5/5 ★ – UltimateWaffle1's review of NieR: Automata.

Platform- PS5 Hours Logged- 31 "Everything that is created is designed to be destroyed." Holy shit where do I even start with this review. This game was an absolute masterpiece in all aspects in my opinion so lets start with the narrative. which was one of the best I've ever played through in a game. This game goes deeper than most games dare to go, and it works. The game is extremely depressing, as it challenges you to think about the line between a machine and a human and where consciousness starts and what our existence really means. The game has 3 playthroughs and 5 endings and I played all of them. The first two playthroughs introduce the concept that the narrative is trying to put you in and slowly lets you build up hope for the characters. It is still a depressing process as you have to experience the unnecessary struggle of their lives. The first two playthroughs both end on a hopeful but unclear note and then you start the third playthrough. This is where the game absolutely tears you apart and gets rid of any hope you had. This game's story is told masterfully and in a very unconventional way and I love it. I recommend everyone plays this game at some point because of this. If there were a weak point in this game, it would be the combat. Not because its bad or clunky, but because its repetitive, but this is a common problem in even the best JRPGs. I'll admit the combat is mostly basic, but when you learn all the mechanics of it beating the shit out of machines has never felt so fun. I played the whole game on normal difficulty and it felt great. The last thing I wanted to talk about is the soundtrack. I have always been a soundtrack appreciator and this game's soundtrack is a masterpiece in the context of the game. Even outside of the game, I recommend everyone listens to "Weight of the World". The depressing feeling of the story is also told through the music and it is extremely well done. All the way through the game, you will have an amazing song playing behind you, whether its intense, ominous or sad it will always be amazing. Then again, I'm not surprised since I haven't played a Square Enix game with a bad soundtrack. I've given this some thought and this game has topped my top 10 games of all time list. There is no other game that made me cry (at least) 8 times and no other game that made me care this much about the characters in it. Tomb Raider (2013) has been my favorite game since its release in 2013 but NieR: Automata has now taken that title. This game is a masterpiece