Nier: Automata

Game Review: Nier Automata

When the original Nier was released on PS3, it was an average game by most critics, but it gained a limited and small group of very loyal fans. The main reason for this was the particular way director Taro Yoko presented the story by having multiple endings and viewing the story from multiple characters’ perspectives. But there is no doubt that the original game was very modest technically and in terms of the gameplay system, and this is a promising thing in the new part, developed in the famous Platinum studio, which is responsible for the development of gaming systems of the highest level is known levels with games like Bayonetta. Will director Taro’s ideas and Platinum Studio’s creativity truly present a unique game this time?

A story that spans generations: If this is your first time playing this series, you can settle for the main story, which is about the robot girl 2B and her mission to protect humanity from the evil robot army. The story in this regard doesn’t have much depth and you won’t find it much of an attraction while playing. . But if you delve into the background of the story, including brief summaries from the past part, and start researching documents and characters, you will begin to understand some deep details about what is happening around you, and this is where the story begins to become something interesting.

The Characters and their Evolution

The main character of the game, 2B, appears in a very special way and the development team was creative in designing it, unlike 9S, the boy who looks like the usual anime characters that we can see in every work. Computer characters are mostly boring and undifferentiated, with the exception of a few main characters that you’ll get to know later. But perhaps the most beautiful aspect of the entire journey is the relationship between 2B and 9S and the evolution of their personalities with the events happening around them.

The Platinum Imprint

When the developer behind a game like Bayonetta takes over the development of the combat system, you can have a lot of peace of mind. The Platinum team really doesn’t disappoint as they have created a very sophisticated and distinctive gameplay system as an action RPG game. Let’s say that in terms of gameplay system it is an action game and the style is not much different from the games we have seen before, especially Platinum. You have to dodge the blows and then use the right moment to inflict the greatest number of blows on your enemy. The design of the combat system has light and dark sides, which I will talk about now.

Initially, there are several main and secondary weapons to choose from, including heavy weapons such as swords and spears, as well as a secondary weapon, a small machine that can shoot at your enemies from a distance. The sub-weapon, i.e. the machine, can also use several special abilities for a short time, including a shield that resists bullets or a sword that spins around you and hits everyone around you. The possibility of customization is great with some built-in computer parts, such as an attachment that gives you an additional 15% power or another that lets you move faster or creates a counterattack against enemy attacks. You can prioritize offensive or perhaps defensive adjustments or take a more balanced approach, it’s up to you.

The Limitations of the Combat System

Now the downside is that the combat system is really limited during combat as there are no options for combos or different attacks against enemies. In some RPG games this matter may not matter, but even the enemies couldn’t fill this gap. For most of the game I found myself fighting most enemies in the same way, even when facing a difficult opponent or fighting in a completely different style, until I felt like I had to develop a specific strategy to eliminate him. What makes it a little annoying is that many of the enemies recur frequently and you have to fight them for a long time until it feels like it has become more of a job than a fun game.

Alternative Gameplay Styles

Shooting game? What alleviates the boredom of fighting the usual robot opponents a little is the fact that the game offers several excerpts from different play styles. In some of them you control the plane in the classic airplane shooter style. These stages offer a fun alternative playstyle, but it quickly loses its luster due to the repetition of the same enemies and also the ease of eliminating them. There is also a mini-shooter game that appears during hacking attempts, and in fact I can’t say anything about it other than what I’ve said in the past, as it’s fun at first before you get bored with the frequent repetition.

Multiple Endings and Attention to Detail

Multiple endings: Once you complete the game for the first time (around 12 hours), a message will be sent to you so you can play it again and see new things. The truth is that these are not multiple endings, but rather a continuation of the game, because after replaying the game for the second and third times, you will begin to complete the events and learn the details of the entire story . There are also a large number of additional non-main endings, which are almost entirely comedic endings created by the game master.

But that’s what really makes Taro special as a director, not just the multiple endings but also the great attention to detail in the game and lots of things to discover. Try to read everything, go everywhere and, above all, not think in the usual way. This means that a fallen character is lying on the ground and the logic for you as a player is to take care of their health. Try the opposite and run away from the character and see what happens. There may be a strange surprise awaiting you.

A Small but Big World

The world of Automata is really small these days when we think of RPG games, but it’s full of things to do and discover and the game is designed so that you shouldn’t be afraid, something to miss side mission as you can come back to it later. But the game world is designed as if it were a game in alpha stage, with weak details and a very boring design. The unfortunate thing is that the game often forces you to travel long distances to reach your mission areas and then return from there, especially if you want to do a lot of side missions before opening the area to quick movement. What might make people think here is that the game contains very beautiful music tracks that will keep you very entertained while playing.

A Rewarding Adventure

Nier Automata is a game that rewards players for their curiosity and love of adventure and exploration. There are dozens of hours of gameplay to be had, especially if you want to acquire and develop all the weapons, complete side quests, and uncover the entire secrets of Nier Automata in the game. The game really suffers from repetition and lag as some things could have been cut more, and this is perhaps the most disappointing aspect of the game overall. Maybe Automata isn’t for everyone, but if you’re interested and want to look into it, you might find something worthwhile after all.