PlatinumGames·Released Feb 23, 2017·Single player
NieR: Automata tells the story of androids 2B, 9S and A2 and their battle to reclaim the machine-driven dystopia overrun by powerful machines.
An action RPG that takes you to a ruined Earth ruled by robots, then asks you to fight them all.
It's rare to see such ambitious storytelling and open world roleplaying tied to such a stylish combat system, not to mention the (optional) Souls-like multiplayer elements, shooter tangents, mini-games that punctuate rather than interrupting, and that big ol' world to explore. You don't need to have played any of Yoko Taro's previous games to appreciate Automata, even though it has links to both Drakengard and (of course) the original Nier, but it'll probably make you keen to seek them out. Me? I'm hoping Platinum get a chance to work with these worlds and words again.
If there was ever a game that didn't need a sequel it's Nier. The cult classic sci-fi fantasy fever dream by masked mad…
Nier: Automata begins as a scrolling shooter. Then it’s a twin-stick shooter, a third-person action RPG and a 2.5D platformer. It’s equal parts comedy and
The sequel to Yoko Taro's cult hit is a beautifully frenetic hack-and-slasher with an engrossing and layered story.
Many parts of this action/RPG are thrilling and surprising, but it is a constant exercise in sacrifice.
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An oddity that grows in stature the more time that you spend with it, NieR: Automata is so much more than you think it is – and it's all the better for it. Some decent writing aside, its side-quests fall into genre pitfalls and its open world can be annoying to navigate. But if you're able to look beyond its shortcomings as a game then you'll be richly rewarded. And while we can't really elaborate on why that is, you're just going to have to trust us.
If that's my biggest problem with it after clearing each of the game's five core endings, that should say everything. Nier: Automata is a game that's more than willing to make players feel small, both physically and conceptually. It wants to swallow them whole, and it succeeds. Nier demands patience with its antics — not to mention its definition of "ending" — but it's patience was rewarded.
Platinum Games' action RPG is a beautiful, well-oiled machine.
