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
Buy Now
Buy on

Review this game

  1. Your Score
    0 out of 10
    Rate this:
    • 10
    • 9
    • 8
    • 7
    • 6
    • 5
    • 4
    • 3
    • 2
    • 1
    • 0
    • 0
  1. Submit
  2. Check Spelling
view
per page
  1. Vainz
    Mar 25, 2017
    10
    One of the worst games I've ever played. Everything here is bad..history, gameplay, empty map and mostly graphics. I do not understand all the absurd notes, it's certainly an overrated game
  2. jarlaxle_95
    Mar 25, 2017
    10
    Remember that feeling when playing Demon/Dark Souls for the first time? When you realise that a master of his craft is at work here and you cannot help but carry on and see this through? Buy this game.
  3. GoombaJMR
    Mar 25, 2017
    10
    Gameplay (19.5/20): Excellent open world exploration that isn't too large or too small with multiple types of gameplay. Mainly is an action rpg but has top-down shooter, twin-stick shooter, 2.5D platformer, bullet hell, top down action, and more mini modes that make the game so much more than just your standard jrpg. Enemies and characters are both excellently animated and well-textured,Gameplay (19.5/20): Excellent open world exploration that isn't too large or too small with multiple types of gameplay. Mainly is an action rpg but has top-down shooter, twin-stick shooter, 2.5D platformer, bullet hell, top down action, and more mini modes that make the game so much more than just your standard jrpg. Enemies and characters are both excellently animated and well-textured, and little details like eye color and alternate colors make everything about the gameplay enjoyable. There could be more types of stock enemies, but it remains a minuscule detail.

    Story (14.5/15): Heart-wrenching story that really takes off after finishing the second playthrough. Each playthrough is unique in the sense that it's easier a new perspective or a continuation of the story. Finishing the first route will most definitely leave you unsatisfied, so make sure to play all endings (A~E) to get the ultimate picture, and try to do as many sidequests too, as they enhance the story. Overall, I was astonished with the emotional value attached to both the good and bad characters as I played through the game, and I still think about Nier: Automata as I go on about my life.

    Music (15/15): Some of the best orchestrated video game music to date has approached us thanks to Keiichi Okabe and his masterful pieces of art. Battle songs are simply amazing, requiem-esque and sadder songs strike all heart-strings, and location songs compliment the location more than well, with dynamic music increasing or decreasing in instruments and volume as the player approaches different parts of locations, or different stages of a boss, for example. The 8-bit tracks are simply amazingly done and the mixture of 8-bit and orchestra when playing as as certain character really is smooth and enjoyable.

    Art (9.5/10): Beautiful design for 2B, 9S, the machines, and everyone else. Symbolism shown with imagery and color usage in different areas (bunker, for example). Rust is shown clearly, buildings damaged but clean and accurate, large robots with the most fascinating design, androids with the smoothest movement and still animations, and list goes on. The water is beautifully textured as well, and nature is done at a very high level. Balls of energy are crisp and contrast with the background to help gameplay, and sand blows around the screen to create an accurate sight effect on the player.

    Presentation (8.5/10): Very clean interface with smooth ui and mostly easy to understand menu options. A slight lack of organization options for options such as plug-in chips and certain item folders reduce the quality of life feeling and there is occasional lag when either in battle (very rare) or crossing different parts of the open world (more common), which is noticeable but not very detrimental to gameplay and the overall experience.

    Length (9/10): 5 main endings spanning between 25 and 35 hours, then 21 short and funny endings for you to look for and achieve to push the final time you may put in this game from maybe 30 to 60 hours, including 100% quests, complete archive collection, and more. I'm still working my way through the extra endings and some more quests, so this game does admirably in this field for how much you're paying.

    Final Impression + Enjoyment (20/20): Simply such a fun game to play with such sublime music and a beautiful story. Overall, arguably one of the best games I've played to date when factoring in 'modern graphics', storytelling, and excellent music. I won't ever forget 2B, 9S, A2, Pascal, and many of the other great characters of Director Yoko Taro's masterful work.

    FINAL SCORE: 96 - EXCELLENT GAME    … Expand
  4. tomvs123
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    This is a mature-themed JRPG that reaches philosophical levels. Like the original Nier, I believe it has gone beyond (in a good way) what people expect of video games. It does this in a different way than the original Nier, so don't expect the same game this time around.

    Unlike Yoko Taro's other games, which reach a climax (normally final ending) due to your actions, Automata is all    This is a mature-themed JRPG that reaches philosophical levels. Like the original Nier, I believe it has gone beyond (in a good way) what people expect of video games. It does this in a different way than the original Nier, so don't expect the same game this time around.

    Unlike Yoko Taro's other games, which reach a climax (normally final ending) due to your actions, Automata is all about the journey. That might make the game hard to digest for long-time fans of the series, but it's definitely still worth the journey for them. And like all of Yoko Taro's games, it takes a while (normally weeks) to fully comprehend what you just witnessed, so don't expect to come to a final conclusion immediately after finishing the final ending.

    Okay, for some normal review stuff:

    - Game play/action/etc: It works. you normally hit buttons until things die and try not to get hit. These bits of games aren't all that important to me. Though I hear it's comparatively very good. A few action segments blew me away, but I'm not sure how those compare to full-action games (since I don't play a lot of those).

    - The soundtrack is amazing and fits the world extremely well, But then again, everyone's music taste varies.

    - Story: Very good. It's more straight-forward (simple) than Yoko Taro's other games, but there's still plenty of strangeness it it to keep you interested. And this time around, you won't have to read external books or download extra DLC to get the full story. For the most part, it's all self-contained within the game.

    - Voice Acting: Japanese: top notch. English: below average (not as good as the original Nier).

    - Themes, Ideas, Thought-provoking-ness: The best I've played since the original Nier. The themes on show here are more numerous and varied than the original, so one of them is more likely to catch your attention, stick with you, and make you contemplate life/existence/etc. This is where the game is best to me and why I'm giving it a perfect score. Just be sure to do (and read) the side quests, as that's where many of the themes/ideas are explored by the world inhabitants.

    And some other less-useful information:
    - The game is complete. There's no planned DLC, no micro-transactions, and no "to be continued" after the ending credits. It's like we're back in the 90's where game developers focused on completing a single good game before asking money for it.
    - The game was made possible by fans of Nier and made by fans of Nier (in Platinum Games), and it shows. The amount of content we're getting and the quality of that content seems to be greater than what you'd expect from a game with the budget this one had.
    - If you play the game like a JRPG (do some exploration, research, and side quests), expect at least 45 hours of playtime.
    - I put Dark Souls 3 on hold three weeks ago (when I was near the end) to play this. I don't regret it.    … Expand
  5. aquiles1990
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    This is one of the best games ever made and i'm gonna tell you why . From a storytelling aspect just simply goes far as the human can go into philosophy themes even their characters like pascal or hegel just tell you how much heart this game has . It jump on the train of human existence question and takes the answer even further . From a soundtrack direction it simply has the finest songsThis is one of the best games ever made and i'm gonna tell you why . From a storytelling aspect just simply goes far as the human can go into philosophy themes even their characters like pascal or hegel just tell you how much heart this game has . It jump on the train of human existence question and takes the answer even further . From a soundtrack direction it simply has the finest songs from the last 10 years: Beautiful , sad , emotional that breaks your heart in to pieces. From a gameplay point of view is complete and fill with deep mechanics and 2d/4 wall breaking levels. It's just a complete package traying to reach perfection . Nier automata will be remember in the history of mankind as Art in the very best definition. I can't keep writing because there is too much talk i don't want to spoil this ride. Enjoy this masterpiece gamers it's just simply something else.… Expand
  6. dorthafiq
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    Whatever else anyone can say of this game, Nier: Automata is undeniably unique. A breath of fresh air from the norm of triple-A open world games that have been dominating the gaming landscape for the past few years, Nier: Automata seamlessly blends multiple action genres with an emotional, thought-provoking world and story alongside sound design worthy of an Oscar nomination. If you haveWhatever else anyone can say of this game, Nier: Automata is undeniably unique. A breath of fresh air from the norm of triple-A open world games that have been dominating the gaming landscape for the past few years, Nier: Automata seamlessly blends multiple action genres with an emotional, thought-provoking world and story alongside sound design worthy of an Oscar nomination. If you have any interest whatsoever in JRPGs or Character action games, you owe it to yourself to give this game a shot… Expand
  7. 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
  8. Rasecnort
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    NieR Automata es sin lugar a dudas un título fantástico. Una carta de amor a los videojuegos, puesto que junta de una forma sublime diversos géneros sin que quede raro. Además la historia es sencillamente sublime, el diseño de personajes, la BSO, los personajes, su mundo y lore...
    Si os gusta el RPG con una acción increíble a 60 fps, no dudéis más, que vale cada céntimo gastado.
  9. moonlight_shado
    Mar 24, 2017
    9
    Even just for the soundtrack game is worth it. One beautiful and melancholic experience.. .
  10. Mitsui
    Mar 24, 2017
    10
    A lot of people will judge the game on its graphics not as polished as some recents products but NieR:Automata will surpass those in all other aspects by far. If you played the first NieR, you won't need convincing as this time Square Enix let Platinium Games handle the development under Yoko Taro's direction which is a HUGE STEP for the franchise in terms of gameplay. It worked asA lot of people will judge the game on its graphics not as polished as some recents products but NieR:Automata will surpass those in all other aspects by far. If you played the first NieR, you won't need convincing as this time Square Enix let Platinium Games handle the development under Yoko Taro's direction which is a HUGE STEP for the franchise in terms of gameplay. It worked as NieR:Automata is Yoko Taro’s best game but it’s also now Platinium's best game without a doubt.

    Story: Simply beautiful in many ways, if you go through all the majors endings it will just blow your mind and will keep getting surprised by all the details and clever things happening. No spoilers, no clues, just go for it. So many emotions inside a game who the main protagonist is not even human...

    Characters: It was a doubt for me as we talking about androids/machines and some specifics design choices but I can easily says it’s one of the game's strongest points. They feel more believable and interesting than most humans in others games. I really enjoyed the antagonists as well.

    Graphics: It works very well in the atmosphere of the game, stunning at times. I liked (loved for some) all locations in this game. 60fps all the time for those who care. Beautiful cutscenes.

    Gameplay: A bit like the first NieR, the gameplay will switch smoothly from a shooter, small games to ARPG. It works really well, the fights are furious and explosive with a strong customization for your character. The open-world has a more limited scope which works well and avoid you the famous “fed-ex” subquests. The subquests are actually very intriguing, entertaining and sometime disturbing and they all work very well to serve the game’s universe. The way the game is made just creates a very strong replayability but you might still want to play it when you fully done.

    Music: This is the strongest part of the game in my point. The soundtrack is stunning beyond words… One of the best ever. There is a very clever sound design in the game that will let you enjoy it even better.

    Conclusion: This is one of the best games I ever played and it is currently the best game available on PS4 in my opinion. It offers so much in so many ways and will absorb you in its universe like nothing else. NieR:Automata is a gem and will offer you a truly unique experience unlike many others as it is a NEXT-GEN game not by its graphics but everything else. I will always remember some part of it, Glory To Mankind.    … Expand
  11. dty
    Mar 23, 2017
    9
    Awesome game. Great gameplay, interesting story, incredible music. Only a few slight flaws in the entire title. There are some performance drops here and there, slight stuttering on certain missions in certain areas, but it's butter smooth outside of that (played on PS4 Pro). Only only problem I think is the huge difficulty jump between Normal and Hard. There is also Very Hard, which isAwesome game. Great gameplay, interesting story, incredible music. Only a few slight flaws in the entire title. There are some performance drops here and there, slight stuttering on certain missions in certain areas, but it's butter smooth outside of that (played on PS4 Pro). Only only problem I think is the huge difficulty jump between Normal and Hard. There is also Very Hard, which is set up so everything 1 shots you, but a lot of things 1 shot you on Hard too while the same hit from the same boss/mob on Normal will do barely 10-20% of your HP. I love difficult games, but I don't enjoy to get 1 shot especially when the punishment for death is so high. If I enjoyed gameplay where I got 1 shot I would of selected Very Hard. I wanted Hard difficulty without the possibility of getting 1 shot. I found Normal far too easy. I feel like Very Hard should be Hardcore, Hard should be Very Hard, and there should be another difficulty between Normal and Hard. Lastly it certainly suffers from a bit of open world syndrome in the form of tedious side quests. Having to trek back through previous areas and the like is simply not fun. When this game did quests right they are awesome, but you can't deny the filler quests that exist.
    Other than those problems the game is amazing. Variety of gameplay types switching quickly between them, fluid combat with satisfying mechanics, a story that's interesting from start to end and as I mentioned, absolutely incredible music.    … Expand
  12. Alex_c
    Mar 23, 2017
    9
    A great game that keeps testing you to see if you REALLY want to know how everything unfolds.
    Purposely start slow, and purposely make you do the first half twice, only to show to those who have the patience and the will to keep going its hidden meaning.
    And after all this, it bids farewell asking you something more. And that question, in my opinion, is one that few would dare to ask its    A great game that keeps testing you to see if you REALLY want to know how everything unfolds.
    Purposely start slow, and purposely make you do the first half twice, only to show to those who have the patience and the will to keep going its hidden meaning.
    And after all this, it bids farewell asking you something more. And that question, in my opinion, is one that few would dare to ask its players.    … Expand
  13. Genis94
    Mar 23, 2017
    10
    Nier: Automata is as close to a 10 as a game has gotten for me in a good while. It's rare to find a game that blends together so many aspects perfectly. From the soundtrack and story, to the gameplay and characters, Platinum and Taro don't fail to deliver. I can't recommend this game highly enough.
  14. matts82173
    Mar 23, 2017
    10
    Everyone should go out and get this amazing game right now. At least, try the demo! Everything about it is practically perfect from the plot, the ambience, the music, the animation, the fighting, the RPG elements. It has almost perfect balance. Also, it is a wonderfully intelligent and thoughtful game that could actually make you laugh or even cry. It's sort of a shame that it came out atEveryone should go out and get this amazing game right now. At least, try the demo! Everything about it is practically perfect from the plot, the ambience, the music, the animation, the fighting, the RPG elements. It has almost perfect balance. Also, it is a wonderfully intelligent and thoughtful game that could actually make you laugh or even cry. It's sort of a shame that it came out at the same time as Zelda and HZD because it should not have to share the spotlight with any other game. Truly unique and amazing!… Expand
  15. Azeriel
    Mar 23, 2017
    10
    Breathtakingly complex...this game can not be more perfect even if the gods themselves crafted it.

    I've been playing video games for around 18 years now and all this time has left me jaded towards the medium. I've found it increasingly harder to find games that can capture my enjoyment and provide me an awe inspiring experience that can take me away from the real world like when I was    Breathtakingly complex...this game can not be more perfect even if the gods themselves crafted it.

    I've been playing video games for around 18 years now and all this time has left me jaded towards the medium. I've found it increasingly harder to find games that can capture my enjoyment and provide me an awe inspiring experience that can take me away from the real world like when I was younger. Nier Automata is one of those rare gems in gaming that brings me back to why I fell in love with the medium in the first place. Nier is the only game since the Witcher 3 that had me blink and 10 hours had passed without my noticing. Yoko Taro and his team have created a masterpiece that nobody should miss.

    I will start by saying that I haven't played a Yoko Taro directed game before, but I have heard a lot of great things about his weird world that he has created that links between multiple games and franchises (Nier/Drakengard respectively) so I was really excited when I heard that Square decided to give him a good budget and a very well known studio for their character action games (Platinum) to make a sequel to the original Nier from the previous generation. So without any doubt and after hearing that it got a PC release I instantly purchased it, because I was fascinated by what Yoko Taro could do.

    And what a fantastic job he and his team at Platinum Games have done. A game that shouldn't be passed on by ANYONE, because it does something that I, personally, haven't encountered in a game before (which I won't spoil here, because you HAVE TO experience it yourself).

    Imagine a Platinum game that has exquisite combat, a director that is so masterful in how he presents the story giving small information and tidbits as you go along and a soundrack by a composer that is well known (Keiichi Okabe) that you take a few moments from playing the game just to listen to the music..it's THAT GOOD.

    I won't go much into the story of the game, because it's very easy to spoil, but the story and overarching plot is so well done and it makes you question a lot of things about humanity, emotions, life itself and many other things.

    This has been an eye opening experience that I will never forget. From the amazing soundtrack by Keiichi Okabe to the wonderful directing and story by Yoko Taro and the combat by Platinum games..they all mesh together to create one of the best Action RPG's that I have ever played. Yes, the fetch quests can be tedious and grinding can be a pain at times to achieve everything this game has to offer, but I did not waver and was fascinated by this world.

    I will now post a quote from Jim Sterling's review that resonated with me so much that I cannot state it better as an ending to this lenghty review:

    "Nier itself is important. It is, as far as I’m concerned, historically significant in terms of its design and the way in which it uses the framework of a videogame to tell an evolving story. If I had my way, every budding game developer would play this game to the point of acquiring endings A, B, C, D, and E before acquiescing to its final and alarmingly direct request.

    Few games are able to showcase the power of the medium like Nier: Automata.

    If history forgets this game, then **** history."    … Expand
  16. maestro_machine
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Nier Automata is one of the best action RPGs I have ever played. It's a game that shares a lot of commonalities with FFXV, to the point where there is an appearance of a certain object in Nier Automata from FFXV. The game is fast paced, and fairly difficult on normal difficulty. The game is phenomenal, tragic and it has a deep story. It has 26 endings, the real endings designated by theNier Automata is one of the best action RPGs I have ever played. It's a game that shares a lot of commonalities with FFXV, to the point where there is an appearance of a certain object in Nier Automata from FFXV. The game is fast paced, and fairly difficult on normal difficulty. The game is phenomenal, tragic and it has a deep story. It has 26 endings, the real endings designated by the first 5 letters of the english alphabet, but really the first 2 "endings" are not endings because the game continues on with a 3rd part of the game that has 3 real endings. All other endings F through Z are joke endings that a player can get by replaying certain parts of the game and/or doing certain actions. If you love action RPGs, then this is the game for you.… Expand
  17. Baluberda
    Mar 22, 2017
    0
    Characters Model:8 (Pretty good, lacks a bit of color on the enemies, all mate shines)
    Characters Personality: 3 (the commander has a bit so +1)
    Gameplay: 7 (quite good but invisible walls takes 2 points off) Enemies: 10 (they are mostly perfect) Quests: 7 (good enough) Level Up/ Items:6 (Level up is good, items are not relevant) Enviroment interaction: 0 (doesnt have) History:    Characters Model:8 (Pretty good, lacks a bit of color on the enemies, all mate shines)
    Characters Personality: 3 (the commander has a bit so +1)

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

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

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

    So i give it a 4, but the price...
    Price: 60 euros for an unfinished game that should worth 20)
    I give it a 2    … Expand
  18. DrakeNewman
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Today it is becoming more and more apparent how beautiful video games are becoming, their was a time in peoples lives when still motion pictures were the gateway to the future, past and present, and today they still art. They have solidified their ways of storytelling as art. And now we find ourselves on the cusp of another such revolution, where the stories of the mind can not longer beToday it is becoming more and more apparent how beautiful video games are becoming, their was a time in peoples lives when still motion pictures were the gateway to the future, past and present, and today they still art. They have solidified their ways of storytelling as art. And now we find ourselves on the cusp of another such revolution, where the stories of the mind can not longer be express by just a novel or movie, but through video games.

    The story of Nier: Automata is one such example, this game is beautiful both visually and musically. ‎Keiichi Okabe and Keigo Hoashi have delivered a wondrous soundtrack that fuels the imaginative side of my brain and keeps me coming back for more. Nier: Automata tells a story with such emotion that it cannot be so easily conveyed through writing, you cannot describe the journey of 9S, 2B and A2 to your fiends and expect to garner the same reaction you would have had playing it. The game is just like that, you need to play it to truly understand.

    This game is special, from the moment I first watched its trailer I knew it would be and so I bought a PS4 specifically for this game. The game play is fluid and fun with depth to explore as no 2 encounter need be alike, each character posses their own depth and style that you need to find out for yourself.

    So I advise you to give this game a chance, sit down and enjoy the ride, I finished the game in around 45 hours playing through and trying to do everything, and I still didn't accomplish that so I expect it to take me longer to achieve that, and this doesn't include a second run on a harder difficulty to see how deeply this story really connected.    … Expand
  19. Sangetsu-II
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Amazing game, has different gameplay varieties, great story and the music is the best!

    Gameplay 10/10

    Story: 10/10

    Sound: 10/10

    Replayability: 10/10
  20. Peabody446
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    I love this game, the combat is fast and smooth, the music is absolutely beautiful, the characters are likeable and entertaining, the environments are gorgeous and the story is bizarre and interesting.

    Personally my game of the year so far.
  21. Ormegasm
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    I loved the first one and they managed to please my rabid fanboyism although I have bias its definitely worth the pickup. Gameplay story and characters all blend together well and the multiple endings will keep you going again and again.
  22. Leoeyeofskadi
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Best game played in years, the true ending is impressive and full of creativity. Character, soundtrack, game play, the emotions in this game will make me smile in years to to come. It is a truly masterpiece and one that deserve to be called art.
  23. JasPalTors
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    A true work of art that deserves to be appreciated beyond its technical section, if you really want to enjoy the game to the maximum you must arrive until the last end
  24. Greedmachine
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    When this was announced, I was beyond excited and hyped myself up way too much, knowing I'd probably be let down in some way. Cut to me staying up till the sun rose the day after I got my copy delivered to me. Very good.
  25. Fulcan
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I thought I was getting crazy action, and goofy characters, but I left with gripping existentialism and devastating emotional blows. NieR: Automata centers around 3 characters in world set 10,000 years in the future where humans have seemingly retreated to the moon. Androids 2B, 9S, and later, A2, fight an onslaught of alien-made Machine Lifeforms as they unravel the mysteries of what happened to the world and the conspiracies behind them.
    The first act spends its time posing the machines in general as very human-like; they try and emulate emotion, desire, fears, and are posed, overall, as creatures attacking from fear of being destroyed. This sews the seeds of existentialism, asking what life is for these machines, created with a purpose but ultimately separated from it. You experience the first act from the perspective of 2B, then 9S, and see their relationship from both sides.
    The second act strikes hard, fast, and truly without mercy. All of the machines that were somewhat quirky in the first act, and all of your YoRHa (the Androids organization) comrades thriving full of personality, immediately become threats as each Android connected to their network is infected with a virus that turns them hostile, including 2B. The emotional culmination of 2B's journey until she hands over her torch to A2 brought tears to my eyes. You spend so much time with a character, only to see them die as you slowly become less capable of defending yourself.
    As far as the story goes, I'd call it a work of art capable only through the medium of a video game. Yoko Taro chooses to keep you in control of your character through all but the most grand cutscenes, which keeps you used to feeling the master of each situation. In the second act, he wretches your own power away from you and puts you helpless as the Android network falls, and adds a cherry on top by removing a feature present in the first act: the ability to retrieve your fallen body. If you die in combat now, you face nothing but the Game Over screen, and the option to load a previous save. Switching between 9S and A2 on the fly achieves the same multi-character driven effect as any TV series or Anime (likely moreso the latter of the two), When you're ultimately asked to choose between the two of them, the choice is all the harder.
    The story is helped along by an artful diversity of gameplay styles. No matter the character you control, you'll slip between a 3D beat-em-up, a 2D side scroller/shooter, and a Top-Down Twinstick shooter, even more so when you play as 9S whose hacking feature literally turns destroying machines into a twinstick shooter. Each of these changes to gameplay is a powerful choice. The most notable of this is in the final confrontation, when 9S hacks A2 4 times, you play through a hacking mini-game through a previously unseen arena, and as you progress, you slowly realize you're hacking straight into her pause menu, destroying it, and her, completely.
    The soundtrack (I'm listening to it as I write this review) is perfect. The combination of large orchestra, with beautiful vocals in languages I couldn't place, matched with the fast paced changes and dynamic beats of battle, pairs so well with the tone and play of the game.
    I couldn't possibly capture everything in this review, and I'm sure there are notes I've forgotten, but I'll sum up with this: The game is a work of art. It's not often I'm allowed to enjoy a game so thoroughly without my cynic's voice telling me about the bad parts. I have a tendency to exaggerate, but I will admit, from start to the end of the goddamn credits, this game had my undivided attention. If you have the opportunity to play this game, and you refuse, you're a fool.    … Expand
  26. Emisary100
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Game fairly solid, really surprised me more than I expected. The world in which it develops has a rather interesting background, and its gameplay is quite fun to master. A pity that some people will reject it only by Fanservice.
  27. AllanFelipeS
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    Just finished Rout A with 25 hours of gameplay, i cant remove this game from my mind, hes perfect in manny ways, still theres routs B,C,D,E to go, Nier Automata is trully a epic master piece!!!
  28. golden_
    Mar 22, 2017
    9
    NieR:Automata is my new favorite game hands down.
    //
    The first two playthroughs are good but its the third and fourth that really make this a 9/10 for me. The story is a masterpiece, the characters are amazing, the gameplay is good, but it can get repetitive at times mashing R2 and square while holding R1 for several minutes. I preferred the Japanese voice acting over the English this    NieR:Automata is my new favorite game hands down.
    //
    The first two playthroughs are good but its the third and fourth that really make this a 9/10 for me. The story is a masterpiece, the characters are amazing, the gameplay is good, but it can get repetitive at times mashing R2 and square while holding R1 for several minutes. I preferred the Japanese voice acting over the English this time but both were great. The soundtrack is fantastic and I have been listening to my favorite songs in my free time. I would have liked to see a larger map with more playable area, more/better side quests, and better graphics. However this was the first game in a while where i couldn't put the controller down, and after I had completed all endings I was a very satisfied and happy person.
    //
    Pros: story, soundtrack, voice acting, customization, developers sense of humor, anime waifus, worth the $60
    //
    Cons: repetitive gameplay, small map, side quests kinda sucked, graphics could be better
    //
    I strongly recommend this game to anyone questioning whether to buy it or not.    … Expand
  29. Maximusplus
    Mar 22, 2017
    10
    I have never been playing any Game of this Genre or any Game that's even close to this Game.

    Completing the Game now the for the 3rd time and I think a 4th will be following. I can only rate everything with a flat 10 and a critical 19. The Character Design is amazing, the fighting style not too complex yet not to easy (depending on the mode that you are playing it on), the Music is    I have never been playing any Game of this Genre or any Game that's even close to this Game.

    Completing the Game now the for the 3rd time and I think a 4th will be following. I can only rate everything with a flat 10 and a critical 19.

    The Character Design is amazing, the fighting style not too complex yet not to easy (depending on the mode that you are playing it on), the Music is worth listening for several weeks and the Story behind this got me from the first till the last second.

    I recommend this Game to those who are willing to invest some time, to escape reality and have fun with one of the best games ever.

    You won't regret buying it nor playing it.    … Expand
  30. OneLifeLeft
    Mar 22, 2017
    9
    The combat system is fast, fluctuating, and startlingly innovative.
    The vocalized soundtrack is haunting, riveting, and all but ethereal.
    But above all else, the narrative will shatter any assumption you may have, that this is just another video game. NieR: Automata deftly achieves something that few games, to date, have even attempted. It compels us to reflect on what it means, to    The combat system is fast, fluctuating, and startlingly innovative.
    The vocalized soundtrack is haunting, riveting, and all but ethereal.

    But above all else, the narrative will shatter any assumption you may have, that this is just another video game.

    NieR: Automata deftly achieves something that few games, to date, have even attempted.
    It compels us to reflect on what it means, to be human.
    And the result is a beautiful feeling of emptiness, that will linger long after you've ejected the game from your console, for the last time.    … Expand
Page:

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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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.
    Read full review
  3. games(TM)
    Jun 14, 2017
    80
    Melancholic, wistful and creative at every turn. [Issue#186, p.80]
See all critic reviews »