Developer: Square Enix
Publisher: Square Enix
RRP: £39.99 (Steam, Square Enix Store and Humblebundle)
Released: March 17th 2017
Available on: Steam, Square Enix Store and Humblebundle
Played Using: An Xbox 360 control pad
Approximate game length: 30 ish hours
You know I tried to come up with a preamble for this review, but I kept coming up blank because to be absolutely honest nothing I can write will be both relevant and not a spoiler in some way, and believe me this is a game
that you really should go in blind and experience for yourself.
The problem with trying to define this game is that it flicks from one genre to another quite often. One thing I can definitely say is that the game is ‘usually’ a
third person open world RPG. You definitely gain XP through completing quests and killing enemies does grant XP as well as money. However sometimes the game is a twin stick shooter, or a top down shooter or a side scrolling platformer… or a number of other things.
This is actually very much how this games predecessor played as well, which was Nier that I played on the Xbox 360 (sadly it was never released for PC or I would play it on here).
It should also be mentioned that you don’t need to have played any of the other games in the series to understand this one. If you did though you’ll be treated to some nice call backs, quite a few of which I never expected.
You play as an android and its your job to destroy the Machine Lifeforms that were sent to conquer the Earth by aliens. This is done by hacking, slashing, shooting and err… hacking (of the computer variety). That all sounds pretty straight forward right? Sure it does. Now lets not waste time asking pesky questions about morality.
Seeing that Platinum are involved it’s of no surprise that the combat is an absolute joy to not only perform but also behold. Each movement is smooth and even a button masher like myself was able to pick up a few combos here and there. It was a little tricky to get used to controlling and firing the pods while also dodging incoming attacks as well as performing moves myself. But the game eases you into it very well and by the time you reach a major climax of the game you’ll be dodging, firing and slicing like a seasoned player.
Even though your combat capability is pretty incredible even at a base level you can always increase those damage values and refine or even add to those already impressive abilities. This is done through ‘chips’, as you play through the game you’ll find and purchase chips that can be installed into you on the fly. No, seriously if you really want to you can switch out mid-battle. Something to take note of though is that even though these chips are listed as skills quite a few of them affect the HUD. For example you have to purchase and then activate the XP bar to actually see what XP you’re earning. You can also deactivate and sell chips, so if you want to play a game with no mini map or objective markers you can and you’ll even make a little money too.
This level of customisation is great that anyone who loves to micromanage their stats will love since you can try and optimise the perfect build for your android with their chips. However if you don’t have the time or inclination to do that you can also just select automatic and the game will give you what it deems is the best set up with what you have.
Of course, we can talk about adding skills without mentioning weapons. There are quite a few of those to pick from in the game and depending on what combination of weapon you choose you’ll have different moves. Weapons can also be upgraded adding extra damage as well as effects, some increase the chance of stunning and enemy others add damage in the form of a charged attack.
Now its almost a certainty that at some point in the game you will die. In the even of that your body is left behind which, if you die again (or take too long) before retrieving it, will disappear. However if you do get manage to find
your body you have a choice to make you can retrieve it which will give you back and re-equip all the chips you had or alternatively you can choose to repair it which takes a bit longer but will give you back all your chips but also gives you a temporary ally.
In order to get the full story of Nier: Automata you have to play through the the game multiple times using the same save file, with each new playthrough things will change. And with their being twenty six different endings you will definitely need to play a fair few times to get the full scope of it all. Though it must be said that most of those twenty six endings are intentionally silly and are not considered ‘canon’.
As was mentioned earlier this game features an open world, but as open worlds go this one is quite compact cramming a lot of detail and feeling to the world in a small handcrafted space. Due to Nier: Automata being an open world game it’s expected that there are side quests for you to complete and in this regard Nier: Automata is no slouch, there are missions scattered all over the place (none of which involve a radio tower). However since this is a game that wants you to play through it multiple times some missions don’t appear on the first or even second go. Some of the missions however continue from one playthrough to the next with the quest giver acting as if nothing at all had changed.
I do have a lot of praise to heap on this game. Honestly I only really have one thing that annoyed me. For some reason every time I booted up the game or there was a major transition within the game the mouse cursor would appear in the centre of the screen. Sure moving it to the side was no issue but I don’t see why I should have to do that when many of this contemporaries manage to not have that issue.
The music is fantastic being simultaneously unobtrusive and catchy (though I have no idea what the actual lyrics are). But what I really love is the way the songs transition not from one song to another but from one version of the song to another depending on what is going on. If I have a flaw at all it’s that some of the music is a bit too calming for me and I’d find myself nodding off to it.
I highly recommend turning on the network features (which I believe is set to off as a default). On the surface this feature works similarly to the ability to collect your body except now you can collect other peoples. If you retrieve a body you’ll gain some short term benefits and a little money, alternatively you could repair the body for a temporary ally. This feature does more than that but…. well that would be telling.
Get it. This game is really, really, really, really good well worth the asking price. I’ve had a blast just slaughtering enemies with the slick combat but I’ve also been touched by some of its more poignant and heartfelt scenes. If you like RPG’s do not pass this one by.
If this appeals to you perhaps try;
Nier
Grandia 2
Final Fantasy 15
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