NieR: Automata

 PlayStation 4
User Score
8.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 4607 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,076 out of 4607
  2. Mixed: 223 out of 4607
  3. Negative: 308 out of 4607
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  1. wanderingted
    Aug 23, 2023
    9
    Nier: Automata is comprehensively exceptional. Its structure is easy to understand yet deep enough for players to explore. The storytelling, which discusses the meaning of mankind's existence from the perspective of robots, is refreshing. The game excels in role-playing design, capturing human emotion and spirit within the robotic framework.
    I must mention the charm and artistry of the    Nier: Automata is comprehensively exceptional. Its structure is easy to understand yet deep enough for players to explore. The storytelling, which discusses the meaning of mankind's existence from the perspective of robots, is refreshing. The game excels in role-playing design, capturing human emotion and spirit within the robotic framework.
    I must mention the charm and artistry of the character design. Characters like 2B and the others maintain an appearance of emotionlessness, while radiating the essence of mankind's spirit consistently. As for the battle and action design, it leans toward a fast-paced style rather than being hardcore, immersing players in a touching story and an outstanding soundtrack. This narrative encourages contemplation of philosophical concepts like existence and the future, making it a satisfying experience for JRPG fans seeking action and an open-world sensation.    … Expand
  2. dharma
    Jun 10, 2017
    8
    Weird. Eccentric. Completely bonkers RPG- Bullet hell- hard stylish Platinum style fighting game hybrid is a sleeper hit. You have to finish the game a couple of times to see the true ending (which shamefully,I haven't done :p). Platinum Games, collaborating with reclusive Game Designer Yoko Taro and Square Soft, given the opportunity, always create some of the best games in the market.Weird. Eccentric. Completely bonkers RPG- Bullet hell- hard stylish Platinum style fighting game hybrid is a sleeper hit. You have to finish the game a couple of times to see the true ending (which shamefully,I haven't done :p). Platinum Games, collaborating with reclusive Game Designer Yoko Taro and Square Soft, given the opportunity, always create some of the best games in the market. This shows you that Japanese developers are back in the market after a long slump. Bravo.… Expand
  3. mrnice
    Mar 3, 2018
    8
    Core gameplay feels like a simpler version of Bayonetta or Metal Gear Rising. The storyline is has a lot of fetch-quests and open-world travelling "from point A to point B" with minimal input required from the gamer, apart from pressing forward and run button.

    The story is quite involved and intelligently done. It didn't blow my mind, but at least it explored some of the big themes of    Core gameplay feels like a simpler version of Bayonetta or Metal Gear Rising. The storyline is has a lot of fetch-quests and open-world travelling "from point A to point B" with minimal input required from the gamer, apart from pressing forward and run button.

    The story is quite involved and intelligently done. It didn't blow my mind, but at least it explored some of the big themes of existence a bit. I mean, that's a big deal in video games. Even if it feels slightly gimmicky.

    There's a famous in-game performance of 'Romeo and Juliet' that I looked forward to. But it was just silly joke. Didn't even pretend or try to live up to Shakespeare's play.

    I file Nier Automata under 'Japanese Sci-fi Action' and say it succeeded at what it tried to do. It's just not much more than entertainment, and certainly not as high-brow or philosophical as some people claim.

    And the gameplay is not as innovative or groundbreaking as I expected. At no point did it make me go "Wait, a game can do THAT?!". It does mix up various mini-games, but Final Fantasy had mini-games too. It didn't blow my mind in either series.

    I did actually play through the entire game and got the credits-mini-game. I invested plenty of time and consideration for the game, but it's just not the mind-blowing game that I expected. It's great as an open-world action game... but some of the fetch quests p*ssed me off.    … Expand
  4. sityoazzdown
    Dec 28, 2017
    8
    A very nice game with great game play and interesting story that will keep you guessing throughout. At it's core it's a main hack and slash, with some side scrolling, some top-down beat-em up/shoot-em up and arcadey shooter. It also has an ok open world with kitchen sink side quests that are are ok, some hidden loot boxes that gives new weapons/ rare items, items to grind for that enemiesA very nice game with great game play and interesting story that will keep you guessing throughout. At it's core it's a main hack and slash, with some side scrolling, some top-down beat-em up/shoot-em up and arcadey shooter. It also has an ok open world with kitchen sink side quests that are are ok, some hidden loot boxes that gives new weapons/ rare items, items to grind for that enemies drop that are needed to max level your weapons to get that special ability ( which is actually addicting). The best this game features is a very smooth and visually pleasing combat hack and slash, before I know it i was smashing buttons and it didn't feel all that repetitive because of the visual fireworks on screen as you fight. The story was interesting, and it got more interesting as the game went on. I will say you'll have to atleast play through this game a few times to be satisfied of the story. This game is definitely not for someone looking for a 10 hour game. Pros: Excellent and visually pleasing combat, some loot worth grinding/looking for, story,great soundtrack and atmosphere. The So-So= Ok open world and sidequest, graphics look last gen. Cons: can get repetitive to some, not meant for people who don't like to grind, takes multiple play through to be satisfied of story. 8.5/10… Expand
  5. OwtDaft
    Jul 17, 2019
    8
    + The music is gorgeous and the vocals are really beautiful.
    + The combat is pretty simple but very easy to pick up and play.
    + The game is like the first one in the way the game switches up the game play and camera. + 2B the main character is very easy on the eye.... + The music deserves a 2nd mention. - The game has a stutter despite sacrificing graphics for a high frame rate. -    + The music is gorgeous and the vocals are really beautiful.
    + The combat is pretty simple but very easy to pick up and play.
    + The game is like the first one in the way the game switches up the game play and camera.
    + 2B the main character is very easy on the eye....
    + The music deserves a 2nd mention.
    - The game has a stutter despite sacrificing graphics for a high frame rate.
    - Story is very melodramatic and only gets interesting in the last third of the game.
    - The game has you replay certain parts of the game again half way in.
    - The first game had a much better atmosphere to it.    … Expand
  6. JohnWitten
    Apr 30, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. [Portion of original Full-Length Review]

    One of the most intriguing aspects of gameplay at least stylistically stems from the change in perspective that litters some portions of the game. Typically you play in an over-the-shoulder third-person format, yet on occasion the game shifts to on the rails and top down perspectives for intense firefights utilizing your full android arsenal and party. While ultimately even the bullet-hell segments of the game boil down to eliminating your enemies and clearing the area in search of any interesting lore or story progression, I still found combat and the nice pace of breaking things up a suitable way to keep the monotony of most hack and slash titles to a minimum. The combat is solid enough that there honestly doesn’t need to be too much done with it that is flashy or gaudy and the enemy encounters and boss fights are memorable enough and frenetic and entertaining as is.

    The few complaints that I would have do touch a bit on what repetition there is actually present within the game and that comes largely as a narrative and strategic thing. Your character will be afforded the opportunity to deck themselves out in the occasional rare bonus here and there, plugging in a special upgrade chip that boosts stats in certain areas and are hard to come by. Ultimately this adds some strategy to the game, however there isn’t much diversity outside of a health or damage boost and so it isn’t as interesting as it could be in terms of use. Another case I would like to make is that Automata falls heavily into the Dragon Age II camp of adventure titles- meaning there is plenty of lore and content there and it isn’t a bad game at all, however you’re likely to retread many of the same or all-too similar areas for the duration of the campaign and throughout your quests. Although encounters will be varied and narrative progression unhindered, it’s a sort of lazy game design flaw that bugs any and everyone.

    The world and lore is entirely too intriguing for it to be limited in some of the ways it is- perhaps not literally as it is quite expansive, but in terms of scope and use as a character in and of itself. All things considered, if you played the previous installment then you’ll probably agree that Automata is certainly a leg up on the original in nearly every single way possible. The combat encounters are fun if not always diverse, the lore is handled quite well and manages to promote some intriguing plot lines, and the gameplay mechanics are quite solid and rarely offer any hiccups to halt the fluidity of the game. If you’re looking for an experience that has the ability to be a comprehensive one but doesn’t force you to explore it as deeply as you could, then Nier: Automata is for you.

    Concept: Guide your android comrades in the eternal war against the machines. Quite literally, rage against the machine.

    Graphics: While you will see ultimately a lot of the same, what is there is rendered quite well and there aren’t too many muddy textures involved.

    Sound: The melancholy mood that permeates the soundtrack and the narrative itself lends to the experience overall and is a strong selling point.

    Playability: While it has some quirky features and abrupt changes in perspective at times, the gameplay handles excellently and fluidly throughout your adventure.

    Entertainment: There are often hidden depths to be found but the main draw lies in the fact that the experience is totally what you make of it and there are many interesting facets to the characters and the world and conflict themselves.

    Replay Value: Moderate.

    Overall Score: 8.5    … Expand
  7. dramatickid
    Jun 4, 2017
    8
    Nier:Automata is a super stylish game both in its visuals and in its gameplay. The story is very involving too and above all interesting since it revolves around themes such as human nature and the meaning of life. The only weak point lies in the combat system which, after a while, becomes a little repetitive and the same can be said for its building-up system. Anyway it's a UNIQUE gameNier:Automata is a super stylish game both in its visuals and in its gameplay. The story is very involving too and above all interesting since it revolves around themes such as human nature and the meaning of life. The only weak point lies in the combat system which, after a while, becomes a little repetitive and the same can be said for its building-up system. Anyway it's a UNIQUE game that doesn't look like anything else on the market right now.… Expand
  8. ehcab
    Mar 15, 2017
    8
    After playing 8 hours at a normal level of difficulty, I can decently declare that this game is fresh and fun. However, I can't find yet all the hype that I read on both User's and press articles.

    The world is immersive, the story is deep enough, the 3C's are awesome but : the graphics are not so nice, the frame rate is not constant (you do have some slight drop of frame rate) and the    After playing 8 hours at a normal level of difficulty, I can decently declare that this game is fresh and fun. However, I can't find yet all the hype that I read on both User's and press articles.

    The world is immersive, the story is deep enough, the 3C's are awesome but : the graphics are not so nice, the frame rate is not constant (you do have some slight drop of frame rate) and the rpg mechanics has so far not been useful (been equiping maybe 10% of the items i found / could buy)

    So it's a YES, but I am still eager to live the hype that I read.    … Expand
  9. Sharpshooter188
    Mar 18, 2017
    8
    I was always a fan of the Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and DMC games. If those are your thing you need to at the very least rent this game with some kind of service. Very fluid and flashy combat, a lot of different weapons to find and expand your arsenal, and teensy bit of fan service. The story is interesting, though I admit a bit nonsensical at times. It becomes a bit difficult to followI was always a fan of the Bayonetta, Ninja Gaiden, and DMC games. If those are your thing you need to at the very least rent this game with some kind of service. Very fluid and flashy combat, a lot of different weapons to find and expand your arsenal, and teensy bit of fan service. The story is interesting, though I admit a bit nonsensical at times. It becomes a bit difficult to follow with so many twists in the story. Environments could've been more interactive as well. Soundtrack isn't bad though I'm more a fan of the DMC and Metal Gear Revengeance tracks myself. Sidequests are a bit repetitive.

    But at it's core this game is about combat. And it performs that exceedingly well. Lots to do as well as multiple endings. However, some endings are just gimmicky things. Like a short clip of something happening and then the game ending because of some vague reason. I've sunk about 50 hours of gameplay into this thing and Ive still got a few hefty things to do. There are a couple of hidden bosses as well to extend gameplay time and a newgame+ of sorts as well. No shortage of content here.

    Give it a shot. I think you'll find it worth your time.    … Expand
  10. SwiftReviews
    Dec 7, 2018
    8
    This game was a great play, it had some repetitive combat and what not but i didn't find it annoying at all, the combat mechanics were smooth and satisfying, it had ground combat and flying combat. It sort of reminded me of devil may cry with the sword fighting.

    The music was great and the art direction, different world zones were immersing and beautiful. I found the camera angles    This game was a great play, it had some repetitive combat and what not but i didn't find it annoying at all, the combat mechanics were smooth and satisfying, it had ground combat and flying combat. It sort of reminded me of devil may cry with the sword fighting.

    The music was great and the art direction, different world zones were immersing and beautiful. I found the camera angles sometimes to be annoying with it switching to side scrolling moving and combat but i think it also added to the art style.creativity and charm of the game.

    There was no auto-save which is annoying at the start, while your trying to learn controls, but later on there is so many opportunities to quick save, it wasn't too bothersome.

    The open world was interesting but i think the questing aspect would get really boring after a while, i was mainly focusing on the main story line which kept the pace of the game going with awesome cinematic scenes and boss fights to keep things interested and keep me entertained.

    The story was compelling enough to keep me playing until the end, overall this game is for people who like games like DMC slasher type games and games with an anime style and interesting story and big boss battles.    … Expand
  11. jelikey
    Jun 28, 2018
    8
    A really beautiful game that surpass my expectation.
    Almost everything in this game awesome, the story & plot, the musics, the action/battle, world setting and characters. The game that you must play to understand how good it is and get full experience in a good way.
    Yoko Taro and Platinum game did a good job on this game, this is definitely a gem in PS4.
  12. GamerJosh0137
    Apr 17, 2017
    8
    I don't have much, if any experience with hack and slash games or even JRPGs for that matter. Final Fantasy 15 is probably the only JRPG game I have ever played, oh and Metal Gear Solid 5 (if you consider that a JRPG. I don't but I could see why someone would). I may not know what makes a hack and slash, or a jrpg game good but imo NieR Automata is VERY good. Nier Automata makes anI don't have much, if any experience with hack and slash games or even JRPGs for that matter. Final Fantasy 15 is probably the only JRPG game I have ever played, oh and Metal Gear Solid 5 (if you consider that a JRPG. I don't but I could see why someone would). I may not know what makes a hack and slash, or a jrpg game good but imo NieR Automata is VERY good. Nier Automata makes an attempt at putting almost every genre of game into 1 title. Bullet hell, side scrolling platformer, top down shooter, etc. To my surprise all of those things are done rather well. I can't say that the story is great yet because I feel like I need to play it a couple more times to really get it, there is still much I'm not sure about but what is important here is that I am COMPLETELY willing to play through a couple more times. That says something. With all the titles released recently my backlog seems to get bigger and bigger everyday but I am content with playing Nier exclusively for the time being. Another big plus for this game is the soundtrack. The music that plays with each scenario is sublime, and should be the industry standard for what kind of role music should play in video games. One gripe I have being new to this style of game is being overwhelmed by certain mechanics that have to do with leveling up your character. You are playing as an Android named 2B and your defense, and attack protocols are dependent on the "chips" (as in computer chips, or programs) you have and equip. I still don't think I could explain it but if you are new to this type of game I highly suggest you watch some youtube videos on leveling up 2B. Anyway, the game is great and worth the price. There is a lot of game here, probably around 35 hours I think. And although the open world isn't full of intricate details, it is a blast to explore.… Expand
  13. Deadheadbill
    Mar 19, 2017
    8
    Meh. First off, I will admit that I am not the biggest fan of jrpg's. However I am a fan of great games regardless of their genre and so with all the good rviews decided to give Nier a shot.

    This is just a meh any way you slice it. Combat alone is a 9, but the story, idiotic dialog, bad camera angles and crappy save system are constant disappointments. Wish I had redboxed it or waited    Meh. First off, I will admit that I am not the biggest fan of jrpg's. However I am a fan of great games regardless of their genre and so with all the good rviews decided to give Nier a shot.

    This is just a meh any way you slice it. Combat alone is a 9, but the story, idiotic dialog, bad camera angles and crappy save system are constant disappointments. Wish I had redboxed it or waited for a deep discount rather than dropping full priced coin on it.    … Expand
  14. JTJSGamer
    Mar 7, 2017
    8
    Great game, despite having a rough development, it turned out great. Great graphics, fast paced gameplay, and a great story. I suggest you give it a go.
  15. Empyrea
    Dec 23, 2018
    8
    I've just finished the game in normal (and sometimes easy) mode. I've read that you should play 4 times more once you've beaten it for the first time to know more things of the story but I'm too lazy for that. I've just started the game for second time and, ok, the character is different but for the moment there are too many scenes that I've already seen so I'll probably take a long breakI've just finished the game in normal (and sometimes easy) mode. I've read that you should play 4 times more once you've beaten it for the first time to know more things of the story but I'm too lazy for that. I've just started the game for second time and, ok, the character is different but for the moment there are too many scenes that I've already seen so I'll probably take a long break and try it later or I'll just watch the ends on youtube. About sidequests some should appear later when your level was higher because you can find strong enemies in some sidequests. The story is ok. Probably it must get better when you play this game the whole 5 times but I'm not sure. So for the moment the plot is ok. About gameplay is good, with some retro "starship" gaming. I don't know my feeling after having beat it once is that I expected more from this game. I finished the first round in 13 and a half hours.… Expand
  16. amubher
    Oct 27, 2020
    8
    A rough gem in need of polish in a lot of ways, limited but fun combat. At its heart is a fascinating world and a great story worth telling, despite the weak dialogue and shallow characters.
  17. HTGamer
    Feb 17, 2018
    8
    Nier: Automata is a great blend of many genres and revives interest in the niche Nier/Drakengard franchise.

    Nier: Automata is a spiritual successor to the original Nier released in 2008, its story taking place thousands of years after the 1st game. Some of Nier's characters and events are mentioned in Automata, but otherwise the new game is standalone. A long time before Automata's    Nier: Automata is a great blend of many genres and revives interest in the niche Nier/Drakengard franchise.

    Nier: Automata is a spiritual successor to the original Nier released in 2008, its story taking place thousands of years after the 1st game. Some of Nier's characters and events are mentioned in Automata, but otherwise the new game is standalone. A long time before Automata's events, aliens conquered planet Earth, and the remnants of mankind were driven away from their home planet taking refuge to the Moon. Humanity then created androids to battle against machines controlled by the aliens, resulting in a never ending war that has been raging for thousands of years. Players assume the role of androids 2B, 9S and A2 who fight against the machines. The story is told in 3 short playthroughs called "Routes" and features a total of 26 endings (5 main and 21 "joke" endings which can be triggered by things like eating a poisonous fish that kills you). Route A tells the story from the point of view of android 2B. Then Route B tells the same story from the point of view of 9S, plus we are provided with more info on the machines' past and background. The final Route C takes place after Routes A/B and narrates the conflict between androids 9S and A2, where both try to end the war, leading to the final story endings. The game explores sci-fi themes such as planetary war, alien invasion, AI, robots, consciousness, self-awareness, etc. It's interesting and has its share of twists and turns, but it's a bit of a mess by the end.

    Nier: Automata is an open world game with main missions and side quests, where hack n' slash and old-school shoot-em-up mechanics are implemented. You are accompanied by flying pods that can shoot enemies or do special attacks. 2B and A2 are straight forward melee fighters, whereas 9S is more of a hacker because he is a support unit. Hacking enemies is presented as playing an old-school arcade shoot-em-up bullet hell mini-game, and successfully beating the mini-stage results in dealing damage to the target enemy. The bullet hell mechanic is allso present in the enemies where both minions and bosses attack you by shooting multiple spheres in patterns along with physical attacks. Not only that, but the game often changes camera perspective and at times turns from 3rd person view into a 2D side-scrolling platformer, a 2D top-down vertical-scrolling shoot-em-up, and a top-down 2D twin-stick shooter. Variety is the name of the game in Nier: Automata.

    There is also a DLC which lets you fight in an arena against the respective CEOs of the game's publisher Square Enix and the game's developer PlatinumGames. It's surely hilarious and breaks the fourth wall.

    The game's soundtrack is awesome. There are plenty of melodies and songs that I can't forget. It's easily one of the best videogame OSTs out there. And the english voice acting is good.

    Nier: Automata is not perfect, though. The enemy design is uninspired, with units looking like tin cans (at least these minions come in many shapes and sizes). The map isn't really a well designed open world like that of Horizon: Zero Dawn or other genre staples, more like a collage of different stages, and sadly there is an abundance of invisible walls. And then there are the performance problems. The engine used has optimisation issues that prevent the game from running smoothly. Whether on PS4, PS4 Pro or PC you can't lock at 60 fps and there is plenty of random stutter and hitches. Graphics look bland, and pop-in of geometry and shadows at close range is visible even to the untrained eye. And the latter half of Route C is filled with boring arena fights. All these negatives don't mean Nier: Automata is a bad game, actually it's a good one, but they prevent it from reaching greatness.

    Overall, Nier: Automata is a great game even if it has some flaws. I definitely recommend it to every gamer.    … Expand
  18. setuis
    Jul 10, 2018
    8
    The problem with nier automata was its release window. It was released very close to Horizon zero dawn and some players who finished dawn also purchased Nier, I was one of those people who need to go back to Nier as i had burnout on machine based combat when i first started to play it. I will currently rate it an 8 as it was overshadowed a little in the graphical area. I will come backThe problem with nier automata was its release window. It was released very close to Horizon zero dawn and some players who finished dawn also purchased Nier, I was one of those people who need to go back to Nier as i had burnout on machine based combat when i first started to play it. I will currently rate it an 8 as it was overshadowed a little in the graphical area. I will come back and edit this sometime this year.

    I would say the game has complexity , it has story lines it's just some buildings looked a little off putting, texture wise.    … Expand
  19. Tselel
    Mar 14, 2017
    8
    Story - The fact that it is a Yoko Taro game shows that if you want to see and know the whole story, you MUST finish it all and unlock all endings. The story can be generalized as follow; Earth is now dominated by "aliens" and the human race fled and is now living in the moon. The group of androids named "Yhorha" has the main task of retaking Earth and defeating the aliens in it. The mainStory - The fact that it is a Yoko Taro game shows that if you want to see and know the whole story, you MUST finish it all and unlock all endings. The story can be generalized as follow; Earth is now dominated by "aliens" and the human race fled and is now living in the moon. The group of androids named "Yhorha" has the main task of retaking Earth and defeating the aliens in it. The main protagonists of the game are 2B, and android whose unique trait is being calm, 9S, an android whose unique trait is showing more emotions compared to other androids and the third protagonist in the game is A2, a prototype android for 2B's class and whose unique trait is being solitary and prefers to work alone. These 3 are the main core of the game and Yoko Taro's Nier story. All i can say is I love the unique way of storytelling made by the developers in game in which more and more of the story is revealed the more you actually tried to unlock the other endings and at the end. All i can say is it is tragic, but satisfactory and good. A score of 9/10.

    Gameplay - Now this is where the second developer Platinum games forte. I can say it is one of their bests gameplay developed in their careers, it is better if not equal to Bayonetta's hack and slash gameplay and obviously better than the Revengeance gameplay. It's smooth and fast paced its awesome. In addition, other style of mini games was also included in game like the classic overhead shooter view, the 2-D side scroller gameplay, etc. Even though sometimes it becomes confusing because of how fast the game moves it is till great. Awesome job by Platinum Games. A score of 10/10 in this aspect.

    Graphics - The animation, character movement and character design are all awesome. The fan favorite of Cosplayers is 2B's Goth outfit and we wont ever forget her gorgeous and game changing sexy android butt. As well as other character's design like the Yorha's commander and A2. However, my issue is the color of the environment, its bland and lifeless, although i could see why they did that since its apocalyptic, it is still becoming boring if all you see in the environment are dominated by the colors black, white and yellow. Another issue i had is the enemy designs, it is pretty generic and lazily done. Though some are cute looking, nothing really out of all made me impressed. Therefore, a score of 7/10 deserves this spot.

    Sound - No need to say anything. GOTY when its comes to soundtrack and character voice. 10/10

    Average = 8.75

    Platinum games has now redeemed themselve and is back in the game with the release of this awesome game and Yoko Taro's unique storytelling added that cherry on top. This game is a recomended buy to anyone who misses the fast paced hack and slash game genre. Its totally worth it,    … Expand
  20. Jaosnow
    Apr 13, 2018
    8
    Beautiful game, good design of characters, awesome gameplay and amazing ost and sound mixing, howecer there are various problems with the level design and performancez specialy on the pc version
  21. mikepatyaev
    Aug 8, 2022
    8
    NieR Producer Yosuke Saito, director Taro Yoko and composer Keiichi Okabe return, teaming up with character designer Akihiko Yoshida and PlatinumGames to present the next entry in the saga – NieR: Automata.
  22. agent13
    Oct 8, 2018
    8
    i'm not really a fan of jrpg but this game is amazing, the music is one of the bests you have ever experienced in a video game combat and gameplay is ok graphics could be better story is good depite it's slow pace
  23. SOLIDSNAKEN64
    Oct 2, 2017
    8
    Nier Automata is one of the best JRPGs that I have played this generation. That being said there where some things that kept me from giving this a perfect 10. I had put about 35 hrs into this game and something kept pulling me back to play and finish as much as I could. The story is entertaining and develops a lot more towards the end of the game. The controls are tight and the battleNier Automata is one of the best JRPGs that I have played this generation. That being said there where some things that kept me from giving this a perfect 10. I had put about 35 hrs into this game and something kept pulling me back to play and finish as much as I could. The story is entertaining and develops a lot more towards the end of the game. The controls are tight and the battle system is well done. Music in this game is great, but by the end of it you are tired of hearing the same songs. The RPG element isn't that in depth, you have plug in chips that you can customize to add different upgrades to your character and you have two weapons that you can use at a time that can be upgraded through NPC traders. This game is great for what it is but ultimately I feel like this game could of been an epic masterpiece if the devs had done some things differently. The big gripe I had with Nier was the graphics! It was like PS2/PS3 graphics, cmon this is next gen step it up. Also I didn't like having to play the first half of the game twice, one time as B2 to and the second as 9S just to get to the second half of the game. Also the simple fetch quests can get tiresome, and they could of had more rememberable NPCs and side quest. Could also use more of a variety of enemies, but there are some fun boss battles. Anyways I enjoyed my time with Nier just not as good of a game as it could of been! If you own a PS4 or PC definitely a game you should check out and experience yourself.… Expand
  24. likevin96
    Dec 28, 2017
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Completion: Endings A, B, C, D, E and a few extra ones on normal difficulty. 85% quest .

    Pros:
    - Great character design
    - One of the most innovative stories in years that only works within the medium. However, the more surprising parts of the game are less exciting if you have already played the original.
    - Great characters and character development - definitely some of the best in the medium. 9S stands out in particular.
    - Ending E is incredibly powerful and greatly synthesizes many of the themes presented throughout the game.
    - The narrative associated with the side quests are astonishing in how thematically consistent they are.
    - Battle system is a huge upgrade from the original. Although this is one of Platinum's weaker offerings in terms of the actual depth of combat, it serves its purpose and looks great.
    - Incredible soundtrack and voice acting. Overall, the sound direction is superb. The final credits song is a stand-out and might be my best track of the year.
    - Bullet hell parts are fun and stand out since they're so uncommon in modern games
    - A lot of cool ludonarrative tricks. Every single part of the "game" is also part of the narrative.

    Cons:
    - Awful map system. Although they do contextualize it within the game, still feels lacking.
    - Many parts of the game feel repetitive - particularly Route B. Although this is partially intentional, it doesn't make it any less boring to play.
    - Route C is underwritten. The narrative would have been greatly bolstered by just a little bit more explanation of what was going on. This is more or less true throughout the entire game, but it is critically lacking here.
    - Side quests are simple fetch quests.
    - Weapon system is poor. Few if any weapons feel significantly different from each other (only 4 main categories) besides from appearance. For a 40 hour game, greater variation in weapon type or weapon movesets would be very much welcome. Same basic principle applies to the pod weapons.
    - Many janky parts such as the millions of invisible walls littering the environment.
    - Environments are ugly. Resemble a last-gen MMO.
    - Traversing the world is very annoying before you can fast travel.

    Final Word:
    NieR: Automata is a fantastic and unique experience, even more so if you have never played the original NieR. Although the combat and navigation can become repetitive and sometimes even frustrating, the incredible soundtrack, voice acting, lore, and narrative more than make up for it. Yoko Taro's voice truly shines through in this monumental title.

    True Score:
    8.6    … Expand
  25. kotymba
    Mar 7, 2017
    8
    I was skeptical before playing NieR: Automata. It looks like anime, which I'm not keen on. But a few hours in this game broke the ice in my heart. As all games it has some pros and cons. Obviously pros are challenging gameplay on hard, very impressive music and interesting story. And cons.. I want to warn you that I'm mean and jealous Sony fan. An when it was announced that this game willI was skeptical before playing NieR: Automata. It looks like anime, which I'm not keen on. But a few hours in this game broke the ice in my heart. As all games it has some pros and cons. Obviously pros are challenging gameplay on hard, very impressive music and interesting story. And cons.. I want to warn you that I'm mean and jealous Sony fan. An when it was announced that this game will be released on PC too, I felt upset. I have expectation that this IP become a new exclusive diamond on PS crown, but damn it Square Enix! Imho it will be cracked in a couple days after Steam release. Now I'm even regret about my Amazon order(… Expand
  26. Rebelllion
    Mar 7, 2017
    8
    Graphics are very subpar, game looks like it came out 10 years ago or more. Aside from the intro that will most likely cause a ton of frustration if you didn't play the demo, the game is great. At first I thought it would be nothing like the original Nier, but it definitely lives up to the name. Just very sad they completely copped out on the graphics.
  27. ikatyanman
    Mar 10, 2017
    8
    Story: 10/10
    good story
    multi ending system

    Sound: 10/10
    Best ost I've heard in a videogame in recent years.

    Gameplay: 10/10
    Fun and addicting.

    Replayability: 10/10
    26 endings nuff said.

    Graphics: 8/10
    better
  28. dr0nzer
    Apr 6, 2020
    8
    Firstly, a 2017 release - graphically does not hold that great in 2020, however the gameplay mechanics still do and are astonishing, i was pleasantly surprised and impressed many times over, the entire system is seamless, the boss battles are some of the best I've ever experienced, so many layers, so much depth..... so many phases! There is so much replay value if that's your thing, it's aFirstly, a 2017 release - graphically does not hold that great in 2020, however the gameplay mechanics still do and are astonishing, i was pleasantly surprised and impressed many times over, the entire system is seamless, the boss battles are some of the best I've ever experienced, so many layers, so much depth..... so many phases! There is so much replay value if that's your thing, it's a game that actually encourages you to in order to see the other endings.
    The music/soundtrack compliments the action so well, I personally didn't understand the story... I'm sure I'll get it on my next playthrough.    … Expand
  29. marcelus
    Mar 17, 2017
    8
    A Yoko Taro with great gameplay. Maybe not the deepest Platinum Games combat system but the sum of all things makes a great product. The soundtrack by Keiichi Okabe with vocals by Emi Evans. The story which can be deep for fans but also can be enjoyed by newcomers on the first Route (Route A Ending). Maybe the fans wanted more screen time for old characters and the cameo of a special oneA Yoko Taro with great gameplay. Maybe not the deepest Platinum Games combat system but the sum of all things makes a great product. The soundtrack by Keiichi Okabe with vocals by Emi Evans. The story which can be deep for fans but also can be enjoyed by newcomers on the first Route (Route A Ending). Maybe the fans wanted more screen time for old characters and the cameo of a special one from a previous game but they game worth it every single penny. I would write tons of lines about NieR with spoilers and all...You'll know if you become Drag-On Dragoon | NieR fan as I am now. BTW those shooters parts...Yoko Taro...you did it! :)… Expand
  30. PurplePoodlez
    Mar 24, 2017
    8
    To start off this review I believe it to be of note that this is my first time ever experiencing a Platinum game. With that being said I must say I was very much impressed with this game. Nier Automata is a game that takes place in the distant future where you take the role of a character named 2b and fight through a seemingly endless wave of "mindless" robots to complete your mission.To start off this review I believe it to be of note that this is my first time ever experiencing a Platinum game. With that being said I must say I was very much impressed with this game. Nier Automata is a game that takes place in the distant future where you take the role of a character named 2b and fight through a seemingly endless wave of "mindless" robots to complete your mission.

    The story in Nier Automata isn't one your likely to forget anytime soon as it plays out similarly to something straight out of an anime. While you may like anime this type or story telling leads to some cliche character personality and behavior making my personal experience a little less enjoyable. Even so throughout the whole game i never once felt bored of the characters, yes they maybe a little cliche but its handled very well through great voice acting and seemingly perfect soundtrack execution. Throughout my experience with the story I can say that Nier provides a great sense of direction and gives a peculiar sense of wonder as you hope to discover a deeper truth as to why the machines on earth are acting the way they do.

    Game play feels very solid and smooth and gives a great sense of accomplishment when taking down a hard boss. Though combat is buttery smooth I feel like there too much to spam instead of having well timed dodges I found myself just kinda spamming the dodge button while being attacked by a boss or a handful of enemies. My problems with the combat is that even after 12+ hrs of game play i still find spam to be the most effective way to dodge and counter attack my enemies. Nier Automata's combat mechanics pulls straight from the books of a dark souls game, be it this game is more forgiving through your skill and upgrades, once you die you will lose them unless you go back to your body and retrieve your skill chips. This death system made me feel like I actually had something to lose if I died and provided me some great incentive to not just Rambo and die, but think about my next attack and if I should be saving my missile salvo for the next wave or use it now. Nier Automata's combat in game play I can say has given my the most fun I have had in gaming in awhile

    Other things to note would be the performance of this game and how the PC port doesn't seem to run smoothly and needs more optimization

    in conclusion I can confidently say that if you are not planing on picking Nier Automata up for your PC/console in the future that your are doing yourself a disservice    … Expand
  31. akirafox
    Apr 3, 2017
    8
    Summary - This game is absolutely worth your time. It's not perfect, and to put it bluntly this game does a lot of dumb **** But the great moments in both gameplay and story more than make up for it. The team did a great job at crafting an emotional story that manages to successfully make the non-human characters feel relatable. Complimented with satisfying combat and an incredibleSummary - This game is absolutely worth your time. It's not perfect, and to put it bluntly this game does a lot of dumb **** But the great moments in both gameplay and story more than make up for it. The team did a great job at crafting an emotional story that manages to successfully make the non-human characters feel relatable. Complimented with satisfying combat and an incredible soundtrack, this makes for an unmissable experience.

    Pros -
    - Contains the excellent combat expected from Platinum Games combined with the spot-on humour and craziness expected from a Yoko Taro title.
    - Emotional story with multiple major endings.
    - One of the best soundtracks found in any game.
    - The frequent changes in genre and style of gameplay helped keep things fresh.
    - Comprehensive upgrade system that allows for very different builds.
    - 2B.

    Cons -
    - I wasn't a fan of 9S' gameplay. While, save for a particularly frustrating segment near the end, I enjoyed the hacking, I felt that the hacking in regular combat disrupted the flow and slowed things down too much. This may be a personal preference however.
    - The game has its fair share of boring, dragged out, or sometimes just outright annoying segments. Luckily these are infrequent and are outweighed by the rest of the game.
    - The open world contains a lot of invisible walls and needlessly cordoned off areas that seem to negatively impact exploration.

    Overall Score - 8.4/10    … Expand
  32. Sventendo
    May 21, 2017
    8
    While "Nier - Automata" offers a highly compelling story about existentialism, side stories as well as the open-world are often not interesting enough and fail to keep the player engaged.

    The story of this game is outstanding and sets a new standard for games to come in the future. The depth of this story is phenomenal and also the main characters are extremely likable and unique.    While "Nier - Automata" offers a highly compelling story about existentialism, side stories as well as the open-world are often not interesting enough and fail to keep the player engaged.

    The story of this game is outstanding and sets a new standard for games to come in the future. The depth of this story is phenomenal and also the main characters are extremely likable and unique. Additionally, the gameplay is everything you would expect from a Platinum Game, especially on the higher difficulties are extremely challenging. The soundtrack of this game is the **** too.

    The main flaw of this game is the open-world, which does not really feel like one. Side-Stories are repetitive and fail to convey the depth of the main story-line. Also, the graphical composition of the over-world, which mostly contains of ruins, is not as good as it should be and feels rather outdated. Overall, the second playthrough is way too repetitive.
    .    … Expand
  33. Hyper-Dash
    Mar 11, 2018
    8
    Except for a few things Nier Automata has everything a good game today should have. Fluid and precise controls, an engrossing story that slowly unfolds as you play, and of course the gameplay, that is a combination of several other genres. like Shoot 'em ups, Hash and Slays, or RPGs.

    The combat is beautiful to look at, offering several combos and abilities, albeit a little too    Except for a few things Nier Automata has everything a good game today should have. Fluid and precise controls, an engrossing story that slowly unfolds as you play, and of course the gameplay, that is a combination of several other genres. like Shoot 'em ups, Hash and Slays, or RPGs.

    The combat is beautiful to look at, offering several combos and abilities, albeit a little too buttonmashy and a little too easy for most of the time.

    The story involves the often told battle between mankind and machine, but it's the tone of the narrative that separates it from other movies and games.

    The whole experience is wrapped up in a beautiful soundtrack that effectively complements the different situations of the game.

    A must buy, if you're a fan of Hack and Slash and RPG with an interesting story to follow.    … Expand
  34. WingmakerPrime
    Nov 22, 2017
    8
    This game is the most mechanically apocalyptic that you will play for a long time on your PS4. It really is a complicated story with good things that will leave you thinking about what life is like. BUT ..... we come to value the game. Graphically it is very good, with some ups and downs but good at the end, lonque really keeps you playing is the frenetic pace of the fighting and theThis game is the most mechanically apocalyptic that you will play for a long time on your PS4. It really is a complicated story with good things that will leave you thinking about what life is like. BUT ..... we come to value the game. Graphically it is very good, with some ups and downs but good at the end, lonque really keeps you playing is the frenetic pace of the fighting and the music. This really makes what is on the screen even more pleasant. although it could have been better in some aspects is a great game that every holder of a PS4 must have if or if.

    SPANISH:
    Este juego es lo mas mecánicamente apocaliptico que jugaras en mucho tiempo en tu PS4, Realmente es una historia complicada y con buenas cosas que te dejarán pensando en que es la vida. PERO.....venimos a valorar el juego. Gráficamente es muy bueno, con algunas altibajos pero bueno al final, lonque realmente te mantiene jugando es el ritmo frenético de los combates y la música. esta realmente hace que lo que esta en pantalla sea aun más agradable. aunque bien pudo haber sido mejor en algunos aspectos es un juegazo que todo poseedor de un PS4 debe tener si o si.    … Expand
  35. Quinby_Satchel
    Nov 8, 2017
    8
    I honestly don't even beat that many games. I simply don't have the time in my life to beat every game that I buy. I made a point of completing Nier and I enjoyed my time with it very much. That's not to say this is a flawless game but it's just bursting with personality. The story and characters all feel very fresh and interesting and it was fun uncovering what was going on in theI honestly don't even beat that many games. I simply don't have the time in my life to beat every game that I buy. I made a point of completing Nier and I enjoyed my time with it very much. That's not to say this is a flawless game but it's just bursting with personality. The story and characters all feel very fresh and interesting and it was fun uncovering what was going on in the story.
    The combat is engaging and is not afraid to punish you for being lazy while still being entirely fair. It combines 3D action/brawling, side scrolling/platforming and shmup segments elegantly together along with a somewhat optiional deep RPG system. I found you could level up your character and use the standard weapons fairly easily without worrying too much about the minute details, but rest assured that if you like trying to fine tune your character with special abilities and weapons that the option is there for you. If you want to be a glass cannon or a mobile tank; it is truly versatile. The story reaches several shocking revelations as you play through the game several times, experiencing it in different ways and from different viewpoints. Very cool!
    I wouldn't want to avoid talking about some of the aspects i thought were less then amazing. The graphics aren't anything to scream about. It was some wonderful art design but the graphics are mostly pretty simplistic. This is not the most important thing about a video game at all so this may not matter to you, but it's worth mentioning.
    There is an 'open world' you explore in this game that ends up being a little tedious when you are reaching many hours of play as they tend to be linear and predictable. It's an open world but only in the barest sense. And you WILL be retreading these areas time and time again. If you choose to seek out the games many secrets and hidden treasures you will be scouring every nook and cranny and that is the point where this world does not QUITE hold up. However, it's perfectly functional so your mileage may vary with this.
    Overall the pros far outweigh the cons and the unique voice, world, and storytelling of this game make it incredibly worthy of a visit. Most games don't aspire to anything near what this game was trying to accomplish in my humble opinion.    … Expand
  36. EneChan
    Nov 15, 2017
    8
    Emotion is forbidden. Nier: Automata is a great game that comes with an amazing soundtrack, and it's plot is also one of those you will need to experienced yourself to understand the impact of it. Yoko Taro is hands down the most talented storyteller for the past 10 years. Though the game is amazing in the plot and music but the gameplay turns a little bit repetitive around mid-game, plusEmotion is forbidden. Nier: Automata is a great game that comes with an amazing soundtrack, and it's plot is also one of those you will need to experienced yourself to understand the impact of it. Yoko Taro is hands down the most talented storyteller for the past 10 years. Though the game is amazing in the plot and music but the gameplay turns a little bit repetitive around mid-game, plus the graphic isn't very appealing in the modern gaming industry. However it is still a must play for every plot-loving gamers out there.… Expand
  37. dash383535
    Nov 30, 2017
    8
    Intro:

    An open world hack and slash game that did not really need to be open world. Despite this, It's a fun ride with a good story and memorable characters. Story: This game is a sequel to NeiR, a game that released on the Xbox 360 back in 2010 but if you are a newcomer you can get right into the story. It starts with a world run by machines. Humans live on the moon and have    Intro:

    An open world hack and slash game that did not really need to be open world. Despite this, It's a fun ride with a good story and memorable characters.

    Story:

    This game is a sequel to NeiR, a game that released on the Xbox 360 back in 2010 but if you are a newcomer you can get right into the story. It starts with a world run by machines. Humans live on the moon and have android go down and fight the machine to get the earth back. A team of androids, 2B and 9S, are fighting with several other teams.When 2B goes to take on a bigger threat, they uncover some clues that might explain what happened to the earth and may even lead to a solution on how to kill on the machines. The story is great, has a few twist and turns and feels complete and is very enjoyable to play through and find out what happens next.

    Gameplay:

    A great mix of hack and slash and RPG gameplay. It's a fast and fluent game that runs at 60FPS. Framerate can drop below 20 FPS for a second or 2 in intense spots but other than that, it's fluent. The open world feels a bit unnecessary in this game since most of it is very linear. This game should have been linear or semi-linear just due to the nature of the game and the story progression. Not only that but the map system is often confusing and you will be scratching your head at points while being frustrated not being able to access the next part of the game. Besides FPS and the open world, the game has great combat and boss fights that make it worth it to get to the next part.

    Technicals:

    This game looks great. The graphics are crisp and clear. Animations look stunning at 60 FPS. The open world as much detail (even if it is a bit empty at times.). Unforgettable soundtrack, boss music sounds incredible and gets you ready for a fight. No problems with the technical side of things.

    Final Thoughts:

    If you love hack and slack games or anything from Platinum Games, I highly recommend this game at its full retail price. If the open world aspect sounds bad to you but you still want a great story and fun gameplay, wait for a price drop. 2 points were decided for the open world, confusing map system and some FPS drop but that should not deter you from playing this great game.    … Expand
  38. ChavesAnt
    May 19, 2018
    8
    I liked a lot, have everything a like in a game; hack n slash, Ass, RPG **** waifu as main character, space shooter time, **** annoying hack minigames and fishing.

    At all sometimes in the vast world, I've felt a little sleep or disinterest, but when I go back to action it's back to being a masterpiece

    cute bots and nice ass, this game is revolutionary!
  39. xiekaidream
    Sep 17, 2021
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 比死亡搁浅更直白的哲学著作（X） 2B天下第一（在A2出现前 相比ARPG，9S打飞机还玩的挺爽的0.0 操作时候只会无尽按住R1，狂按□，一秒按一下R2竟然也感觉动作很爽-。- 虽然只做了20%多的支线但是每个都很有意思 为避免强迫症纠结要不要白金，真结局直接帮我删除存档一了百了，我谢谢你-。- 棒极啦~… Expand
  40. michaelb1928
    Jun 19, 2020
    8
    Nier Automata is a pretty incredible achievement in storytelling. Its deep and makes you really think afterwards. The Gameplay is fun enough although is a little repetitive especially as 9s where the omission of heavy weapons limits your playstyle and once you unlock all the pod abilities as 2b early in her playthrough there isn't anything new as far as I saw anyway maybe I missed them inNier Automata is a pretty incredible achievement in storytelling. Its deep and makes you really think afterwards. The Gameplay is fun enough although is a little repetitive especially as 9s where the omission of heavy weapons limits your playstyle and once you unlock all the pod abilities as 2b early in her playthrough there isn't anything new as far as I saw anyway maybe I missed them in some sidequests. The soundtrack is 10/10. While the story didnt grip me as hard as others, something with me and machines I find it hard to empathize with them. However its still an amazing story thats never been done like this before and a fun game that I might go back to a few years from now and potentially appreciate even more… Expand
  41. Stonewallish
    Oct 20, 2018
    8
    If you can manage to get yourself invested in the NieR universe -and I know it can be difficult-, you’ll find yourself in a magical place. Following 2B’s adventures has been a pleasure all throughout the game. The combat flows fantastically and the artistic direction -the music, in particular- is, simply put, outstanding. Saying anything about this game’s story would probably be consideredIf you can manage to get yourself invested in the NieR universe -and I know it can be difficult-, you’ll find yourself in a magical place. Following 2B’s adventures has been a pleasure all throughout the game. The combat flows fantastically and the artistic direction -the music, in particular- is, simply put, outstanding. Saying anything about this game’s story would probably be considered spoiler, so I’m not gonna touch on that. Just know that it’s really, really good. The only problem I can find with this game, has to do with its performance. It runs pretty bad on underpowered machines, and can struggle on high end computers as well. Don’t let this stop you from enjoying one of the best games to come out in recent years though; you simply need to experience it at least once.… Expand
  42. LukaDjuka
    Jan 8, 2019
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Very Enjoyable game to play, but I found some parts of it to be very boring/tedious:

    The Good:
    - Fun game play. Good animations, fluid movement, and good pace to combat. Although it is "hack n' slash" it still manages to stay entertaining.
    - Great characters/character design
    - Interesting/Unique story. Has good plot points as well as great story telling. Definitely complete the game to truly appreciate what the story offers.
    - For the most part... Amazing game design.

    The Bad:
    - The whole mid-game... but that's more "ugly" than it is "bad".
    - Poor level pacing via natural story progression. I found that i was under leveled for some parts of the game even though I believe I invested an adequate amount of time into experience farming. it ruined some of the pacing of story since I had to waste time leveling.
    - Not enough weapon variation as well as weapon attack variation. I mention this because you spend most of the game in combat, spamming the attack key. It would have been nice if there were more weapon attack animations as that would be more visually appealing to the player. It likely would have caused them to pay more attention to whats happening on the screen rather than just accepting that the character is performing the same 1 or 2 combos on repeat. This complaint is more targeted towards its " hack n' slash" roots. So it can be overlooked.
    - Some equips were too hard to upgrade
    - I hated the hacking. it was boring, tedious, and stressful. Not my cup of tea.

    The Ugly:
    - Wasn't a fan of the environment/setting of the game. I'm not a fan of "post apocalypse" settings. Constant gloomy atmosphere made it hard to play for long periods of time without losing interest in the game. However, I understand that this setting is a key point of the game as it supports the story. Changing the environment/setting would alter the game's mood/atmosphere and thus make it lose one of its biggest appeals. Nevertheless, I prefer games with a more lighthearted feel to them, and Nier definitely was not that.
    - Horrible Mid-game. Awfully boring and an absolute chore to play. I understand it provides more insight to the story, but I have to imagine that it could have been done a better way. Ruined the original mindset i had towards the game, and caused me to lose interest. With that said, I'll give credit where credit is due... The end game is fantastic. It makes a great attempt at fixing that which was broken with the mid game. However, not only was the end game too short to properly "hook" the player back in (after that dreadful mid-game), I also believe the damage that was done was too great for it to be totally fixed anyhow.

    Overall, it's a game i would recommend to a friend... but i would also warn them of nuisances that await them.    … Expand
  43. Grandhatred
    Feb 5, 2022
    8
    summary of this game. post traumatic syndrome, crying cat and vietnam flashback
  44. FuriousAegon
    Jan 17, 2021
    8
    Thats a pretty good game!
    -Great Combat
    -Amazing Soundtrack -Locations are disegned vry well. -Side Quets are boring alittle and most of them are not memorable -The Main Plot is very interesting and mysterious,but at the start it can unclear and messy. But ill recomend to play that game,it is really got something,and everyone will perceive this game differently so my personal mark    Thats a pretty good game!
    -Great Combat
    -Amazing Soundtrack
    -Locations are disegned vry well.
    -Side Quets are boring alittle and most of them are not memorable
    -The Main Plot is very interesting and mysterious,but at the start it can unclear and messy.
    But ill recomend to play that game,it is really got something,and everyone will perceive this game differently so my personal mark for this game is 8.    … Expand
  45. CSYBR
    Jun 7, 2020
    8
    Incredible gameplay and an exciting story, that almost made me cry. Setting, beautiful graphics.
  46. pedraww
    Dec 8, 2019
    8
    Although it gets repetitive, the game is great and kinda challenging sometimes.
  47. dylan_sayre
    Jan 11, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I almost gave up after I finished Route A. I mean I had finished the game and made it to the end credits after all? I was disappointed by the story and found it very dull. However, after reading on the internet, you're actually supposed to keep playing and reload your save file after you finish the first ending, and boy did the rest of the game not disappoint. By the end of Route E I was nearly in tears, and this is coming from someone that doesn't cry very often in video games. The combat was fun although the most fun I had was playing as 9S and utilizing his hacking abilities to defeat enemies. It was a lot more satisfying than the repetitive button mashing of 2B and A2. With slightly tighter combat and story resources accessible in the game rather than real world novellas, I would give this a 10/10. But as it stands, with incredible atmosphere, music, and fun hacking, I give this game an 8/10… Expand
  48. Ibal
    May 8, 2021
    8
    After loving Bayonetta, Bayonetta 2 and Astral Chain, I tried this one. Great game but somehow it did not live to my high expectations. It is still a good game though.
  49. INU4SH4
    Sep 30, 2020
    8
    Can't believe I forgot to review this gem for so long.

    Nier: Automata is a landmark for action games. Its gameplay is fresh and unique, its characters are compelling and interesting, the graphics look stunning and so do all the character designs, the music is some of the best, and the most important part, its story is really well-written. it's also worth noting that it also mixes many    Can't believe I forgot to review this gem for so long.

    Nier: Automata is a landmark for action games. Its gameplay is fresh and unique, its characters are compelling and interesting, the graphics look stunning and so do all the character designs, the music is some of the best, and the most important part, its story is really well-written. it's also worth noting that it also mixes many elements and video-game types so it's not only an action beat-em-up.

    Nier: Automata delivers the full-package and even features great replayability. Truly one of the best action games around. Square Enix truly did a great job here.    … Expand
  50. ADCT800
    Jul 2, 2020
    8
    Nice game, amazing combat, good animations and beautiful characters. I am not that impressed about the world or those robots. They should have scrapped those multiple endings and invested that time creating more unique enemies or world.
  51. intra
    Jun 26, 2020
    8
    7 or 8/10. Mixed feelings about this game. Nier does so many things right I want to give it a 9/10, however a tedious world with tons of repetition dulled the experience.

    The story is compelling and gripping from the very beginning, the ost is perhaps one of the best and most fitting in recent memory and the characters including the machines are engaging. The storytelling, addition of    7 or 8/10. Mixed feelings about this game. Nier does so many things right I want to give it a 9/10, however a tedious world with tons of repetition dulled the experience.

    The story is compelling and gripping from the very beginning, the ost is perhaps one of the best and most fitting in recent memory and the characters including the machines are engaging. The storytelling, addition of 'light' multiplayer elements and layered gameplay make for an unforgettable experience that everyone should try.

    The problem for me is that the world itself gets boring fast, which is mainly an issue because this game is designed to easily surpass 50+ hours.
    Fixing this is not too difficult (but costly of course). Fleshout the world more, more details, more npcs and most importantly more areas to explore. Revisiting the same places over and over was very tedious by the end.

    With that said I still enjoyed the game and wish to see more like it. Hopefully developers can make some of these improvements, looking forward to what is next.    … Expand
  52. lcja
    Jul 1, 2020
    8
    very good combat and music! I have to say that it has surprised me greatly. Hightly recommended.
  53. MikhaiI
    Aug 2, 2020
    8
    Интересная история. Хорошо проработанные персонажи. Великолепная музыка.
    Из минусов - пустые локации и плохо оптимизированная графика. После первого прохождения пробегать опять те же самые локации другим персонажем уже не очень интересно.    Интересная история. Хорошо проработанные персонажи. Великолепная музыка.
    Из минусов - пустые локации и плохо оптимизированная графика. После первого прохождения пробегать опять те же самые локации другим персонажем уже не очень интересно.
  54. User7355608
    Aug 19, 2020
    8
    It's a good game. By all means. I just have one little issue with it. WHAT THE HELL IS SHE WEARING??? The main character, a thicc android, has ass n' boobs hanging out at ALL TIMES. She wears borderline fetish gear, with a much too short dress, garters, and fishnets, and the only thing managing to keep this game as M rated, is a VERY thin strip of white cloth, barely covering her genitals,It's a good game. By all means. I just have one little issue with it. WHAT THE HELL IS SHE WEARING??? The main character, a thicc android, has ass n' boobs hanging out at ALL TIMES. She wears borderline fetish gear, with a much too short dress, garters, and fishnets, and the only thing managing to keep this game as M rated, is a VERY thin strip of white cloth, barely covering her genitals, and wedged between her asscheeks (and her uhh, "Lips" as much as I hate to say it). There is one other uniform in the game, and it's a ridiculous suit of armor, requires very specific story choices, and takes about 30 hours too reach. The DLC has a "revealing outfit"(as if the default one isnt revealing enough) which is one thigh-high, and a nightgown.

    Everytime you run, jump, or climb a ladder, between wind picking up her dress, and some crazy "coincidental" camera angles, you get your camera pointed directly at her exposed caboose, and numerous cutscenes show you ass and cameltoe.

    and don't you dare tell me this is empowerment, or story accurate. This is the same as Quiet in metal gear, or the female armor in monster hunter. Japanese games tend to not treat women the same way as western games. That's it. One of the devs even said he solely chose it cause it's hot.

    It's not. It's cringey. It's like watching a Tarantino movie, but it's ALL footscenes. Like "come on bro? have you no shame". I don't honestly care that much about feminism or things like that, and I don't care if someone objectifies a fictional person, but it's ridiculous that the devs force us to stare at that BS. Grow the **** up. It's greasy.    … Expand
  55. ryunmi
    May 4, 2021
    8
    The story is so good and makes you want to progress. The idea of having a lot of endings is amazing for the player to tried different things throughout the game. Yoko Taro story is always dark but absolutely masterpiece. The battle system is a standard hack and slash with different combo animation based on the combination of the weapons equipped. The graphic is good, the soundtracks areThe story is so good and makes you want to progress. The idea of having a lot of endings is amazing for the player to tried different things throughout the game. Yoko Taro story is always dark but absolutely masterpiece. The battle system is a standard hack and slash with different combo animation based on the combination of the weapons equipped. The graphic is good, the soundtracks are definitely the best, it change to 8 bit music when the player do a hacking in the battle. I consider it as one of the best soundtrack that I love. Some of the side quest is not interesting and it doesn't make the player wants to finish them all. But after the first ending, the side quest is actually on different perspective. I think the developer needs to make the side quest more interesting to play.… Expand
  56. hector_bcn98
    Nov 17, 2022
    8
    No compro los relatos de que es uno de los mejores juegos de la historia. Sí, muy buen hack and slash con secciones de plataforma y mil experimentos random varios, pero la historia es una burrada sin sentido.
  57. tharikleo
    Apr 19, 2021
    8
    Complexo sem deixar de ser divertido e desafiador, é um excelente RPG de Ação.
  58. BrainlessCowork
    May 26, 2021
    8
    Now I've been a Platinum Games fan forever so i knew i'd like this game. Its a pretty standard Hack and Slash but there is a huge skill ceiling if your good enough. The story is alright, i heard people saying it was the next Evangelion but in my opinion it really doesn't live up to that much praise but it still has some good moments to keep things interesting.
    Final rating 80/100
  59. KisarasLegacy
    Feb 21, 2022
    8
    I love the gameplay, the story, the combat system and the characters. Very tired tho of these freaking female character designs.
  60. fsq111111
    Oct 24, 2021
    8
    The plot and music are very good, other parts are average, and the combat system needs to be strengthened.
  61. Ginger_Avenger
    Nov 19, 2022
    8
    Maybe its the protagonist's haircut, but this game made me think of Parasite Eve for PS1, if only in the sense that I liked the setting and concepts quite a bit, but found the actual gameplay to be a bit hard to really get satisfied with. Still, given the captivating anime sci-fi style adventure, I played on and beat it, although I eventually just switched on the auto aim function on theMaybe its the protagonist's haircut, but this game made me think of Parasite Eve for PS1, if only in the sense that I liked the setting and concepts quite a bit, but found the actual gameplay to be a bit hard to really get satisfied with. Still, given the captivating anime sci-fi style adventure, I played on and beat it, although I eventually just switched on the auto aim function on the pod because I just wasn't invested enough in the actual gameplay to get better at playing the game without it. Still, the game is its own beautiful thing, so I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a change of pace in an action RPG.… Expand
  62. Diablo_Dallas
    Aug 2, 2022
    8
    A fun Hack n Slash game with a deep story. And subtile comedy elements.
    The hacking mini games were a bit lame and annoying but thats it
  63. Nmaa18
    Sep 2, 2023
    8
    Introduction: i have heard a lot of praise about the game, so i decided to try it. i ended up having a lot of highs and lows.

    good things: special effects, animations, character models, combat. The music is as good as they say. weapon variety and uniqueness + chip system. what could have been improved: make vehicles available or make fast travel available earlier. especially for the    Introduction: i have heard a lot of praise about the game, so i decided to try it. i ended up having a lot of highs and lows.

    good things: special effects, animations, character models, combat. The music is as good as they say. weapon variety and uniqueness + chip system.

    what could have been improved: make vehicles available or make fast travel available earlier. especially for the 2nd play-through. The game crashed 6 times on Ps5 for me - something which happens often if i am to believe the reddit posts on the matter. After 30 hours already, i unfortunately couldn't keep going, when i could be playing other games with no big bug issues like this. also. many buildings look ugly and empty.

    issues: the story is interesting but so confusing. you also have to replay the game twice which was incredibly tedious and annoying. also no invincibility while hitting and the pod's lock on was usually not on the enemy i wanted. the map and mini maps are horrible. the map is annoying to control/move, and it was soo clustered and full of huge red circles and red diamonds and red dots, even more so if you accepted side missions, so i stopped accepting side quests. losing chips when you die. in dark souls, you lose the souls you collected, but not your weapons or core stats/skills, meaning that you can come back and still fight like before to try and retrieve lost souls, but here, you come back weaker, more vulnerable, and not knowing what to expect - not fun.

    Conclusion: major issues on ps5 made it crash often, the 2nd most after cyberpunk2077 in my experience. the story structure is confusing and unsatisfying to go through, despite interesting themes /tones/ideas. The storytelling should have been clearer, just like the map. The music and Japanese VA are a strong point. 2B and 9S look fantastic, but the surroundings not as much. the combat is good but i see room for improvement (improving lock-on, adding invincibility on attack or parrying, keeping chips when dying). it is nonetheless memorable, fun, and unique overall. 85/100    … Expand
  64. ArnauRectoret
    May 4, 2023
    8
    When beating the game is just the beginning. Incredible how an apparently flat character like B2 can excite so much
  65. vahn
    Aug 11, 2018
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is 100% "okay" and that's really the best thing I can say.

    After playing for 30 hours, doing all the quests i cared to do (about 83%), doing the main 5 endings (ABCDE) and enjoying and hating aspects of it, i just thought that "this game was ok". Really, it was just okay, especially when there are so many flaws - both gameplay and story-wise - that just don't really make it that great.

    For instance the combat is fun! Repetitive but fun, really REALLY repetitive but very fun, and I always loved using 2B for the fighting, which was smooth and easy to use but too bad the controls are utter crap and the lock on is awful.

    You also get to control 9S in the second playthrough, who is a scanner (aka hacker) and can kill most enemies with ease making the combat easier against tough enemies. Too bad that in exchange for that 9S fights like ASS, having the worst and most unreliable combat ever that I had to rely on the pod's gun to do damage. And the hacking is also repetitive too - what a surprise!

    The story is well done too: I had legitimate times where it surprised me and it had some very good scenes, especially the last endings.
    I won't lie when the game tried its best it did impress me with some deep scenes and sad ones too but at the same time it's ruined by a LOT of scenes that try SO HARD to make you feel sad it was hilarious.
    I wish I was kidding but that's actually how the game tries to make you feel sad, with forced scenes of death and dialogues ending with ellipses all the time.
    The only thing missing was a sign saying "Feel something", which I did: an urge to laugh.

    Some characters are well done too - I particularly loved Pascal and 9S (the start) - and I was legitimately curious to see how the game would end, but unfortunately most of the rest are either boring (2B) not well developed (Devola/Popola, Anemone, A2)) or just done there for that brief moment of sadness I was talking about (the random chats with your operator, quest related characters, etc).

    And the story itself...it's really not unique: it's basically a story of how androids and machine try to emulate humans and how they learn the meaning of existing. I don't dislike that though because it's HOW you tell a story that matters, but here's my problem with it:

    You can switch anyone with the binomial Android/Machine with anything and not much would change - besides the obvious stuff - and honestly there's not even much of that: the androids act like humans, the machines act like humans, everyone acts like humans...so why was it necessary to turn them into machines? It would've been more interesting if they were SLOWLY turning into humans, discovering feelings, having sadness, ANYTHING but they already know that stuff! They even say "Feelings are prohibited" because they KNOW feelings are a pain to deal with - which is true...WHICH IS WHY IT MAKES NO SENSE WHY ROBOTS WOULD HAVE FEELINGS, IT ONLY HINDERS THEIR ACTIVITY, AND IT EVEN SHOWS LATER IN A QUEST WITH PASCAL, YOU DUMB MORONS!
    There is a reason why the goddamn terminator had no feelings: if he did he would be freaking out whenever he terminated someone!
    In other words, this plot makes no sense and whereas they could've made some badass robots that start to learn what it means to have feelings, to slowly learn what it actually means to be human, including its weaknesses, but by giving them feelings right away they don't become more relatable: they just become annoying ****
    I've met real women with bigger balls than 2B and 9S! I'm not exaggerating!

    So...do I recommend it? Yeah sure: it's an okay game with good combat, a pretty decent story (which is more than can I say about Square Enix nowadays) and it has a good amount of pros and cons that beat each other out, making the experience equally balanced.

    I guess what makes the game better is the music which is good (not a fan myself) and the voice acting is QUITE amazing, probably one of the best of latest times and helps following the plot better even during its hiccups.

    But best game ever? not even close, at least for me, a spot taken for Berseria who not only made me sad for actual good reasons, it also had bits and pieces of existence too that were better explained and not too pretentious either.

    Overall I can recommend, get it on a discount if you're curious and enjoy/hate it.
    I did my part and I also got my saves deleted for others' sake because even if I didn't enjoy it, others might. That's the great thing about opinions.

    I simply don't understand what's so special about it and frankly I still prefer the original Nier way more than this.    … Expand
  66. GrumpyReviewer
    Apr 6, 2017
    7
    I think Nier Automata is a fantastic game. The story is intriguing, the art is incredible and the gameplay is smooth and a lot of fun. But there are some basic aspects that really frustrate me: 1) the map/exploration and 2) side quests.

    The map is a MESS. Hard to navigate, hard to read, hard to know where to go. It's a chore. And the side quest system is all over the place. Some quests    I think Nier Automata is a fantastic game. The story is intriguing, the art is incredible and the gameplay is smooth and a lot of fun. But there are some basic aspects that really frustrate me: 1) the map/exploration and 2) side quests.

    The map is a MESS. Hard to navigate, hard to read, hard to know where to go. It's a chore. And the side quest system is all over the place. Some quests are OK, some are fun, some are confusing and you don't even know exactly where you are supposed to go (due to the map being a complete mess).

    On top of that, the game is still buggy and the framerate drop is ridiculous and distracting. A beautiful, fun, very nice game. A very sexy game, I'd say (and not just because of the protagonist). The whole thing feels sexy and monochromatic and post-apocalyptic in the best way possible. But the game is far, far from perfect.    … Expand
  67. silencer
    Feb 9, 2018
    7
    Here's an honest opinion from someone who's not a fanboy of ps4 or japanese devs:
    Nier is a very nice 3rd person open world action rpg. It has beautiful environments, engaging stroy for the 1st part of the game (more on that later), fantastic atmosphere and one of the most beautiful soundtracks I have ever heard in a video game.
    However, the story is not complete until you reach part 3    Here's an honest opinion from someone who's not a fanboy of ps4 or japanese devs:
    Nier is a very nice 3rd person open world action rpg. It has beautiful environments, engaging stroy for the 1st part of the game (more on that later), fantastic atmosphere and one of the most beautiful soundtracks I have ever heard in a video game.
    However, the story is not complete until you reach part 3 of the game, and to get to part 3 you have to play part 1 all over again with tiny variations (call it part 2). It's such a chore that by the end of part 2 I was completely burned out on the game. Still, I got to part 3, and after an interesting story-filled section what does the game ask you to do? Go to 3 different places and collect keys. That's right, fetch quests in the middle of the action. That completely kills any momentum the game has going. Given how atrocious the save system is in this game (you can easily lose up to an hour of progress) and cheap deaths from some of the enemies, I feel like the game simply does not appreciate the time of the person playing. So, I give it a solid 7. It's a good game with some major flaws, but it's artificially stretched and level-gated. Part 1 is a lot of fun, but if you value your time, just stop there and watch the rest on youtube.    … Expand
  68. xGodModeONx
    Mar 19, 2017
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So I just beat the ABC paths with a couple of random endings (41 Hours on Normal) and I have to say the game, while mostly enjoyable also leaves a lot to be desired and is a bit tiring.

    Solid but inconsistent game play elements helped me trudge along through a good story that is unfortunately supported by numerous cookie-cutter fetch-quest side missions which I thought we hated these days. The combat is good but lacks the depth from previous Platinum titles. There's no special attacks to really unlock and you enhance your stats through "chips" which you find everywhere which you must assign to a limited amount of slots allowing you to create anything from a damage absorbing tank to a glass-cannon. An additional game play twist in the game is the perspective will switch to overhead or side view at points which is a neat novelty at first but isn't really very good except for the overhead view hacking portions which have some real nice game play elements in there.

    Graphics are fine, nothing special, but performance ranges from excellent to nauseating through a lot of the areas, especially the Forest which has frame rates somewhere between 30-40fps with awful jittering and this is on a PS4 Pro.

    So a very important bit here. There are two halves of this game (your first ending isn't the "real" ending, (there are 24 I believe) but you have to play the first half all over again with a different character to get to this second half. The problem with this is that I don't believe the game respects the time you put into it but forcing you to replay this only to get some additional story info and some additional side-quests they could of easily rolled into your first play through (why not switch characters on the fly?). So here you are trudging through most of the same stuff a second time while also having half your combat ability taken from you but you can hack into enemies at this point which is fun but wears out its welcome come the third play though.

    Music in this game can be really good as well but if I could turn off the vocals, I would. When my wife is in the other room asking me to turn it down because the "singing part is annoying" there is problem. In fact there is a jukebox in the Resistance camp where you can play the soundtrack and can turn the vocals off. The Music is best at this point.

    The story itself has some strong moments and will keep most interested but I can't help but think we've seen most of it before. Themes of the soul, what it means to be alive, and if artificial beings can have feelings are prevalent and there are moments of tenderness and bonding that not even human characters have in games. But the story is also too stretched out by forcing you to replay many parts and in my opinion is kinda of hindered when you have these mature themes but your enemies are dorky trash-can looking robots that sound ridiculous. The story does pick up in the third run (second half of game) when you are given control of the third primary character who is interesting but never really is given a lot of time to develop back story as it happens mostly through text archives you find in the world. In this part of the game is when everything starts getting explained as well.

    There is a very good game here but it is under a layer of odd design choices that make it hard to really hold on and not let go. It will take a bit of patience to really get going so I suggest not getting into it if you can't spare the time.

    It gets a 7 from me which is "Good" in my book.    … Expand
  69. stavrosperi
    Mar 31, 2017
    7
    Honest review from a guy who loves challenging games,loves japanese made games and loved to death Bayonetta and it's battle system

    Graphics: 8 Technically the graphics are ps3 but the artwork is amazing and builds excellent atmosphere.Artwork>graphics so 8/10 here Sound: 9 The soundtrack is truly memorable,one of the best i have heard in years in a videogame and it really compliments    Honest review from a guy who loves challenging games,loves japanese made games and loved to death Bayonetta and it's battle system

    Graphics: 8 Technically the graphics are ps3 but the artwork is amazing and builds excellent atmosphere.Artwork>graphics so 8/10 here

    Sound: 9 The soundtrack is truly memorable,one of the best i have heard in years in a videogame and it really compliments the mysterious setting of the game.The fx sound of the game is good, could be worse could be better.Not every dialog is voice acted though.It gest a 9 mostly for the amazing soundtrack

    Gameplay: 7 Serious balancing issues for the difficulty levels.Very hard=one hit killed.That makes the different enemies irrelevant. Weather u get him by the smallest enemy or from the largest robot it's the same and it kills any purpose of having different enemies and different levels of enemies.In normal u have to try hard to get killed.the camera is bad in this game.You don't have lock on on hard and very hard and i had to move the camera far away from me because u constantly get attacked my mobs and u have to be aware of your surroundings 360 degrees.That creates another problem and that is that u can't really see the animations of the opponents when the are ready to strike.This and the fact that u always get attacked by mobs makes the combat more like hit,hit evade and repeat repetitively without really reacting to whats happening on the battle.Combat can be satisfying but it has these serious problems that truly hold it back from being great and deep.

    In conclusion i give it a 7/10 it is a game with fresh ideas, excellent setting and atmosphere,engaging story and there is some fun to be had by the combat but at the same time it is severely flawed in the battle department and the difficulty imbalance.I find it quite good but certainly overestimated and judging by the scores it got and from the fact that it is developed by a company that i absolutely love, i must say i am a little bit disappointed.    … Expand
  70. SuperkenGaming
    Mar 18, 2017
    7
    Nier Automata
    A game that plays itself.
    Nier Automata is a 3rd person hack and slash open world action adventure rpg game where you play as android 2B accompanied by 9s and a droid This game takes place after Nier, though this is a spin off, there are nods to the past game here// but other than to appreciate those moments, playing the past games is unnecessary.. This continues the    Nier Automata
    A game that plays itself.
    Nier Automata is a 3rd person hack and slash open world action adventure rpg game where you play as android 2B accompanied by 9s and a droid
    This game takes place after Nier, though this is a spin off, there are nods to the past game here// but other than to appreciate those moments, playing the past games is unnecessary..
    This continues the human vs robot war in a post-apocalyptic open world where robots are beginning to feel emotion…
    2B and 9S have an endearing relationship here... 2B being programmed to be more calm and composed, while 9s is more emotional…
    Leads for some great moments and dialog in the game,, its just a shame theyre so few and far between because watching their growth is the best part of the game..
    The game takes around 8 hours to complete… though there are multiple endings and perspectives the game shows you if you’re interested in checking them out...
    After playing through Automata the first time though... I was fine with that ending being my final ending…
    Because unfortunately neither the story nor the world enticed me enough to want to play again
    The world is tiny, dull, colorless, lifeless, not fun to explore…
    And the entire 8 hour journey is spent revisiting all of these locations over and over…
    There were very few moments I thought wow... this game is beautiful or this section is really cool…
    It looks and feels generic throughout…
    I did enjoy the fact that the camera is constantly pulling in and out, changing game perspective, to where at times the game feels like a 2d platformer.. I just wish more was done with it than give us the typical grey and brown rusty structures to run through…
    For the most part you get a task, go to the location on the map, turn in your progress, go to a different location... fight a boss that all but maybe 2 are just spongier hack and slash battles… rinse and repeat…
    The world feels connected… but back to the point that it feels generic…
    Nothing feels like you haven’t seen it before…
    Making your journey back and forth feel like a drag…
    the combat here is fairly fun… I wouldn’t necessarily call it satisfying though…
    Not much to it other than light and heavy attacks…
    You can find new weapons in the world and upgrade them with the parts and materials you find in the world and off of robots to make the battle grind a little quicker…
    but much like the world... the combat was just there. It was good… the world is good... but again, never felt fun to me… just existing
    plus there’s a setting in the game where all you have to do is move your character... The game does the attacking for you…
    Almost turning this into a twin stick shooter hack and slash game if you want…
    I dipped my toes in both styles
    but after fighting enemies that all felt the same over and over... I actually started to prefer the autopilot mode.
    I’m sorry, I know this dislikes are coming... I’m in the minority here…
    But I don’t see the upper 8s and 9s this game is getting by everyone else
    Nier Automata has great characters in B2 and 9S...
    But the story of these robots feeling emotion is never told in an impactful way…
    the world is no fun to explore..
    the bosses feel uninspired and the combat is just there…
    This is a good game, I had fun…
    you won’t regret playing through…
    but I don’t honestly believe you’re missing anything if you choose to skip this one…
    I give Nier Automata
    a 7/10    … Expand
  71. Gold_Grande
    Mar 8, 2017
    7
    Nier: Automata is a great title with fun environments and characters. Its hack and slash style of gameplay is an extremely satisfying feel. The game has difficulty settings for players of all types but is still a challenging piece due to its save system. While all that is great, Nier: Automata does not change itself up too much from beginning to end. Diversity of common enemies and bossesNier: Automata is a great title with fun environments and characters. Its hack and slash style of gameplay is an extremely satisfying feel. The game has difficulty settings for players of all types but is still a challenging piece due to its save system. While all that is great, Nier: Automata does not change itself up too much from beginning to end. Diversity of common enemies and bosses is not great as other games in this category. Though when it comes to mechanics, it's one of the best of its kind. It's a fun piece which I recommend a play-through.… Expand
  72. VmsCritic
    Jun 27, 2018
    7
    The game is pretty impressive in a few aspects: history, level design, soundtrack. The most surprising element is the diversity in the gameplay: you can play puzzles, you can play in 2D, 3D, air space fight and you can smash giants such as Shadow of the Golossus (but giant machines). I also found the game more difficult than I've imagined....the saving is soulsike, you need to checkpointThe game is pretty impressive in a few aspects: history, level design, soundtrack. The most surprising element is the diversity in the gameplay: you can play puzzles, you can play in 2D, 3D, air space fight and you can smash giants such as Shadow of the Golossus (but giant machines). I also found the game more difficult than I've imagined....the saving is soulsike, you need to checkpoint in order to save. One thing I really disliked was the death. if you use all your options against an enemy and you die, once you're back you'll have 0 potions. How can you survive the fight this way?

    I felt difficult in understanding the gameplay, it's not very well explained, as the developer really wanted to show everything as an android program. The hack and slash action is beautiful, but I found it limited. I've played several hack and slash games, and this is not my favorite. DmC Reboot for PS4 is a better option if you're looking for action, and NieR Automata is a smoother option.

    I only played the Route A and had other 3 endings (short ones). I really wanted to play the Route C but I couldn't find enough material to teach me how to do it, and didn't feel like going over the game again (didn't feel it was worth it).    … Expand
  73. witcher6999
    Dec 23, 2018
    7
    прошел 3 раза, короче если сравнивать по уровню scifi то это лайтовый версия horizon, так как тут много условностей не объясняется нормально, а точнее объясняется списыванием на то что это японщина. Например почему все в Yorha женского поло и один сканер 9s мужского? Плюс полно таких нелепостей по всему сюжету. Пару твистов были понятны задолго до конца, что касается человечества и из чегопрошел 3 раза, короче если сравнивать по уровню scifi то это лайтовый версия horizon, так как тут много условностей не объясняется нормально, а точнее объясняется списыванием на то что это японщина. Например почему все в Yorha женского поло и один сканер 9s мужского? Плюс полно таких нелепостей по всему сюжету. Пару твистов были понятны задолго до конца, что касается человечества и из чего созданы Андроиды, ну это было логично. А вот про истинное предназначение 2b и про циклы приятно удивило. Хотя последнее было и в horizon, причем объяснено очень классно по научному, без лишнего пафоса и соплей, ну опять же это японщина, так что на это списывается. Что касается геймплея, понравился хакинг и управление другими машинами, элементы шутемапа, тоже класс, а вот боевка печаль, печальная, очень скучно мешить 1-2 кнопки прижимая то и дело уворот. Плюс было много бесячих геймдизайна хорошо моментов, когда по сюжету Андроида парализует и он не может прыгать и уклоняться, а только ходит, при этом ты падаешь куда-то, где тебя зажимают андроиды со своей икрой и все. Было также пару моментов когда квиксейв не срабатывал...… Expand
  74. geoxd88
    Jul 20, 2017
    7
    The only reason I give this game a 7 is for the idea, the story and (at some points) for the presentation. As a game I don't think it deserves more than 6. Platinum games has made a lot of well received games in the same genre, yet I see no progress. The mechanics feel aged, the weird restrictions send us back at least a decade and in general it has a playstation 2 era feeling from startThe only reason I give this game a 7 is for the idea, the story and (at some points) for the presentation. As a game I don't think it deserves more than 6. Platinum games has made a lot of well received games in the same genre, yet I see no progress. The mechanics feel aged, the weird restrictions send us back at least a decade and in general it has a playstation 2 era feeling from start to finish. It's a solid game, don't get me wrong, but I can think of at least 100 things that could be done better, especially considering the talent and technology owned by the development company. Be warned that It requires a lot of dedication to see the vision behind it in its entirety, otherwise you will be left with a bitter taste, unless you are satisfied with bullet-hell inspired projectiles filling your screen every 10 seconds.… Expand
  75. YakusokuNoJi
    Jul 20, 2023
    7
    Spoilers ahead.

    An Age where the Children of Mankind and Extraterrestrials are the next Generation: A.I. vs A.I. When Nier Automata was announced I could not have possibly been more happy. Nier Gestalt is my second favourite game of all time. The setting, the main character, the story - I always wanted a sequel. And it is finally here. I am also a great of the ficitional theme of    Spoilers ahead.

    An Age where the Children of Mankind and Extraterrestrials are the next Generation:

    A.I. vs A.I.
    When Nier Automata was announced I could not have possibly been more happy. Nier Gestalt is my second favourite game of all time. The setting, the main character, the story - I always wanted a sequel. And it is finally here. I am also a great of the ficitional theme of A.I.s, so not the ones that we as computer scientists make that do not live but the A.I.s that are actually already alive from developing a consciousness.
    And Nier Automata takes exactly this theme. Drakengard already introduced A.I.s as it already consisted of Androids. Nier Automata takes it to the next level. It puts you into the role of the Androids, this time fighting machines that were brought from outer space. And as we think of it from out ordinary A.I.s, the Androids think of the machines as mere machines without consciousness and emotion. No person, no A.I. Of course this brings some twists with it within the story as Androids obviously are not the only artificial lifeforms that achieved psychological living. At the same time, while appropriate to the Drakengard series it brings several tragic questions with it concerning your side and that of the others. Granted, it is not as good for me as the first one. But I did not expect that anyway. I knew from the very beginning that it would not be the case because Nier Gestalt, so the Western Nier has a father-child story and talks about what you would do for your most precious while giving you the original you were cloned from as antagonist who of course feels exactly like you and at the same time shows that with both sides to be pities people still do not have the right to de-value other lifeforms like clones for example just because they were not born naturally or intended.
    The story of Nier Automata still brings its own nice side of life and valueing and all with it and the post-apocalyptic setting together with its incredible music, character design and a wonderful combat system from platinum games does the rest.
    Con:
    Unfortunately, though I love it as part of the Nier timeline, I cannot just normally enjoy Nier 2 as I did the first one. The decision of making this RPG more action-oriented heavily influenced the overall design of the game. I prefer a more simplistic style like in the first Nier where I can just sit back and enjoy instead of getting constantly frustrated. Example: Nier Automata tells you it has no auto-saves. Well, that is not 100% accurate. Still, while there are some automatic moments where you get set back in case of losing you might find yourself in trouble. In some situations you just cannot save manually and Nier 2 consists of those Gundam air battles. One of them was very long and I ran out of Potions. It should not be a thing that even on Normal difficulty you are stuck in a battle forever because you are allowed to make only very few mistakes. This is the most apparent checkpoint complaint I have but there were a few more moments. Another thing is the hacking: Hacking is a little minigame feature in the game that you just have to go through even when doing the regular storyline. The problem is, this minigame consists of just moving your analogue stick and shooting. You cannot evade anything other than by moving away, you cannot heal, you cannot really do anything in a problematic situation. The mingame consists basically of the thought of "Learn the pattern for the harder ones" but that is easier said than done often. You are allowed a few mistakes but sometimes even when already knowing what to expect the maneuvering alone might lead you to the need area where the enemy units that you want to destroy with the hacking shoot at you. There are several hacking instances which are very easy and then some where I think they should just ot have been there because whenever something needs simply too long then it should be re-considered. Hard Modes exist for a reason but why doing such frustrating things on lower difficulties - it just is an obstacle so you cannot fully enjoy and that is something I really think of as a real pity for a sequel of Nier.
    Finally, the last thing I think that was very risky: The narrative style. Drakengard is always known for a very unusual narrative style both theme-wise as well as how the story is put together. The thing is: In Drakengard you might be used to the story being presented after a few playthroughs but in Nier 1 it was more like you had to go through the same storyline, then go through it again and again with just a few additions ad endings. Here you have the first two endings in the middle of the story, get more to know during run 2 and after run 2 you actually continue with what happens after those endings, so unlock the rest of the game you could say. I am fine with it but I am not sure how many people who are not used to this actually have the nerve to do 2+ runs. Still: I love Nier and recommend it.    … Expand
  76. mrlee97
    Apr 3, 2017
    7
    While the gameplay is fantastic and the soundtrack is decent, this spiritual successor really falls short of what made the original Nier such a masterpiece. The story in this title is pathetic, and the music is pretty underwhelming compared to its predecessor. The characters and world are also in particular very weak. But what saves this game is tight, TIGHT gameplay. Great combos, greatWhile the gameplay is fantastic and the soundtrack is decent, this spiritual successor really falls short of what made the original Nier such a masterpiece. The story in this title is pathetic, and the music is pretty underwhelming compared to its predecessor. The characters and world are also in particular very weak. But what saves this game is tight, TIGHT gameplay. Great combos, great selection of weapons, multiple ways to fight, and fantastic directing. I hope they can make another sequel with a story as great as the original but with this fantastic gameplay.… Expand
  77. frysguineapig
    May 8, 2017
    7
    I liked the game overall, but it didn't blow me away either - while the story was fairly strong, it was also a bit repetitive to get most of the various endings.
  78. UncutSuspiria
    Jun 16, 2017
    7
    UPDATE: I lowered from 8 to 7. This got boring real quick. I will definitely pick it back up again, but it drags.

    I will start off by saying I was hesitant about buying this game because I HATE anime and Japanese styled cartoons/characters/story/etc/etc/etc.... But, I am glad I bought it. Gameplay 10/10 - Extremely fun and addictive. Soundtrack 10/10 - Some of the greatest music    UPDATE: I lowered from 8 to 7. This got boring real quick. I will definitely pick it back up again, but it drags.

    I will start off by saying I was hesitant about buying this game because I HATE anime and Japanese styled cartoons/characters/story/etc/etc/etc.... But, I am glad I bought it.

    Gameplay 10/10 - Extremely fun and addictive.

    Soundtrack 10/10 - Some of the greatest music from as game that I can recall.

    Story 8/10 - Definitely not original. Almsot the same as Horizon Zero Dawn. Luckily is told in a different way.

    Characters 7/10 - The main characters are androids/robots, thus they act like them. not characters you will get attached to. 2B sexy af though.

    Innovation 8/10 - how the game cycles camera modes and goes to 2D and aerial view is pretty genius.

    Visuals 10/10 - The style is fantastic. Like Horizon Zero dawn, this games visual are stunning.

    Graphics 8/10 - Graphics are great and run at 60fps. Those that say they are bad failed to see that at times they are intentionally meant to be this way at times. Some parts are supposed to be grainy, some parts are supposed to be black and white.

    Again, I was hesitant but bought it anyways. Something I do not regret. It has been a long time since I owned a game where I counted the minutes until I could go home and play it. I would give this a 9 but I have yet to fully complete it.    … Expand
  79. whiteclover
    Jun 10, 2017
    7
    Visually it's amazing, the main character looks really cool... I found it a bit stressful to be honest. I had high expectations for the storyline but got a bit disappointed in the end. I guess I was expecting a plot twist or something lol
  80. Gotrek74
    Sep 28, 2017
    7
    An accomplished game with a seamless transition between 3D platforming and combat, 2D side-scrolling game and a top down twin stick shooter. The story is very good and the art design is good but it just doesn't excite me the way it seems to excite others.
  81. aditya1101
    Sep 4, 2018
    7
    I'm not 100% done with my playthrough yet, but I'm already incredible impressed by this game. One of the best stories i've seen in a while, and it's the kind of story that really is best told through an interactive medium - it's always a big plus when video games really take advantage of their medium to tell stories that wouldn't be as good in other mediums. The gameplay is superI'm not 100% done with my playthrough yet, but I'm already incredible impressed by this game. One of the best stories i've seen in a while, and it's the kind of story that really is best told through an interactive medium - it's always a big plus when video games really take advantage of their medium to tell stories that wouldn't be as good in other mediums. The gameplay is super entertaining, the upgrade system was really fun to play around with, overall just felt incredibly well done and polished as well as super fun and satisfying to play.… Expand
  82. LordOMO
    Jun 29, 2019
    7
    The game is very overrated in my opinion. This game may have surprised me if I discovered it myself without any prior knowledge but since everyone hyped this game up for me i was a little diappointed.
    The most obvious complaint is how incredibly ugly this game looks (at least on base PS4 where I played it). If you played something like Horizon Zero Dawn prior to this it looks like it's a    The game is very overrated in my opinion. This game may have surprised me if I discovered it myself without any prior knowledge but since everyone hyped this game up for me i was a little diappointed.
    The most obvious complaint is how incredibly ugly this game looks (at least on base PS4 where I played it). If you played something like Horizon Zero Dawn prior to this it looks like it's a generation behind visually. And still the framerate dips at weird instances.
    My second complaint is the story which is supposed to be great but i didn't get it at all. The "first" ending feels very rushed and i was shocked by how little was done with the main characters and villains. I then dove into the new game plus content where a lot of stuff is fleshed out more but even after getting the ultimate ending i still don't feel like i understood the story. Sure, lots of stuff happened but the why is missing for me, as if i skipped through half of the game. That's why I enjoyed the side quests much more especially when they were little self-contained stories. The combat is really weird but mostly good. There is depth to the role-playing elements and the music is ok.
    Overall a good Action-RPG with sub-par visuals and a disjointed and confusing story    … Expand
  83. karmic_devil
    May 2, 2021
    7
    Nier Automata is a beautiful game with a beautiful score in a fascinating world that falls short of greatness by quickly becoming repetitive. In the beginning of the game as you figure out the combat and learn about the world it does a great job of capturing your interest but as it goes on the battles all feel the same and the questing devolves into simply heading to the illuminated pointNier Automata is a beautiful game with a beautiful score in a fascinating world that falls short of greatness by quickly becoming repetitive. In the beginning of the game as you figure out the combat and learn about the world it does a great job of capturing your interest but as it goes on the battles all feel the same and the questing devolves into simply heading to the illuminated point on the map - and worse sometimes the spot on the map is so vague that you can be right next to it and then spend 30 minutes wandering around to figure out how to actually get TO it.

    This game isn't terrible. On the contrary it's quite good. But at some point in your play the frustrating is likely to outweigh the fun. And that's a shame.    … Expand
  84. duarte2377
    Feb 28, 2019
    7
    Good game, but due to the lack of Russian subtitles I can not put a higher rating
  85. Denis94
    Sep 7, 2021
    7
    Es un título que hace cosas de 10 y otras que no llegan al 5 me explico: la banda sonora es una autentica maravilla y quizás sea lo más destacable del juego, la jugabilidad se nota fresca y rápida, no tiene muchos combos pero si variedad de armas para dar profundidad al combate, gráficamente está bastante descuidado excepto los modelos de algunos personajes que lucen bastante bien, elEs un título que hace cosas de 10 y otras que no llegan al 5 me explico: la banda sonora es una autentica maravilla y quizás sea lo más destacable del juego, la jugabilidad se nota fresca y rápida, no tiene muchos combos pero si variedad de armas para dar profundidad al combate, gráficamente está bastante descuidado excepto los modelos de algunos personajes que lucen bastante bien, el mapeado de mundo abierto es un auténtico solar en ocasiones caminarás y correrás sin apenas encontrarte nada y la historia sin ser una revolución se puede decir que cumple, en definitiva un juego que podría ser un 10 pero se queda en un 7 por esos aspectos poco pulidos.… Expand
  86. Skyyfall
    Dec 3, 2020
    7
    For 2017 year this game not bad. Very bad graphic and open world looks like empty. I think this game needed remake!
  87. Crimson9
    Dec 25, 2022
    7
    Games are rarely philosophical like this. And even more rarely do they successfully deal with these themes and tie them into an interesting story. That's what Nier does better than any other game. Its a decent example of games as an artform, although I'd argue that it falls short of other examples such as Dark Souls and Shadow of the Colossus.

    Other than that, I loved the music, and    Games are rarely philosophical like this. And even more rarely do they successfully deal with these themes and tie them into an interesting story. That's what Nier does better than any other game. Its a decent example of games as an artform, although I'd argue that it falls short of other examples such as Dark Souls and Shadow of the Colossus.

    Other than that, I loved the music, and enjoyed the variety of different gameplay.

    But overall, despite the variation of different gameplay, it overstays its welcome and becomes really dull. Level design and the main type of combat are pretty uninspired. Its very tedious.

    1 point off for the oversexualization of the main characters too. Its just JRPG cringe.    … Expand
  88. OriginalGinyu
    Sep 2, 2023
    7
    Pretty unique in a lot of ways, but definitely super overrated!!!! The open world isnt exciting at all and it has a lot of annoying game design choices (for example the save system).
  89. Sigarda
    Aug 24, 2023
    7
    A good game, but VERY overrated. While polished and enjoyable, has many flaws. Huge lack of enemy variety, too few bosses, combat is clean but gets repetitive, the story is predictable if you are not under 14yo, and I couldn't care for any of the main characters. A good game overall and better than most of modern games, but as I said, really overrated.
  90. xboxlikewater
    Sep 6, 2019
    6
    Probably Platinum's worst major game, particularly gameplay-wise. It has very simple, watered down Bayonetta combat with poor RPG aspects implemented into the game. Infinite dodging, an empty world, awful hacking segments, having to play through the game multiple times, a generic story, poor enemy variety. The music and ending are great but the rest is subpar and a real disappointment.Probably Platinum's worst major game, particularly gameplay-wise. It has very simple, watered down Bayonetta combat with poor RPG aspects implemented into the game. Infinite dodging, an empty world, awful hacking segments, having to play through the game multiple times, a generic story, poor enemy variety. The music and ending are great but the rest is subpar and a real disappointment. For me, Astral Chain does everything this game does better barring character writing and is a real step up for director Taura. Automata is a decent game, especially if you're a casual generally not into Platinum's typical action games, but if you're more into weaving complex combos and getting highscores such as in Bayo or DMC this game might be a bit disappointing.… Expand
  91. sandlefoxiv
    Mar 13, 2017
    6
    Excellent characters and music but a very stuttering frame rate and subpar combat really make this game drag on. Platinum is definitely on the rise again after their last few outings but they just don't have the formula for success. What a shame.
  92. wesker2012
    May 4, 2017
    6
    I bought this game and beat the game once. I realize there are at least 3 other endings, but I didn't feel any incentive to play the game again once I beat it the first time. The game was unique and creative, and I also played the first Nier, but this game just didn't feel fun to me. Would of been great as a rental. I also bought the game after reading all the hype. And I don't thinkI bought this game and beat the game once. I realize there are at least 3 other endings, but I didn't feel any incentive to play the game again once I beat it the first time. The game was unique and creative, and I also played the first Nier, but this game just didn't feel fun to me. Would of been great as a rental. I also bought the game after reading all the hype. And I don't think the game is as good as the hype suggests. I was preparing for a very engrossing plot, but the plot was super thin. I finished watching the plot/story on youtube and still don't understand whats so great about it. Who knows, maybe its one of those games you have to play yourself to fully understand. The time investment was just too much for me though.… Expand
  93. ZaPaAl
    Feb 6, 2018
    6
    Overhyped. Basic fighting gameplay is pretty enjoyable, but that is about all on it's strong side.

    Some interesting philosophy sprinkled across the game and story has a few moments, but sceneries and story are unbelievable for something to be so far in the future. The graphics and the 6-7 environments / areas are very very bland. Enemies to fight are basically machines based on a    Overhyped. Basic fighting gameplay is pretty enjoyable, but that is about all on it's strong side.

    Some interesting philosophy sprinkled across the game and story has a few moments, but sceneries and story are unbelievable for something to be so far in the future. The graphics and the 6-7 environments / areas are very very bland.

    Enemies to fight are basically machines based on a core design in many variations. The hacking mini game is an incredible basic shoot em up. Many weapons to find and some items to collect and upgrade, but they hardly make a difference. Difficulty on normal is near not existent.

    Overburding amount of backtracking and revisiting the areas, over and over again. 3 runs long, with minor changes. Fast travel and loading are oppressing with slow animations. Feels like the game was stretched as far as humanly bearable.

    Was it worth it for me? No. I was highly annoyed even before the first ending, but you are supposed to stick with it, it get's better. Well it did, but in the end, not enough at all. Endings are full of ... not alot at all. Like the game.    … Expand
  94. vampyren
    Jul 20, 2018
    6
    I play allot of games on many consoles so i can compare this game to allot of other games.
    After reading so much positive about it i decided to play it right after i finished Horizon (which was an amazing game experience!).
    I do like the sort of games Nier tries to be but in all honesty the game never delivers the experience everyone here trying so hard to convince you about. The story    I play allot of games on many consoles so i can compare this game to allot of other games.
    After reading so much positive about it i decided to play it right after i finished Horizon (which was an amazing game experience!).
    I do like the sort of games Nier tries to be but in all honesty the game never delivers the experience everyone here trying so hard to convince you about. The story is so so. The menu, map and even the annoying item pick up where you accidentally talk to your partner got me quite mad at first. Ok i got used to it at the end but for a game people give 9 or 10 that is just not acceptable.
    And even if i only played it 1 time the game is not that appealing enough for me to continue. Many games like dark soul or even Horizon or Witcher are so amazing that i can keep playing them but not this game. Its just boring. Enemies are pretty much all alike. Stories are just so so.
    Its a ok game but no where near a 9 or 10 grade games. Also its way way to short even if they say you need to play it multiple time. The first run took me 3 days or so. That is no where near a 9 grade game!
    Personally i dont like huge games that takes months to finish but even for me this was way to short.
    Just my 2 cent anyway. Enjoy.    … Expand
  95. pongkrit03
    Jul 25, 2018
    6
    Nier has some merit but to give a 8 or 9 is too exaggerate. I was having a high hope after read all reviews here but after I played it myself. It is not the game I was looking for. It is still fun sometimes, but not anywhere near other great games out there. In fact, apart from charming main character model, it is average game at best.

    Note: I finished first ending then tried playing    Nier has some merit but to give a 8 or 9 is too exaggerate. I was having a high hope after read all reviews here but after I played it myself. It is not the game I was looking for. It is still fun sometimes, but not anywhere near other great games out there. In fact, apart from charming main character model, it is average game at best.

    Note: I finished first ending then tried playing second one half way then felt too bored to continue, people who praise the game usually say that you have to play at least 3 endings, so I don't know, maybe it get better, but I have no motivation anymore.

    Pros
    - Charming unique character models (2B) - you can see her pantie while playing.
    - Unique camera style - the camera keeps switching between 3D and 2D, and bird view. allow various style of gameplays
    - Good unique BGMs

    Cons
    - Very Outdated graphic
    - Empty & Small World
    - Repetitive looking enemies
    - Shallow combat mechanic - Combat in this game is various but everything is shallow. You can melee or range, dodge .... etc. Nothing serious since you can drink potion anytime with no animation, so as long as you have plenty health potions, you should not die unless due to carelessness. Moreover, dodging is too powerful, you can spam dodging button endlessly and nothing will hit you due to very long i-frame. I would say Nier is kind of jack of all trade, master of none. It gets repetitive real fast.
    - Hard difficulty is not fair - Devs just raise dmg to the point that normal enemies can kill you in 1-2 shots, it is just artificial challenge.
    - Boring Side quests
    - The game is very short 10-13 hrs

    Story is subjective one. It is very creative world, about the fight between android and machine, but personally I feel like the story of Nier lacks of backbone. It feels like anything can happen in this world without any reason. I do not care that much about relationship between characters but the devs emphasize this too much. It was disappointed for me.

    In the end, score 6/10 is the best I can give for this kind of quality and quantity. For those who never play this game before, there is a free demo, but warning, that demo stage is the best of combat stage they could offer. If you expect something better, you may get disappointed.    … Expand
  96. jewel5
    Jul 25, 2018
    6
    Geez, I don't understand people going **** over this game. The story and characters were average at best. The gameplay was ok, but very repetitive. I enjoyed the characters and story of the 1st Nier so much better. This one left me cold.
  97. BedhedEdWed
    Jul 31, 2017
    6
    Nier: Automata is an overrated game, receiving undeserved praise for its quirky, and for lack of a better word, its Japaneseness. The gameplay, developed by Platinum Games, is surprisingly boring and stale. Platinum is known for its fantastic hack-and-slash gameplay, so I don't know what the **** happened here. Enemies will either go down in two hits or two-million hits. The combat isNier: Automata is an overrated game, receiving undeserved praise for its quirky, and for lack of a better word, its Japaneseness. The gameplay, developed by Platinum Games, is surprisingly boring and stale. Platinum is known for its fantastic hack-and-slash gameplay, so I don't know what the **** happened here. Enemies will either go down in two hits or two-million hits. The combat is repetitive and monotonous, lacking any real combo system. Instead, it has only a light and heavy attack, along with an A.I. pod that you will forget is even there most of the time. Over the course of the game, you will notice that the combat has devolved into dodge and spam light attack, OVER AND OVER AND OVER. The other aspect of this game, the story, is just alright. It was compelling enough for me to complete the game and obtain the platinum trophy in it as well. It is not a story that I would consider tracking through one more time, though. The story is the only reason that this game is a six instead of a four. I would not recommend it, but because of all the critical praise you've likely heard about this game, you'll probably pick it up anyway. I would just say that if you do, wait for a price drop.… Expand
  98. DKR
    Oct 22, 2020
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (wip) It hurts me to give NA this score. There is so much here that is so good! Rarely does a game NAIL it's atmosphere like NA does. Chrono Trigger, Kirby Super Star, Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, FF7-8, there are some games that make such an immersive atmosphere that stands out above others. The gothic, anime style, the dark story, the giant-robot battles, the delicious waifus (rock on, Japan!), the slick sword play, the numerous, engaging side quests, and HOLY JEEBUS THE REPLAYABILITY, so why the low score?

    NA follows a sexy android known as 2B. 2B is a combat android that can swing swords that gravitate to her back like a sheathe, fly jets, super agile, and assisted by a little floating robot with an SMG, while sporting her standard-issue micro skirt and white thong. Tagging along is 9S, a young male android that's smitten with her. He's a hacker and scout.

    It all starts with 2B entering her mission via jet. The "machines" - more robust, less intelligent, and collective-zealous robots - are building something big, and she's off to save the day in an over the top clash with a giant robot. It's standard and ho-hum....but things eerily change as the machines grow more sentient, and start asking questions about their existence, form religions, and even try to procreate. Even the fellow androids 2B works with start behaving like adolescent teenagers. Things quickly spiral as you realize the game has no villain. You're slaughtering waves of confused innocents, as the game keeps reminding you NOT to feel bad for any of them. They're all just robots, right?

    This story telling is by far the most powerful aspect of NA. It does story-telling techniques of visual metaphors that has long since been lost in writing in recent times i.e. both the heroes wear blindfolds; signifying their ignorance to truth or purpose in a cruel world, or how NPC's are named after famous philosophers and behave similar to them. The story is wrapped in philosophical questions about god, religion, existence, war, meaning of life, meaning of suffering, and so on. It's a story like the books of old - Orwell's 1984, for example - where the events stayed with you; loomed in your mind and challenged what you believe in. It even inspired many youtubers to cut into NA's meaning, and they were very entertaining to watch! NA also has about 20 different endings, most of them 10s long jokes, but the final ending, and seeing it all come together had me crying a little.....but...

    The gameplay is where NA falls flat. It's a mediocre hack-n-slash that has 2 maps: a beige, city ruins, and a desert. They're about as exciting as they sound. What really kills it is enemy variety. I think I fought 3 enemies the entire game, outside of bosses. It gets really, really tedious, but what keeps you in it is the looming eeriness of the characters around you changing, along with that weird, anime s*** that ppl love, like if you play online and die, you have to leave a message of your death to other players based on presets. You'll make things like "A desperate android.....thought they heard an old friend....at a familiar place".

    Equally as good as the story is the majestic soundtrack. If I had any power to do so, I would put it somewhere in a list of "Top 50 video game soundtracks of all time". Some of these tracks will stay with me for the rest of my life, like:

    Vague Hope (featuring a beautiful, fictitious language called Chaos)
    City Ruins
    Wretched Machinery
    Treasured Memories
    Weight of the World (English)
    Grandma Destruction (ironic name, epic track)

    NA's OST captures a wide range of sounds from tragic, to nostalgia, to epic battle, to grim and soothing.

    What I commend NA the most for is taking such creative risks with the plot. I suppose I can only speak for myself when I say: I'm sick of every video game having # stories: ex-military's wife/daughter are killed/kidnapped, and now he's out for revenge, WW2, a little boy runs an errand and comes back to a burning village, WW2, a tyrant is taking over the world but stands no chance against the marine that can take a tank shell to the face but as long as he hides behind sheet metal and holds his breath for 10s, he'll be fine, WW2, the princess was kidnapped, WW2, OMG ZOMBIES, WW2. COME. ON. RISKS, like after you beat it once, you play it again but as 9S, and the game is slightly different with some plot insights, then a 3rd time through as the assassin droid A2 where the plot REALLY goes nuts.

    So do I recommend? Not really. You can get anything you want out of this game by watching a youtube playthrough, though I still highly recommend supporting NA in any way you can.

    Conclusion: NA is a captivating experience and a meal for the intellectual mind with lovely waifus to top it off. Epic story, but there isn't much gameplay, which is feeding a trend of playable movies instead of video games.

    "I came for the thighs, and stayed for the cries." -Anonymous    … Expand
  99. jpoid
    Mar 30, 2017
    6
    Not for a hardcore player. I definitely do not recommend it after playing Nioh.
    There is some good things about Nier, like graphics, the transition between 2D and 3D scenarios, and the sound (although the music becomes a bit repetitive after a while). But the over-simplified combat system is thought for an 8-year old person. After playing Nioh, where you need a lot of skill to dodge and    Not for a hardcore player. I definitely do not recommend it after playing Nioh.
    There is some good things about Nier, like graphics, the transition between 2D and 3D scenarios, and the sound (although the music becomes a bit repetitive after a while). But the over-simplified combat system is thought for an 8-year old person. After playing Nioh, where you need a lot of skill to dodge and managing your stamina, here you need just to spam the infinite ammo of you Pod, which does a fair amount of damage, and stay safe at mid/long range. Enemies are so slow, that is almost hard not to avoid their hits, you should be really a troll in order to die there.
    Another very important fact, I have ended the game after only 9 hours of game play!! And it says: you can keep playing the sub-quests, but this is obviously not great, the main history should have been much more polished and complex than it is.    … Expand
  100. CharlePL
    Mar 13, 2017
    6
    Game with huge potential. Unfortunately this potential is not met. Game is full of different bugs, drop frames a lot. Side quests are stupid to say the least. Nice, indie game, but massively underdeveloped.
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best PS4 Game of 2017
6
#6 Most Discussed PS4 Game of 2017
6
#6 Most Shared PS4 Game of 2017

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
88

Generally favorable reviews - based on 101 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 98 out of 101
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 101
  3. Negative: 0 out of 101
  1. Gamers' Temple
    Aug 21, 2018
    95
    NieR Automata: Beyond Gods Edition was a total shock to me with how much I enjoyed it. It takes a very solid experience for me to enjoy an RPG lately and NieR grabbed me quite well from the beginning and kept me entertained throughout. It's the type of game where I want to do everything that I possibly can just to make the experience longer - a type of game I rarely find nowadays. I went into NieR Autamata with no expectations other than the good gameplay that I usually find from Platinum Games, I went away floored with a near perfect action game.
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  2. Power Unlimited
    Oct 19, 2017
    87
    NieR: Automata is not for everybody. In fact, the game looks to be aimed at the most refined fans of the medium by not caring about the regular gaming conventions, in the same way the works of David Lynch are perfect for the hardcore moviegoers.
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  3. games(TM)
    Jun 14, 2017
    80
    Melancholic, wistful and creative at every turn. [Issue#186, p.80]
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