5/5 ★ – patjans5's review of NieR:Automata™.

Last years NieR Replicant, a game that had a big impact on my in pretty much every way. From the stunning music, breathtaking world, unique and lovable characters, and of course the emotional story. Even with its shortcoming, mostly the repetition and side quests, Replicant remains one of my favorite games. I never knew NieR Automata was the sequel to NieR from 2010, in fact, I never knew it existed until the 2021 remake I mentions was announced. Thus, I held off on my first playthrough of Automata, and I’m glad I did. It’s not like Replicant is necessary in understanding the complex story and themes of Automata, but it helps. Certain things click, and characters and locations feel familiar. But honestly, Automata is more than just a mere sequel, it stands alone as, in my opinion, on of the greatest games of all time. Automata centers around a way between the machines and the androids. Humanity has long left the planet Earth, which nature has now reclaimed. The open world of Automata is both haunting and beautiful, especially with the incredible score that manages to compliment the themes and atmosphere perfectly. The story stretches across 4 main endings, and three playable characters, each with their own story that intertwines with each other’s, as well as the main narrative of the game. Automata touches on empathy, the meaning of life and what it means to be alive. These themes are portrayed in countless games, but none in such a way as this. Automata goes out of its way to connect with you on a personal level, personally giving my a lasting impression after the credits roll. It’s emotional, funny, and thought provoking in the strongest ways. Combat and gameplay is very similar to Replicant. In fact, I believe they based Replicant’s combat around Automata. You have your hack and slash close combat, shooting mechanics for distance combat, and even blends multiple gaming genres together. From side scrolling fighter combat, to top down shoot ‘em up, to platformers, there’s never a dull moment in this game. My biggest critique in Replicant was its repetitive, and at times pointless and irrelevant fetch quests. Automata had a ton of side quests, a lot of them are fetchy, but I felt like each one was worth doing, and each one in some way added to the narrative of the game. Some of them were especially touching and emotional, sticking with you as much as the main story itself. I could nit pick a few things about NieR Automata, but when the core story, themes, and characters are this strong and well done, it’s hard to care about those little things. I believe Automata is an absolute must play for any gamer out there.