The Sun Knight 5 is really good. The gameplay feels fresh, and it introduces new places—especially the Dark Place, which is inside the Abyss. The atmosphere is heavy and strange in a good way. The levels feel like they were designed to make you feel lost at first, then slowly confident as you learn how the realm works.
And it's not just the location. Sony now has support from Solumbra, the Black Sun—a sun deity whose power is being abused and twisted by the residents of the Abyss and the ones controlling them. Solumbra isn't just a "talking weapon." It feels like a real character with pride, anger, and purpose. The conversations between Sony and Solumbra make the journey feel less lonely, and the writing makes Solumbra feel ancient and royal, not like a normal NPC.
The gameplay also has a strong sense of progression. After Sony gets his hands on the Solumbra Might greatsword, the game opens up in a satisfying way. You don't just become stronger instantly—you earn it, piece by piece. More Solumbra abilities unlock as you push forward, and each unlock changes how you approach fights.
The core abilities of Solumbra Might are Black Flame and Void Weaver. Black Flame lets you spread black fire that feels dangerous and oppressive, not flashy. It's great for pressure and control, especially when enemies try to swarm you. Void Weaver is even more interesting: it lets you coat your slashes with void, giving your attacks a darker "bite," and it encourages smart timing instead of button mashing. The sword abilities are built around this theme, so it feels consistent—like the weapon has a real identity.
The game doesn't treat these powers like simple upgrades. Black Flame and Void Weaver feel like tools with rules. You have to manage when to use them, when to save them, and how to combine them with movement and positioning. That makes every new ability unlock feel earned, and it makes the progression feel meaningful instead of just numbers going up.
Not only that—Sony gains other gear that makes the whole Solumbra route feel deeper than a single weapon upgrade. He obtains the Solumbra Will Shield, a unique shield that can absorb an incoming strike and then reflect that force back at the attacker. It isn't an automatic "win button," either—you have to time it well, and if you get greedy, you get punished. But when you land a perfect absorb-and-bounce, it feels like the Dark Realm finally respects you for a second.
As Sony bonds with Solumbra, he also gains access to more of Solumbra's magic—mostly void-based techniques and refined Black Flame spells. These aren't just new animations. They change how you play, because void magic rewards spacing and patience, while Black Flame rewards pressure and control. It feels like Sony is learning a foreign language, and every new spell is a new sentence he can speak in battle.
Then there's the Solumbra Protection Armor—a black set that doesn't only protect him, but increases the wearer's strength. The armor looks like it belongs to the realm: sharp, regal, and a little terrifying, like a knight's uniform in a kingdom where the sun never rises.
And the coolest addition is The Black Light Mode. In this mode, the Solumbra Might becomes formless, allowing Sony to wield it like a whip or shape it into a spear. It adds a completely different range style, and it feels earned—like Sony is no longer just holding a weapon, but commanding a living power.
Aside from that, Sony even gains a new hand from the Black Ice Lich inside the Abyss. It's not just a replacement—it's a dark gift with consequences. With this hand, he can cast Dark Ice Magic, adding a fresh arsenal and new weapon interactions that make the combat feel broader and more creative the deeper you go.
The stages are also really smart and well-designed. They're filled with clever puzzles, satisfying shortcuts, and little "aha" moments where you realize the map is looping back on itself. Sometimes you unlock a gate and suddenly you're two minutes away from the save point you struggled to reach earlier. It feels intentional, like the stage designers actually respected the player's time.
The bosses are great too, and they're not just big health bars. Each one teaches you a lesson about the Dark Place.
First there's The Ice Lich, the one who gives Sony that cursed new hand. The fight is cold and cruel—slow, controlling patterns that punish impatience, and Dark Ice magic that turns the arena into a trap if you keep standing in the same place.
Then comes Grombura, the gigantic monster with the face of frogs. It sounds silly on paper, but in-game it's terrifying. It's a disgusting, heavy boss that uses tongue-whip grabs, poison breath, and shockwave jumps that force you to keep moving.
After that, Huan Ghi, the remnant of a shadow swordsman. This one feels like a duel. Fast footwork, feints, and counterattacks that punish greedy swings. The moment you think you've learned his pattern, he changes his timing and makes you earn every hit.
Then you face Black Sun Paladin—a knight who looks holy at first glance, until you notice the "light" around him is actually corrupted. He fights like a wall: shields, disciplined pressure, and bursts of black flame that feel like twisted prayers.
After him is Black Sun First Knight, the kind of boss that feels like a final exam. He's proud, relentless, and the arena itself seems to favor him. The fight is long, but it never feels cheap—just demanding.
And finally, the last boss: Razio Hed, the Black Sun's Corrupted Apostle.
The story is also great. Along the way, Solumbra constantly accompanies Sony—commenting on places, reacting to enemies, correcting Sony's assumptions, and sometimes mocking him like an ancient royal who forgot what it's like to be human. Solumbra even sounds excited that she can finally speak freely again, because not many humans can communicate with a Sun Deity and survive the conversation.
As the plot thickens, it turns out Razio Hed—the so-called Apostle—is the one who exploited the Black Sun and corrupted its power. Before his influence, the Abyss was stable. People call it the Abyss like it's only darkness and horror, but the truth is more interesting: it was a peaceful land with its own species and societies—Shadow-Men, Froggard, and other intelligent races who learned to live under a different sky.
Then an outsider came from beyond the Abyss. With his own prowess and ambition, he harnessed Solumbra's Might like a thief wearing a crown. He twisted the Black Sun power into something poisonous, drove Abyss creatures insane, and then did something even worse—he selectively chose the strongest beings, broke them, and remade them into his knights.
That's what gives the story weight. Sony isn't just fighting monsters. He's fighting a stolen order, a corrupted divinity, and a realm that's been forced to kneel under someone else's "salvation."
This story was really well written, and the ending hits hard.
In the final battle, Sony finally defeats Razio Hed. It isn't just a "boss cleared" moment—it feels like the realm itself exhales. The Black Sun, Solumbra, regains her dignity and her rightful prowess. The corruption that was choking the Abyss breaks like a chain snapping, and the creatures who were driven insane begin to calm, like their minds are finally their own again.
For the first time, the Abyss doesn't feel like a cursed place. It feels like a land that was robbed—and then returned.
Solumbra's voice changes too. She stops sounding restrained and wounded, and starts sounding like a true sun deity again—royal, steady, and free. She speaks to Sony like a knight who has fulfilled a vow.
Then she keeps her promise.
Using her restored Might, Solumbra opens a path out of the Dark Place and teleports Sony back to his own world. The transition is fast—one blink of black light, one heavy pulse of void, and then Sony is standing under a sky that is not the Abyss.
But the moment he lands, he freezes.
Because the world he knows has changed.
The streets are different. The silhouettes of buildings are stranger. There are iron towers and thick pipes running like veins along walls. Steam hisses from vents. Gears turn behind grates. Lantern-like lights glow with an unfamiliar color. Even the air looks different, like smoke and fog have become part of daily life.
Sony takes a step forward, gripping Solumbra as if he expects the ground to disappear again. He looks around like a man who has returned home and found his house rebuilt into something he doesn't recognize.
It's not just "new technology." It's an entirely different atmosphere—almost like a steampunk world, where industry and machinery have reshaped the future.
And then the game does the cruelest thing in the best way.
It gives you just enough time to feel the shock… and then cuts to black.
A cliffhanger ending.
It makes you immediately want Sun Knight 6, because now the biggest question isn't only what happened in the Abyss. It's what happened to Sony's world while he was gone—and what kind of world he has returned to.
Zaboru genuinely loved the game. It was polished, bold, and surprisingly unique for a fifth entry. Like usual, he spent several days with it—late nights, early mornings, long sessions where he forgot he was a CEO and became Zaboru "The Gamer" again. When he finally reached the cliffhanger ending, he didn't just switch the console off and move on.
He opened the ZAGE Forum and wrote a review under his official account.
"My review of Sun Knight 5: The Black Sun
*Spoiler Alert!
I've loved Sun Knight since the early era—back when Sonaya's first console, the Mugen Game Box, was still an 8-bit machine and the series felt like a brave little adventure with big dreams. I've played every entry from Sun Knight 1 to Sun Knight 4, so going into Sun Knight 5, I had high expectations.
And yes—this installment delivers.
The story continues directly after Sun Knight 4. Sony is swallowed by the Abyss, and the new journey begins inside the Dark Place. The setting is darker, heavier, and more mysterious than anything the series has done before, but it doesn't feel edgy just for the sake of it. It feels intentional.
The biggest surprise is Solumbra, the Black Sun. Solumbra isn't just a 'talking weapon.' She feels like a real character—ancient, proud, and royal. The way she speaks, the way she reacts to the Abyss, the way she slowly regains her dignity as the story progresses… it adds real weight to Sony's journey.
Gameplay-wise, the foundation is still Sun Knight 4, but everything is improved. Movement is tighter. Combat feels cleaner. Progression is satisfying because you don't become strong instantly—you earn every new tool. Solumbra Might abilities like Black Flame and Void Weaver are powerful, but they have rules and real decision-making behind them.
The stages are smartly designed too. Great shortcuts, clever puzzles, and a layout that rewards attention. The boss lineup is excellent. The fights are challenging, but they feel fair and memorable—each one has its own identity.
For Sonaya GameStation, the graphics are impressive. The art style is attractive and consistent, and the atmosphere is strong. The soundtrack is superb as well—especially in the Dark Place, where the music makes the realm feel alive.
Overall, I rate this game 9.5/10.
Honestly, Sun Knight 5 is a major Game of the Year candidate. If you own a Sonaya GameStation, you should play it. And if you've ever loved action-adventure games, you should pay attention to what Sonaya just did here.
Highly recommended ."
The forum exploded.
People were flabbergasted, but not completely surprised—because Zaboru had done things like this before. That was exactly why fans had given him the nickname "Bad Businessman." He would openly praise competitor games, write honest reviews, and recommend titles that weren't even on ZAGE platforms, as if he forgot he was supposed to be a ruthless CEO.
Still, even with that reputation, nobody expected this much praise. A 9.5/10 from Zaboru wasn't a casual compliment. It felt like a stamp of legitimacy. Threads appeared within minutes.
"ZABORU JUST COOKED AGAIN."
"BRO IS PROMOTING SONAYA FOR FREE."
"BAD BUSINESSMAN STRIKES AGAIN."
Some people joked, some argued, and some acted like they'd just witnessed history. Fans started quoting his lines about Solumbra being a real character and the game being a Game of the Year candidate. Others posted screenshots of the review, highlighted like sacred text.
Then came the practical side. Players who were on the fence suddenly decided to buy. People who hadn't touched a Sonaya console in years started asking which model they should get. ZAGE forum users began sharing where to find Sun Knight 5 in stock, and which shops still had GameStations available.
And the sales proved it.
Sun Knight 5 rocketed. Not slowly—fast. Word of mouth spread beyond the forum into magazines, shops, and school conversations. Even the Sonaya GameStation saw a noticeable bump, because some players wanted to experience the game the "proper way," and others simply wanted to see for themselves if Zaboru's praise was really deserved.
Some ZAGE fans still joked about it.
"He's ruining his own company!"
But the smarter fans understood the truth: Zaboru wasn't ruining anything. If anything, he was strengthening the entire industry by showing that good games deserved respect, no matter who made them.
Of course, there were a few heated threads too. Some people accused him of playing politics. Some wondered if he was trying to bait Sonaya. Others complained that a public CEO shouldn't review competitors at all.
But those complaints drowned under the bigger wave: excitement.
Because at the end of the day, gamers trusted one thing more than corporate loyalty.
A genuine review.
And Zaboru will always be himself.
Meanwhile, inside Sonaya, the reaction was a mix of laughter and disbelief.
Hikaru Kurata, still recovering from his earlier wake-up call, read the review twice just to make sure it was real. Junpei Hoshida—one of the key figures steering the "new Sonaya" direction—was openly amused.
"This is so Zaboru," Junpei said, shaking his head.
Kurata let out a long breath and smiled, tired but pleased. "He's helping us again, and he probably doesn't even realize how much really Bad Businessman huh?."
They didn't treat it like charity, though. They treated it like confirmation. If Zaboru—of all people—called Sun Knight 5 a masterpiece, then their new quality-first approach was working.
And in that week, in a quiet way, Sonaya felt something they hadn't felt in a long time.
Hope.
And their way is the correct one to focus on Quality of their games instead of Chasing ZAGE
To be continue
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