Nier: Automata

Review

Introduction

Nier: Automata 1

Directed by Yoko Taro and developed by Cavia, Nier was an action RPG which stood out for reasons different to many other video games both then and today. Despite presenting just average visuals and gameplay mechanics, complemented by repetitiveness which saw you travel to the same dungeons over and over again, it stood out for its brilliant soundtrack and narrative which played on gaming tropes and took approaches different from many other games. It was a game which I not only Platinumed on the PlayStation 3, but also nearly 100%’d on the Xbox 360 a second-time round. As a spin-off game to the Drakengard series, Nier would have been fine as a standalone game, and given the rather average reviews it received from media outlets, a sequel would have come as a surprise. Therefore during E3 2015, more than half a decade after the launch of Nier, it was quite surprising that development was underway on Nier: Automata.

While Nier: Automata is still helmed by Yoko Taro as director, development has changed hands to Platinum Games, whose previous work includes Bayonetta 1 & 2 and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance. Bringing their experience with fast-paced action games, combining this with similarly creative writing to the first game, Nier: Automata delivers an enticing experience which I have enjoyed pooling dozens of hours into. While it may not have as wide a market appeal compared against other big games in the market, it is in my opinion a great choice for those who have been in the gaming industry for awhile and are seeking something which could be considered different from the norm.

Storyline

Nier: Automata 2

Nier: Automata takes place in a time period different from the events of Nier, where the earth came under attack by aliens, causing the planet to become under threat by machine lifeforms, While humanity have been forced to retreat to a base on the moon, the task of reclaiming the planet falls to a group of Androids known as YoRHa. This game follows the story of two androids named 2B and 9S, as they are partnered up to assist a resistance group of Androids on the planet. While initially set to be a routine operation, their mission becomes more complex, as they form unlikely alliances, learn of secrets about the aliens and machines, and witness a series of events they never expected to encounter.

Although I do miss the memorable banter between Kaine and Grimoire Weiss for example, I felt the storyline and its characters were handled much better in Nier: Automata than Nier. The storyline presented is more complex than before, with mysteries unravelling at a good pace as the characters hack and slash their way to the ending. While I was a little bit sceptical about the sci-fi setting given how different it was from other titles in the wider Drakengard series, I appreciate how they used this to add freshness to the series, while also making it quite familiar – and without losing what made Nier such a charming game in the first place. While I won’t say too much more about the story in order to not spoil the overall experience, do expect a lot of twists, turns and surprises you might not expect in order games.

Nier: Automata 3

There are three primary lead characters in Nier: Automata, each of whom have their own distinct personalities and roles in the game – with each shining in their own right. The trio are also joined by a small number of supporting characters. Many of these such as the “Commander” and the friendly robot “Pascal” are brand new characters, who each have their own little arcs throughout the story. While there is no requirement to have played Nier to appreciate Nier: Automata, familiar faces including Emil, Devola and Popola also appear as non-party characters. For those familiar with them, they all have events which build upon their past appearances, but have little overall impact in the storyline.

Those familiar with Drakengard and/or Nier will be aware of each title having multiple endings, requiring multiple playthroughs. Nier: Automata is no exception to its predecessors, although this time the creative team have taken a slightly different approach. There are now five main endings to Nier: Automata, each of which are linked to a more unique playthrough through the eyes of a different character. Therefore, each ending feels like the conclusion to an arc, rather than a reason to replay the game again. There are also 21 other endings spread throughout the game, which are unlocked through creative ways. Some of these require a chain of events to unlock, while others are linked to what I would consider “temptations”. I unlocked my first ending only a couple of minutes after completing the prologue.

Design, Music and Voice Acting

Nier: Automata 4

The visual quality of Nier: Automata has improved considerably compared against Nier, and while it might not score a spot on my list of most aesthetically pleasing PlayStation 4 games, there is a lot to love. The character designs are adequate and well animated – a plus considering how much fast-paced action takes place – and the post-apocalyptic city environment you will spend a lot of your time in fits the bill. Although there is quite a bit of nondescript desert area which is surprisingly underutilised, there are other areas where it is clear a lot of time has gone into building and conceptualising the environments. For example, I appreciated their design choice for the bunker, and loved some of the boss battle environments and the (often) gigantic mechanical monstrosities themselves. Unfortunately, the world is still fairly small, meaning the game does overutilize some of its areas, but these environments are usually up for repeat playthroughs.

Music was downright the best component of Nier, with a stunning range of lyrical and instrumental tracks on offer, and in my mind offering one of the best musical experiences in an RPG to date. While I wouldn’t say it surpassed its predecessor, Nier: Automata definitely managed to match it. Composers Keiichi Okabe and Keigo Hoashi returned to craft the soundtrack for the game, with each boss battle and emotional scene matched with the right musical tone. While a large part of Nier: Automata’s soundtrack features brand new tracks, there are several remixed versions of songs from earlier games. Some of the returning tracks include The Dark Colossus Destroys All, Kaine and Song of the Ancients. Most songs also have multiple versions included in-game, allowing them to, for example, increase in intensity as a battle progresses.

Nier: Automata 5

Both English and Japanese voiceovers are available in Nier: Automata, and in my opinion this choice will primarily come down to personal preference. I enjoyed the English dub personally, with voice actors Kira Buckland, Kyle McCarley and Cherami Leigh taking the lead as 2B, 9S and A2 respectively. Julie Ann Taylor (Emil) and Eden Riegel (Devola and Popola) also reprise their characters, and sound no different to what they were like more than half a decade ago. Two other highlights were DC Douglas as Pod 042 and Alexis Tipton as Pascal, whose voices worked well when mechanicalised.

Gameplay

Nier: Automata 6

Given that this game was developed by Platinum Games, it should come as no surprise that they have nailed the fast-paced action combat. Quickly moving about a sizable battle zone, dolling out kicks each time I passed a giant enemy, was incredibly satisfying. While it did initially feel like this could be a button mashing game, I was surprised at how much attention was required during each battle, I be given a Game Over screen. This was even true on normal difficulty to a degree, especially later in the game when enemies start attacking you in a manner similar to what you would find in a “bullet hell” game. However, there was very little the copious amounts of healing items you can purchase and rapidly use, couldn’t deal with. When you aren’t simply hacking and slashing your way through the world, it is also possible to fire energy beams and perform special attacks with the support of your POD unit – in a similar fashion to Grimoire Weiss in Nier. However, while it is possible to control both Android and POD simultaneously, it can be rather challenging and tedious at the best of times.

The battle system itself is approachable and intuitive, giving you the room to make strategic encounters rather than deciding which button to press. 2B is able to perform a light and heavy attack, each of which can have a different weapon assigned to it – for which there are swords, spears, heavy swords and fist based attacks. Other than these commands, you only have to worry about which special attacks you wish to assign your POD (ranging from ranged shots to shield magic), dodging when necessary and whatever mechanic a battle may or may not throw at you. While special skills are time-restricted, there is no stamina bar, which is good for many of the battles where there is little time to think before a barrage of bullets collide with 2B.

Since the main characters are androids, a lot of preparation can be done prior to a battle, either manually by yourself or trusting the game to make a decision on your behalf when requested. While playing through Nier: Automata, you will regularly pick up chips, offering stat boosts. With limited storage available (although upgradable to a degree), you must choose which stat boosts meet your needs. While you can have the game automatically decide which chips you receive based (Offensive, Defensive or Balanced), I think making this decision myself a few times every playthrough worked the best. Like weapons and pods, if you have the money and resources, then you can upgrade chips. Alternatively, you can wait around for better chips to drop – potentially for ones which consume less memory.  Things such as the HUD also consumes memory… so you can remove it for a little more memory if desired.

Not the only game to offer this, death does not mean a Game Over screen and one-way ticket back to the main menu. Instead, you will return to the nearest save point you visited with none of your chips attached anymore. You then have the opportunity to return to your corpse and reclaim what was previously yours, at least until you die again, which means what you lost is gone forever. There is an online community element to this however, as when you die, you can leave other players a note they can receive when encountering your remains in their own game world. This messaging system is limited to pre-defined phrases which are, in my opinion, not as useful as those found in Dark Souls. However, this system does give other players a chance to either resurrect you (as an AI) to fight alongside them or pillage your remains for goods.

Nier: Automata 7

A lot of what I have written above only pertains to when 2B and 9S are on the land. Although you aren’t free to jump in an aircraft at just any time, there are several points of Nier: Automata where battles are taken to the sky. These could be considered more traditional schmup moments, where you fly around the screen taking down enemies from different perspectives (which can change and slightly alter control schemes with little warning), all the while avoiding the harmful bullets they fire out en masse. While simple and rather dull when first presented, they do make for some great boss battles down the line, especially when they are combined with standard combat in the same battle. This is not the only different gameplay mechanic which awaits as you progress through the story of Nier: Automata.

Giving you reason to explore both frequently and infrequently used areas of the game map, Nier: Automata offers many optional quests which can be unlock during gameplay. Many of these do come down to Collect X, Go to Y or Defeat Z – yet they regularly have a progressively unfolding story or at least an interesting enough purpose attached to them, which saw me on multiple occasions spending an hour or more going through them without feeling burdened by a grind.

Final Words on Nier: Automata

Nier: Automata 8

2017 has already seen a number of great games released in its first three months, and Nier: Automata in my opinion stands out the most so far. This is not necessarily because it is the best on the market, but rather because it is full of unconventional concepts which stand out and for the most part work, all the while providing an entertaining experience with approachable gameplay, a storyline which drew me in from start to finish and a fantastic soundtrack. Ultimately, Yoko Taro and the game’s entire creative team have provided a successor to Nier which, for me, ticked many boxes.

Here’s hoping we see more from the Nier franchise in another half-decade or more, delivering an experience as fresh as Nier: Automata has been.

Acknowledgement

Bandai Namco Entertainment Australia, for providing an Australian PlayStation 4 review copy of Nier Automata.

Final Score
The Quick Brief
2017 has already seen a number of great games released in its first three months, and Nier: Automata in my opinion stands out the most so far. This is not necessarily because it is the best on the market, but rather because it is full of unconventional concepts which stand out and for the most part work, all the while providing an entertaining experience with approachable gameplay, a storyline which drew me in from start to finish and a fantastic soundtrack. Ultimately, Yoko Taro and the game's entire creative team have provided a successor to Nier which, for me, ticked many boxes.
Storyline
8
Design
7.5
Music
10
Voice Acting
8.5
Gameplay
9
Personal Opinion
9
8.7
out of 10
Sam
Sam
Founder of The Otaku's Study. I have been exploring this labyrinth of fandom these last fifteen years, and still nowhere close to the exit yet. Probably searching for a long time to come.

Articles

- Advertisment -