I'm aware this review isn't a popular opinion, but Nier: Automata is an ok game at best somewhat held together by superb animations and a wonderful soundtrack.
I'm aware it's got quite a cult following but I just could not get invested in it though it starts off pretty good. You play the role of 2B a combat android sent on a mission to earth. The opening section is pretty action packed and though linear sets a great atmosphere and a big boss and I got what I was expecting from a Platinum games title. Past the opening though the cracks start to appear.
Nier: Automata is an empty experience trying to give the appearance of something greater. It has a semi open world but it's bland, barren and empty to explore. It has a lot of side quests but they are mostly forgettable busy work. It has a lot of combat and upgrade options but the battles soon become stale due to the level design etc. Just nothing quite clicks.
I kept pushing through as I had heard the story was the highlight. The way the plot weaves though feels very disjointed, I never felt the flow of the story was very well done. To get the full ending is a chore playing through several paths and the final payoff was just meaningless nonsense. The game tries hard to dip into philosophy and existentialism which are themes I appreciate, but I feel it never truly grabbed my attention perhaps because I was so uninterested in the characters even if the world premise was interesting.
It all just results in missed potential as far as I'm concerned. That said there were some positives. As mentioned in the header, the animations are super smooth. The way 2B moves and switches from move to move is like she's gliding on silk, it's beautiful. The OST is also an absolute knock out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTOuspYpbNc
I also really like the art design of a lot of the characters even if the environments are dull and washed out. They really stand out and have already become pretty iconic. Just a shame the designs do not go with the context of who the characters are even remotely.
That all said, I don't regret playing it, it just wasn't the experience I was looking for.
+ Animations are fantastic.
+ Soundtrack is exquisite.
+ Character art design....
- .....completely out of place and inappropriate.
- Empty world and environments.
- Poor plot and story. Getting the full ending is a chore and not worth the payoff.
- 9S is insufferable.
- Side quests are boring.
(For a much better critique, for I am no wordsmith, I agree with try youtuber Pixel a Day (there are story spoilers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWpjyTw8-Pc )
I'm aware it's got quite a cult following but I just could not get invested in it though it starts off pretty good. You play the role of 2B a combat android sent on a mission to earth. The opening section is pretty action packed and though linear sets a great atmosphere and a big boss and I got what I was expecting from a Platinum games title. Past the opening though the cracks start to appear.
Nier: Automata is an empty experience trying to give the appearance of something greater. It has a semi open world but it's bland, barren and empty to explore. It has a lot of side quests but they are mostly forgettable busy work. It has a lot of combat and upgrade options but the battles soon become stale due to the level design etc. Just nothing quite clicks.
I kept pushing through as I had heard the story was the highlight. The way the plot weaves though feels very disjointed, I never felt the flow of the story was very well done. To get the full ending is a chore playing through several paths and the final payoff was just meaningless nonsense. The game tries hard to dip into philosophy and existentialism which are themes I appreciate, but I feel it never truly grabbed my attention perhaps because I was so uninterested in the characters even if the world premise was interesting.
It all just results in missed potential as far as I'm concerned. That said there were some positives. As mentioned in the header, the animations are super smooth. The way 2B moves and switches from move to move is like she's gliding on silk, it's beautiful. The OST is also an absolute knock out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTOuspYpbNc
I also really like the art design of a lot of the characters even if the environments are dull and washed out. They really stand out and have already become pretty iconic. Just a shame the designs do not go with the context of who the characters are even remotely.
That all said, I don't regret playing it, it just wasn't the experience I was looking for.
+ Animations are fantastic.
+ Soundtrack is exquisite.
+ Character art design....
- .....completely out of place and inappropriate.
- Empty world and environments.
- Poor plot and story. Getting the full ending is a chore and not worth the payoff.
- 9S is insufferable.
- Side quests are boring.
(For a much better critique, for I am no wordsmith, I agree with try youtuber Pixel a Day (there are story spoilers): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWpjyTw8-Pc )
7 Comments
@Arcefon - I had the same of people telling me it was this masterpiece and after playing it I felt very let down.
I'm genuinely surprised how rare it is to find people mention that the game is not that good. I have nothing against its story and what it tries to do, the soundtrack is amazing... but the game itself (combat, level design, quests, etc.) is so painfully average that I don't understand how almost nobody appears to comment on it.
The games much more impactful when you've played the first one beforehand
@katsono you should play the first NieR and then come back to Automata after, it's a lot better if you do that
@NOWITSREYNTIME17 why do you think so? It's not like I have anything against the story telling or universe, I mainly didn't enjoy the gameplay and level design which I found to be tedious really fast. Do you think the first game would make me enjoy it more?
@katsono only say that because the immense amount of references and callbacks to NieR, and they dont feel cheap either.. a lot of it is worldbuilding and similar themes, enhances your enjoyment of this game. If you disliked the world, you might like it more after NieR (tho I always loved it) the combat tho I cant really help you there lol. Either way, if someone ever dislikes this game but has not played the first beforehand, I'll always reccomend they try it again after playing the first NieR just cuz it has the possibility of changing someone's whole opinion on it
Arcedon
1 year ago