun puzzle game where you need to take out the cultists who ruined your life with one bullet. Luckily, you're a psychic and can refire the bullet from inside the skulls of your enemies. Insanely satisfying.
positive · AI labelView post →www.twitch.tv/squidpunk/ There's a thunderstorm outside my apartment while I play Children of the Sun, so this is probably the best way to enjoy the game (along with my commentary about all things nonsense)
neutral · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun is a very special game and I enjoy it very much even tho I suck at it on later stages.
positive · AI labelView post →Going to do a quick thread today on my 10 favourite games of 2024. 1. Children of the Sun A great sniper game builds up to that moment when you squeeze the trigger, but Children of the Sun stretches that glorious second out, giving you an ace puzzle-shooter that turns heads (into bloodsplosions).
positive · AI labelView post →I am giving Children of the Sun a cautious recommendation, but it comes with its caveats - spoilers for game mechanics and such ahead. It's a short puzzle-like game where you have to shoot all targets in a level to complete it. To do so, you can move around a fixed path (which reminded me of Killer 7, great game) to find the perfect angle, then shoot. After you hit a target, you can redirect the bullet to a different target. The challenge then comes from finding the perfect path through the…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →A while ago @flopiano.bsky.social and I had a chat with @fredserval.bsky.social on the history (and mythology, and blurry lines between the two) informing the design of our game Ayar: Children of the Sun (link in the comments).
neutral · AI labelView post →This is a seriously good game. Really challenging on some levels but so satisfying when you figure out a working path to kill them all. Very unique combination of strategy/shooter/puzzle that I've never seen before. There's not a lot of story and it's told predominantly through images, but there's enough there to understand the sniper's motivation and the gameplay is so much fun it really doesn't matter that there's not a ton of story behind it. Absolutely loved it and would highly recommend…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The game is basically connecting dots in a 3D space with a single bullet. You have two phases, an exploration phase and an action phase, but that’s a very non-violent way to describe the game. The whole atmosphere, the music, the story, and the whole package can be unsettling (at least for me). From a puzzle perspective, this is a fairly light game. Some maps can be a little challenging because of the moving parts, but otherwise, the true endgame is the scoreboard. It's a game made by…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →The core concept is really interesting but at some point the level design starts to have enemies hidden out of view from your vantage point. Which is fine you kinda need to wing it and be observant to redirect your bullet mid flight that's the whole premise of the game. But eventually that graduates into not just hiding enemies from your vantage point but literally just hiding them period with no easy way to find them. You just have to keep taking potshots and lose the level until you finally…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →30 - Children of the Sun A puzzle game based on a snipping mechanic. It's quite smart and unique, with mechanics that get more complex with each level, really pushing what can be done with a bullet and psychic powers.
positive · AI labelView post →Aaand we're back! We've all got #Fallout on the brain, so this week's show is about five less-fortunate game-to-movie/TV adaptations stuck in development hell. Plus #HaroldHalibut, Children of the Sun, #FalloutOnPrime reactions, and much more! vidjagameapocalypse.libsyn.com/trapped-in-h...
neutral · AI labelView post →A bit conflicted on whether to recommend this or not, but ultimately I think I'm going with a no. There's a few reasons for it, not limited to the rather incoherent story that is told is such a chaotic manner you can interpret it in multiple ways. The protagonist herself feels rather juvenile and unnecessarily edgy for the sake of edge; licking her gun, talking about being horny after killing men, etc. It's easy to see that something traumatic happened to them, possibly involving the death of…
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Can confirm that Gunpoint and Children of the Sun are bangers. That said, Children of the Sun is a puzzler disguised as a sniping game, so if you actually wanted some snipin' action you're better off with the Sniper Elite series.
positive · AI labelView post →ICYMI: Issue 21 is out now! Featuring reviews of Ayar: Children of the Sun, Vantage, Star Wars: Battle of Hoth and more! Go to senetmagazine.com to order a copy or subscribe. #boardgamesarebeautiful
neutral · AI labelView post →All those "Connect the dots" games from my childhood led me to this day. Pretty interesting and original puzzle game.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →we finished off Signalis with the PROMISE ending; thanks to everyone who stopped in during the 3 streams and to all who saw the end! next few streams we'll play Children of the Sun. later I would like to come back to Signalis to get the last 3 achievos and hopefully see another ending...
neutral · AI labelView post →Hey everyone - we're going live with the second half of Children of the Sun! And this time I'm NOT going to over write my game! Let's ventilate some evil cultists and chat or just the chill vibes wash over you. www.twitch.tv/null_convent...
neutral · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun rules, but if I was making a horror tinged sniping game I would've definitely named my studio Scope Creep
positive · AI labelView post →Children of the Sun Very stylish and really good sniper puzzle game, I felt so giddy when I managed to work out a solution
positive · AI labelView post →[[[ CAUTION: My keyboard is broken, so one letter will be missing in this rewiew! You'we been warned. ]]] Really fun! My only major criticism so far is that it's hard to tell what the "time" score penalty actually represents, or what the left turn sign under some lewels in the menu means. Update after 5 more hours: Ok the left turn sign makes sense newermind. I don't like the "horny" lewel though. Not because of the idea itself in this game, but because it just giwes me... potential…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is an excellent puzzle game with a high degree of expression and fair mechanics. I especially enjoy the storytelling on display. If you enjoy snipers, cult takedowns, and psychedelic visuals, this game is for you.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Children of the Sun is essentially a puzzle game about killing your way through a cult with one bullet. Each time you hit a target, time stops and you get to reaim and shoot at another one. The levels start out easy aim-click-reaim-click, but as the game goes on, more and more complications are added to the missions. You'll unlock the ability to curve bullets, reaim midflight (limited per 2 critical hits) and speed up the bullet to hit through armoured enemies. Some of the later levels took…
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →This is not a bad game by any means, but just not for someone like me. I think I expected something more puzzle-y and less score attack-y? I wanted something that had the vibe of sniper elite but as a puzzle game and instead this is more like sniper elite as an arcade game. I bounced off of it pretty hard, although I did dig the aesthetic.
negative · reviewer's own thumbsView post →Children of the Sun Man I did myself a disservice waiting on this game. So stylish. Such a neat puzzle game. I would love to see more like it someday.
positive · AI labelView post →Going live in about 5 and checking out a new game for me today, Children of the Sun! Should be tons of fun as I learn how to trick shot. Channel: twitch.tv/capariansol #vtuber #ChildrenoftheSun
neutral · AI labelView post →I finished Children of the Sun today store.steampowered.com/app/1309950 A really fun game about controlling the path of a bullet through enemies and chaining kills. It starts easy, and becomes a proper puzzle game as the levels become more complex and you acquire new abilities.
positive · AI labelView post →Fun, short game with well designed challenges. Definitely worth buying, especially when you don't have much time but still want to finish something.
positive · reviewer's own thumbsView post →
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