NieR: Automata

 PC
User Score
8.7

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1804 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,528 out of 1804
  2. Mixed: 126 out of 1804
  3. Negative: 150 out of 1804

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  1. Dnische
    Aug 29, 2021
    4
    Extremely overrated game that people defend for any cost just not to admit that this is another fanservice anime, which only meaning of existence is to be the basis for countless porn SFMs. It would be better if the whole game was visual novel solely concentrated on pretentios plot and 2B's arse , but instead we have dull repetitive half-slasher half-RPG game with drab quests and primitiveExtremely overrated game that people defend for any cost just not to admit that this is another fanservice anime, which only meaning of existence is to be the basis for countless porn SFMs. It would be better if the whole game was visual novel solely concentrated on pretentios plot and 2B's arse , but instead we have dull repetitive half-slasher half-RPG game with drab quests and primitive core mechanics (most of the encounters you'll have to overcome by just spamming the attack button). All characters are empty and utterly boring. Graphics stuck in PS3 era, when the first part came out.
    Music is decent though.
    Concentrated trash 4/10    … Expand
  2. Sih1l
    Dec 20, 2021
    4
    This game is so repetitive. I memorized the entire game's map after playing 5 hours and you have to play at least 20 hours to finish it, I thought I was gonna puke when I saw Resistance Camp for 178th time. Combat i so boring. This game is a slasher but you can't even do combos like in normal slashers, you just have light and heavy attacks, that's all. You play as an andriod but devsThis game is so repetitive. I memorized the entire game's map after playing 5 hours and you have to play at least 20 hours to finish it, I thought I was gonna puke when I saw Resistance Camp for 178th time. Combat i so boring. This game is a slasher but you can't even do combos like in normal slashers, you just have light and heavy attacks, that's all. You play as an andriod but devs didn't even bother to give you some fun abilities to play with. When playing as 9S you don't even have heavy attacks they gave him hacking ability instead, you press a button and a hacking minigame starts and those are so f annoying. I think this game is the biggest gaming disappointment in my life. If not for the weebs who rate this 10/10 because you play as a nice looking female android this game would never even have green rating, it's as repetitive as Mafia III.… Expand
  3. Xelluse
    Nov 4, 2018
    2
    Let's be clear here, It's not a Port, it's a blatant Emulation.
    OK, now about the game, it's empty...
    Game is just Autotarget Clicker, with Graphics, that looks like games from 2009 and Optimization, that will make this game run worse, than Witcher 3 with Chrome running in background. Controls are bad even for Controller, but as they promoted this game on market: "PC Keyboard+Mouse    Let's be clear here, It's not a Port, it's a blatant Emulation.
    OK, now about the game, it's empty...
    Game is just Autotarget Clicker, with Graphics, that looks like games from 2009 and Optimization, that will make this game run worse, than Witcher 3 with Chrome running in background.
    Controls are bad even for Controller, but as they promoted this game on market: "PC Keyboard+Mouse support" < **** game do not have any PC support, you just can Emulate it on PC and to be honest this (Emulation and Port) are very different things.
    Enemies, one of the most boring and monotonous enemies in gaming history I think.
    World is also boring and very empty.
    I see only one reason to play this game: Teen Panties...
    So, if you are a pervert and you love curved and monotonous games on PC, which should be played just with Controller, then you will enjoy this game, but if you prefer good HnS games, that have proper Camera+Aim controls, good Visuals, Optimization and not sexy asses of teen boys and girls, if you love games with various, interesting and fun enemies, if you love games with interesting and properly filled word(s), then better stay away from this garbage.    … Expand
  4. deaththekid922
    Jul 28, 2017
    0
    "you may not turn off Voices because reasons , even EA and Ubisoft dont do BS on this level , the gameplay is dull af basically just a 60 € Touhou and then the Characters make Tidus and Hope Estheim look like the most loveable Characters ever

    i honestly am more sick of this game after 3 Hours than some other games after over 100 , i regret wasting my money
  5. Baluberda
    Mar 22, 2017
    0
    Characters Model:8 (Pretty good, lacks a bit of color on the enemies, all mate shines)
    Characters Personality: 3 (the commander has a bit so +1)
    Gameplay: 7 (quite good but invisible walls takes 2 points off) Enemies: 10 (they are mostly perfect) Quests: 7 (good enough) Level Up/ Items:6 (Level up is good, items are not relevant) Enviroment interaction: 0 (doesnt have) History:    Characters Model:8 (Pretty good, lacks a bit of color on the enemies, all mate shines)
    Characters Personality: 3 (the commander has a bit so +1)

    Gameplay: 7 (quite good but invisible walls takes 2 points off)
    Enemies: 10 (they are mostly perfect)
    Quests: 7 (good enough)
    Level Up/ Items:6 (Level up is good, items are not relevant)
    Enviroment interaction: 0 (doesnt have)

    History: 3 (just 2 androids killing, dying and blood. Pascal gets +3 to this)
    Human History: 1 (Your commander tells you, no cinematics or photos)
    Alien History: 1 (Just a cinematic of dead aliens)
    Choice/non-linear development: 1 (just ending cinematics)

    Moral/censorship: 0 (it doesnt have censorship, neither sexual or blood)

    So i give it a 4, but the price...
    Price: 60 euros for an unfinished game that should worth 20)
    I give it a 2    … Expand
  6. kankernaut
    Aug 26, 2018
    0
    The game is just dead. Horrible management, an empty and boring world, primitive quests, disgusting graphics of a decade ago, an illogical disturbing camera, monotonous bosses, a map on which you can not find anything. I'm glad that someone liked it, but the game is absolutely empty and soulless. Reminds Ed Wood's films-the level of mediocrity is simply masterpiece, probably, that attractsThe game is just dead. Horrible management, an empty and boring world, primitive quests, disgusting graphics of a decade ago, an illogical disturbing camera, monotonous bosses, a map on which you can not find anything. I'm glad that someone liked it, but the game is absolutely empty and soulless. Reminds Ed Wood's films-the level of mediocrity is simply masterpiece, probably, that attracts attention))) Personally, I can not evoke emotions.… Expand
  7. Fengtorin
    Sep 1, 2018
    0
    I have rated the company Square Enix a 0 because of their atrocious actions towards their fans in Final Fantasy Brave Exvius. While I enjoyed NieR Automata, I will not be purchasing another title from Square Enix ever again. They are a predatory company and do not deserve success.
  8. AcerolaOrion
    May 13, 2017
    10
    Perfection.
    Brilliant visuals, brilliant sound design, premium platinum games gameplay, tons of variety, deep story with multiple endings. Even fully customizable gamepad controls!

    Absolutely brilliant.
  9. karuroneesan
    Mar 21, 2021
    1
    Dont buy! Two reasons:
    1: You need to be lucky for your specs being able to handle without problems.
    2: Square Enix.
    A new version is coming out and i doubt they will respect old users enough to give the update for free.
  10. Destoxin
    May 4, 2021
    0
    The fact that there is no save in the 40 minute prologue, forcing new players to repeat the entire thing upon death, is enough for me to give this a 0, uninstall, and never try again.
  11. HonestCritic198
    Aug 27, 2017
    0
    Do not believe the 10/10 reviews, most of them are made by 1 review accounts.... It seems japanese discovered the secret of guerilla marketing and flood the internet with bogus "word of mouth".

    Nier automata is an overrated mess of a game. Its story might, just might appeal to 12 year old anime lovers, but for the rest of us is a waste of time. The gameplay is boring as well.    Do not believe the 10/10 reviews, most of them are made by 1 review accounts.... It seems japanese discovered the secret of guerilla marketing and flood the internet with bogus "word of mouth".

    Nier automata is an overrated mess of a game. Its story might, just might appeal to 12 year old anime lovers, but for the rest of us is a waste of time. The gameplay is boring as well. Graphically it is nothing special. And the PC port is abysmal.

    All in all, a mediocre game. I am giving it a 0 to counter the Square Enix employees.    … Expand
  12. Jirekianu
    Apr 6, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Fantastic game, only minor polish issues like graphics quality in cutscenes defaulting to low. Otherwise a near flawless game. What ever errors it has are more than made up for in concept and execution of story and gameplay.

    Multiple playthroughs don't feel like a chore, and right about when you're not sure you have the energy to keep slogging through the beginning segment (playthrough 3) is when the game unlocks chapter select, and allows you to swap characters. Which is useful for finishing side quests, etc.

    Honestly, the biggest thing that hit me is Ending E's final combat segment, and what getting "help" means. I was selfish, for now, knowing that dlc will be releasing at some point (those bunkers you find never open up during gameplay as of the time of this reviews writing). But afterwards if I 100% the game. I think I'll replay E, just to sacrifice my save data to help someone.    … Expand
  13. nonsensu
    Apr 2, 2017
    10
    Easily one of the best games I've played to date.

    NieR: Automata couples Yoko Taro's amazing direction/writing together with some of the best gameplay PlatinumGames has developed to date. The story is emotional and engaging, and spans over multiple playthroughs of the game. The characters in NieR's universe are believable and have motives behind their actions- the androids and machines    Easily one of the best games I've played to date.

    NieR: Automata couples Yoko Taro's amazing direction/writing together with some of the best gameplay PlatinumGames has developed to date. The story is emotional and engaging, and spans over multiple playthroughs of the game. The characters in NieR's universe are believable and have motives behind their actions- the androids and machines have more personality to them than actual human characters in other games. The combat has a ton of depth, as expected of any game developed by PlatinumGames. You could spend the entire game mashing heavy and light attacks, or you could dive in deep and learn combos and different chip builds. It offers plenty in terms of difficulty settings, from the game nearly playing itself up to being killed in one hit from any enemy. NieR: Automata provides as little or as much challenge as you want it to.

    However, the PC port is where things are more than questionable. The game doesn't have the best graphics out there, and the port is iffy at best. Running it on a GTX 970 at 1080p, I often struggled to get 60 FPS above medium graphics. Hopefully we'll see a performance patch from Square Enix in the near future, as it would pretty much perfect the entire experience.

    In the end, NieR: Automata is the big break Yoko Taro finally deserves. This game is the best he's directed to date, and hopefully we see more of his work in the future.

    Final Score: 10/10    … Expand
  14. Fullmetal_chan
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    There`s not much to say about such great game. It is really fun to play. Plus OST`s are just insane. Game deserves solid 9/10 aside all performance issues. Compared to MGR:R, NIER have a too simple combo system that didn't really touched my hearth. Still miss those combos tho. Thank you very much "Platinum Games" for such amazing game.
  15. Zuha
    Apr 6, 2017
    10
    There is just one word: Masterpiece, you have to play it.
    The only thing I will add is that you shouldn't expect a fully developed hack n slash game-play like dmc, bayonetta, ninja gaiden... because there is not.
  16. MaxOverload
    Mar 18, 2017
    0
    Many excuses can be made for the games crashes and it's severe graphical problems such as poor, inconsistent framerates, but there is not excuse for making the Keyboard controls so poor and less customizable than those of the controller.
  17. Kraks
    Mar 25, 2017
    9
    I almost want to give this game a 10, but I'm not for a few reasons I'll mention in a moment.

    But first, here are the good things: ALMOST EVERYTHING. And I mean that quite literally. The combat isn't as detailed and technical as Dark Souls, but it is better than Shadow of Mordor and the Batman series. I place it nearly perfectly between the two. You won't be timing almost every    I almost want to give this game a 10, but I'm not for a few reasons I'll mention in a moment.

    But first, here are the good things:

    ALMOST EVERYTHING. And I mean that quite literally. The combat isn't as detailed and technical as Dark Souls, but it is better than Shadow of Mordor and the Batman series. I place it nearly perfectly between the two. You won't be timing almost every single attack, dodge, and parry as meticulously as you would in Dark Souls, but you'll also not be spamming 2 buttons non-stop as the previously mentioned games either. Dodging is very simple yet not at the same time. You can spam it if you wish, but you'll be missing out on counter opportunities and you will also be spending much longer than necessary to defeat enemies, and it flat out won't work on Hard difficulty or above.

    The graphics are great. I wouldn't say perfect, but they are impressive enough. I am not going into that more, because graphics aren't all that important to me these days.

    Customizing your character, while a bit arduous at times, is really deep and worth the investment. Do you want to be a ranged hero? Ok, put those chips in. Do you want to be a defensively minded speed demon? You can do that as well. Do you want to have higher drop rates and exp? Also doable. Whatever you can imagine, you can do if you just spend time customizing your chip loadout. On the flip side, if you do not like how time consuming that can be, you can use the 3 automatic options (Balanced, Attack, and Defense). They do a good job of maximizing your potential with the chips and space you have.

    The humor in the game is just about perfect. I don't like games that border on slapstick, unless that's what I'm specifically playing, but I also don't like games that always take themselves too seriously. This one hits the nail on the head. The Pods' dry wit is always enjoyable, while the Easter Eggs are perfectly placed and the incidental humor from some quests is obscure enough to feel proud of yourself when you get it but not so obscure that only Dennis Miller would enjoy it.

    My last positive, but not the last positive this game has, is the story and replayability. There is so much depth to a game with only 10-15 hours of play through the first time you get through it. Even when that is done, you get to come back an watch the entire main story line a second time through another perspective, and when that's done, you get to play further into the future to see the consequences of the main story and develop out the lore of the entire series just a bit further. This is where Platinum and Square Enix nailed it, and where I think they've improved upon the genre for all times as Dark Souls did with its ambiguity. I highly expect to see many other games in the future take this route as well: save money by reusing graphical assets and maps, but develop the story more by making second and third play throughs flesh out the main story line and other characters in those same areas. They perfectly nailed it in Nier: Automata.

    Now for a very short list of cons...

    There is no ramp up from Normal to Hard. Normal is really simple. It may as well be "Easy" except that it doesn't allow you to use some of the automated gameplay chips that Easy does. Hard and Very Hard are nearly the same difficulty. Trash mobs are worse in Very Hard, but even then, they are still just Trash. Bosses, on the other hand, nearly always can one shot on both difficulties. If you're going to play hard, just set it to Very Hard so you can feel a bit better about yourself when all is said and done. A positive of all of this is that Easy allows for people with disabilities or those that do not like challenges in games to still enjoy the story, which is well worth the price of admission.

    Another thing you're going to find awful is a certain part during the 3rd play through. I won't get too in depth about it, but let's just say stumbling around with almost no abilities for 5-10 minutes could have been better accomplished via a cut scene rather than making everyone play through it. It was absolutely awful and unfun. Just glad I didn't die. I can't imagine having to do that again.

    Overall, I'd give this game a 9.5 out of 10. The worst part about this game isn't really something that can be detrimental to the review score: it is over and done with. The developer has already said we should not expect any meaningful DLC, if we get any at all. That's very sad. However, with the success this game is seeing, I cannot wait to see where they take a sequel, and I'll be anxiously waiting to throw my money at it.    … Expand
  18. SquirrelSeth
    Mar 22, 2017
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In my opinion this game is a masterpiece. I can think of maybe 2-3 other games that I had this much fun playing through. It's story is far deeper then any western RPG I have experienced.

    What you can expect:

    -The game has a brilliant, unique storytelling. You should know, that playing through the game multiple times is a MUST. The 1st playthrough is little more then an extended tutorial. The second playthrough is mostly the same story, but from the perspective of a different character, with new mechanics and informations available, so it doesn't get boring. It is in the 3rd playthrough where the real story begins.

    -The combat is extremely enjoyable. The PC version does have some control issues during hacking mini-game sessions, and the occasional flight missions however. You can get used to it fast, but it might cause some annoyance.

    -The soundtrack is amazing.

    -The graphics are average, It's apparent here that the game didn't have a AAA budget.    … Expand
  19. OccamsRazor
    Mar 27, 2017
    10
    This is one of the best games that I have played in the last couple of years. The story is compelling, the soundtrack is awesome and the game-play is fast & fun. Its true true that your PC needs muscle power to run this optimally, but if it is, you will not want to miss the experience.
  20. SaintMSent
    May 22, 2017
    9
    Awesome game, I LOVE story-based games. And this masterpiece is so unusual. Combat system is not too bad, graphics is awful, but art design is so beatiful. Love this game a lot.
  21. UrikoBB3
    Apr 1, 2017
    9
    Firstly, a lot of the magazine reviews of NieR: Automata only cover the initial play through (Ending A). While this is good on its own, it should really be noted that the game expands way beyond that, and most of the actual story is from the third play through onwards. Keep that in mind if you plan to play for the story as it turns a 10 hour game into a 50+ hour one. I won't spoil anythingFirstly, a lot of the magazine reviews of NieR: Automata only cover the initial play through (Ending A). While this is good on its own, it should really be noted that the game expands way beyond that, and most of the actual story is from the third play through onwards. Keep that in mind if you plan to play for the story as it turns a 10 hour game into a 50+ hour one. I won't spoil anything in this review, but please play until route C at least.

    The game follows the story of three androids - 2B, 9S and A2. They are sent to Earth to take back control of the planet from the machines who almost wiped out the humans (at least, this is what you're told initially...). The game mechanics are very slick and combat is incredibly smooth and satisfying, as expected by a game by Platinum.

    The game world is barren but very atmospheric and the soundtrack by Keiichi Okabe is easily one of the best I've ever heard. Boss fights are multi-layered and extremely epic, and the game switches genre seemingly on the fly between an action RPG, twin-stick shooter, top-down shooter and side-scrolling shooter.

    The real magic of NieR: Automata is the story though. On the first playthrough you'll get to the end and think "there has to be more to this". You're then greeted by a message saying that the game has multiple endings. Sure enough, the 2nd play through is similar to the first but with a few key changes. It's not until you get to the third play through that you realise there's so much more going on. In fact, I would consider the first two play throughs to be more like an extended prologue.

    A very significant event happens at the start of Route C which will hit players hard. You'll soon realise that the game is an extremely emotional one with twists and turns that leave you reeling. Definitely try to keep away from spoilers where possible and stick with it and you'll experience one of the greatest games of this generation. Yoko Taro loves to toy with his playerbase's emotions and some of the things that happen (particularly in Route C) will tear your heart out.

    There are a couple of technical issues with the PC version currently. 1920x1080 fullscreen actually upscales 900p so it looks blurry. This is a bug but it hasn't been fixed at time of writing. This can be solved by using a Borderless Window program. Some users are also experiencing some freezing and white screens. I use a GTX1060 and have had a couple of 1 second freezes but nothing too major. Just be aware that it isn't a perfect port, but it is a playable one.

    Once some of the technical issues are worked out, I genuinely believe that this will go down as one of the greatest games of the last 10 years. The story is that good and I would seriously recommend anyone on the fence to give it a shot.    … Expand
  22. Ananisapta
    Apr 25, 2017
    9
    Masterful writing! When you get to the end, you've seen 20% of the story. More points of view show you how you've been lied to, but the lying is never done. Some of this is pretty challenging and the learning curve is steep so don't be ashamed to play the intro on Easy Mode because it's a long way to the first save.
  23. Trypsinogen
    Mar 10, 2020
    10
    One of the best games I've ever had the pleasure and fortune to play. Quite possibly the best soundtrack of any video game (in my opinion, obviously). Story is great and very emotional. If you want to feel some things, this will make you feel. Gameplay is solid as well.
  24. Soujirop
    May 11, 2017
    8
    Graphics: one of the best things in the game are the flawless animations, which were expected from Platinum Games. Not so good are the low quality textures and the crazy framerate, but overall the graphics get the job done. Artistic direction is a bit of a mixture, with really nice character design and some original stages, that contrasts with a quite forgettable world. 7/10

    Music: It’s    Graphics: one of the best things in the game are the flawless animations, which were expected from Platinum Games. Not so good are the low quality textures and the crazy framerate, but overall the graphics get the job done. Artistic direction is a bit of a mixture, with really nice character design and some original stages, that contrasts with a quite forgettable world. 7/10

    Music: It’s been a while since I found a videogame in which I actually stopped playing and started listening to the music. It is impossible not to notice how flawlessly the beautiful songs are blended with the scenery. The english dubbing is not bad, and the japanese is amazing. 10/10

    Gameplay: 1 word - original. The game is presented as an action RPG, but the “action” element plays a big part. The combat mechanics have nothing to envy to the best action games and are clearly inspired in Bayonetta, meaning they are fun and difficult to master. There are several weapons with their own movesets (including flawless transitions between weapons mid combo). I needed around 35 hours to complete the game, and the hard and extreme difficulties were a hell of a challenge.

    But it’s not only about the combat, the game keeps surprising you throughout the adventure, it will suddenly metamorphose into a side scroller beat em up, and at the next moment into Space Invaders. Despite the variety, the game can get a little bit repetitive sometimes. The major gameplay flaw is the camera, which can be all over the place sometimes and seems impossible to manage with a joystick. Another thing that the game doesn’t get right is the open world: a medium sized place with not much to do besides mindlessly practicing your combat skills against loads of repetitive enemies. Finally, the lack of autosaving for long periods of time can really be a pain. 8.5/10

    Story: the story is interesting enough to keep you hooked until the end, and interesting too is how it is conveyed piece by piece (and playthrough by playthrough). Sometimes you will feel it’s a little bit melodramatic or childish for your taste, some others that you are being presented with these anime clichés you already know too well, but luckily those moments don’t last long, and the whole thing, without having many (or any) major moments, still manages to stay interesting and mostly unpredictable until the end. About the side content, you have your typical fetch quests mixed with some that are more story focused, but ultimately most of them are not very entertaining. 8/10

    In summary, Nier Automata is full of fresh action oriented gameplay, with a beautiful OST and a technical aspect that gets the job done. But a boring open world and a plot that lacks climax somehow jeopardize what could have been a masterpiece. 8/10    … Expand
  25. LordZed
    Apr 29, 2021
    4
    I finally got around to playing this mediocre, hodge-podge of a game. It leaves a lot to be desired and outstays its welcome considerably. I spent 36h to get all the main endings and do all the side quests.

    Pros: -2B's ass. -Decent soundtrack though some of them (forest theme) got on my nerves. -Neat genre mixing in the combat and twin stick shooter hacking segments. -Reasonable    I finally got around to playing this mediocre, hodge-podge of a game. It leaves a lot to be desired and outstays its welcome considerably. I spent 36h to get all the main endings and do all the side quests.

    Pros:
    -2B's ass.
    -Decent soundtrack though some of them (forest theme) got on my nerves.
    -Neat genre mixing in the combat and twin stick shooter hacking segments.
    -Reasonable graphics and good character designs.

    Cons:
    -3/4 of the game is basically a prologue for the actual story to start (route c).
    -One of the worst stories ever put into a video game.
    -The worst story pacing of any game I've ever played.
    -Mediocre, poorly balanced combat. You can play on Normal where it's impossible to die or Hard where you have to use some plug-ins and then it's impossible to die. Or you can play on masochist, die-in-one-hit no matter what you do Very Hard. Unlimited use of healing items is a serious problem.
    -Repetitive combat and some of the worst, most boring side quests ever.
    -Tiny, open empty world with little to explore. There are only 4 main zones and 2 "towns", you visit them all in the first 10 hours. Enjoy running around the same areas again and again for the next 25 hours.
    -Bad voice acting.
    -60 FPS lock.

    My advice if you want to try the game: Skip ALL of the side quests and optional content and just finish the main story. It would have been a much more tolerable game at ~20 hours. Regardless Nier: Automata may in fact be one of the singular worst games I've ever played that wasn't mechanically broken, horrible buggy, or blatantly unfinished.    … Expand
  26. andarial6670
    May 13, 2017
    10
    First and foremost, this is not the best PC port ever created, and 2 months later, the devs have still not provided adequate patching and support to fix several problems this game has on PC: such as crashes every 10 minutes, stuttering, strange resolution, etc. The 10 minute crashing is particularly aggravating when the prologue tutorial is 1 hour long and has no save point. The problemsFirst and foremost, this is not the best PC port ever created, and 2 months later, the devs have still not provided adequate patching and support to fix several problems this game has on PC: such as crashes every 10 minutes, stuttering, strange resolution, etc. The 10 minute crashing is particularly aggravating when the prologue tutorial is 1 hour long and has no save point. The problems vary immensely from user to user, even between those who have virtually identical PC setups, but I assure you that it is playable on every minimum requirement PC, you just have to...find the particular problem your PC has(I needed to drop to lowest resolution, set my game to high priority and disable all the odd numbered cores through task manager every time I launched). I can also verify that this game is 99% playable with mouse and keyboard: you do NOT need a controller to enjoy yourself. Just to reiterate, if you have a PS4 and a PC, get the game for PS4, but it is very possible to have a satisfactory experience on PC once you fix your crashing problem.

    Game breaking bug/crashes normally keeps me from reviewing any game to be 10 stars, but after playing through to reach 'the true ending' of the game, I have to say... from a story perspective, this just might be the single best game I've ever come across, and it would be a tragedy if the world forgot about it. This is the "Breaking Bad" of video games. This is "The Witcher 3" of 2017. The existentialist plot is about as deep as "The Matrix". The game is devised of 3 (different) playthroughs, but even hinting at what the tone of each ending is becomes a spoiler. This is a beautiful game, and all the hardships that come with playing it on PC masterrace...are ultimately worth it.    … Expand
  27. Xzenor
    Mar 4, 2020
    9
    I just loved the game. the atmosphere, the gameplay, the graphics.. it all just fits.
    The gameplay is just great. It's a little getting used to not having autosave but it 'kinda' fits in the game so it's actually a good decision.

    The story is weird but cool.
  28. Serenityinaz12
    Nov 1, 2019
    9
    **Spoiler free**

    I'm going to do my best to be objective with this review here, I think it would be easy for me to just give the game a 10 based on the effect it had on my by the end, but I'm going to give it a 9 due to the pc version having a lot of issues for me and some of the other aspects of the game lacking a bit. I feel the GAMEPLAY is worthy of an 8 score for the game, but    **Spoiler free**

    I'm going to do my best to be objective with this review here, I think it would be easy for me to just give the game a 10 based on the effect it had on my by the end, but I'm going to give it a 9 due to the pc version having a lot of issues for me and some of the other aspects of the game lacking a bit. I feel the GAMEPLAY is worthy of an 8 score for the game, but since the story and connection to characters is so powerful by the end I have to bump it up to a 9

    So the most important thing here - I played original Nier completely all endings and it's one of my all time faves. I'm 2.5 years late to the party with this game and one thing I heard from original PS3 Nier fans (some of them anyway) is that Nier Automata pales in comparison to PS3 Nier in almost every way. I couldn't disagree more, I feel this game improves on literally everything. As much as I became attached to Yonah, Nier and Kaine, I would say I'm even more connected to this game's characters. Having said that though, the connection for me came much later than it did with Nier as it took longer in this game for me to feel the attachment to the characters. There were actually times early in the game that seemed to have some emotional intensity that I felt detached from and I wondered if it was just not clicking with me. But, later it did come and even changed how I viewed those scenes that didn't hit for me at first.

    I think it could be argued the STORY and LORE of this game aren't super strong or complex. In actuality, it's a bit simple and basic, but what shines is the emotional depth to which the game manages to get to as you get further in the game and via the characters as you learn more about them and what's really going on. I spent a good chunk of the game a little cold towards the main characters but by the end and after it was over just being overcome with emotion multiple times. This game DEEPLY affected me and I think will sit with me forever along with other games that have done so like original Nier, Xenogears and Xenosaga. This COULD be at the top of the list, but that may just be because it's most fresh in my mind.

    Gameplay wise it's good but has issues, just like Nier. The combat is good and much improved, the biggest step up from Nier in my mind. Graphics are pretty bad and outdated, most of the game looking like PS3 tier in my mind. The environments are iffy and a bit boring and the fishing is an afterthought, even more so than regular Nier. There is a TON of backtracking which gets annoying too, same as original Nier. But, there are some fun sidequests which have humor and a bit of lore building as well as a god-tier soundtrack and voice acting, also like Nier. This was a low budget game and you can feel it at times, but it more than makes up for it in the story department and main characters. If you did play original Nier there are a few nice fan service moments that are nicely done and hit emotionally.

    Ultimately I spent 80% of this game having fun but at the same time wondering if I was every going to feel a strong connection to the characters, then the last 20% and post-game thinking this is the most attached to game characters I've ever experienced and so much emotion wrapped up into this game and cast that it's hard to describe. I've been thinking about it for days after fully completing the game and I doubt I will ever stop.

    I've had to fight with myself multiple times in this review to not say things that would even give hints to spoilers, but trust me when I say I'm a bit dead inside as a human, a bit old, have played a lot of games, seen a lot of movies and watched a lot of tv. And in my time practically nothing has moved me like this game has.    … Expand
  29. Dreizehn
    Jun 14, 2017
    10
    This is probably one of the best well-done and mature games I have ever played. The issues suffered by their characters are very tough & philosophical, and show deep questions and thoughts about rich human concepts like existence, family and solitude. I am amazed.
  30. Wiebe
    Feb 27, 2020
    4
    I wanted to like it but I couldn't get into it. The story is just not there, NPCs are uninteresting, and its open world is empty. Its visual design is awesome though.
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Awards & Rankings

29
#29 Best PC Game of 2017
10
#10 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017
74
#74 Most Shared PC Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
84

Generally favorable reviews - based on 12 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 12
  2. Mixed: 2 out of 12
  3. Negative: 0 out of 12
  1. PC PowerPlay
    May 11, 2017
    90
    Sometimes frustrating but always compelling, Nier: Automata is a wondrous and strange experience that could only ever be a game. [Issue#261, p.60]
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  2. Riot Pixels
    Apr 10, 2017
    91
    This unusual action game set in an offbeat world created by Taro Yoko is a treasure trove of pleasant surprises. It's not often that we meet such a stylish, offbeat, memorable game.
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  3. IGN Spain
    Apr 5, 2017
    70
    There is no doubt that Nier Automata is a great game, but the PC version does not do it justice. A new case of a shameless port for PC.
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