It's rare for me to write a review like this, but NieR: Automata is the type of game which compels one to think about the world in which you are immersed in. Indeed, this game is one that drives an existential stake into the player, and it offers little to truly cheer one up. There are few games which take such an approach as this one, mainly because of its director, Yoko Taro. Upon further research of him, it's known that his games offer little to truly be satisfying or "happy." They are, at the very core, meant to explore the darker sides of humanity, and they include topics such as why people kill each other and a variety of other philosophical topics.

Speaking of philosophy, this game is filled to the brim with various philosophical references, ranging from mere names of bosses and characters (Immanuel Kant, Jean-Paul Sartre, Hegel, Blaise Pascal, and various others) to themes which convey or simply subvert the philosophy in question. There are various Youtube videos examining all this, but it goes to show that this game is very well thought out, not only with its references, but with what it conveys and is trying to make the player feel or understand. But the main points of this game are the ones that truly hit the hardest.

Many games attempt to humanize the protagonist to get the player to sympathize with them, it's the point of most narratives, films, etc. But very rarely does a game attempt to humanize its enemies, as well. As a result, you must be aware that the enemies which you slay over, and over, and over again are not simply lifeless, robotic machines. They happen to have a consciousness of their own. Families of their own. Loved ones of their own. From this, what does separate an android from a machine? Is there any point to this eternal war filled with lies, death, and despair? This game explores these themes wonderfully, as both sides of this conflict have suffered tremendously and have no choice but to try and eradicate the other, only for the same tragedies to repeat themselves once again.

As for the tragedies within the lore of this game, it is best to simply isolate this game as its own narrative. If you try to connect it to the previous NieR installment, and even to the Drakengard series, you'll be met with a complicated and unsatisfying timeline. You can blame Yoko Taro for that, as he purposefully makes these sort of things convoluted and messy. These games seem to have been created as their own works of art, separate in story but united by the themes they display. Taro loves being cryptic and eccentric, anyway (just like Toby Fox), it seems.

Like its director, this game certainly is eccentric when it comes to gameplay. Aside from it being a jRPG, at its core, it is a hack and slash game. It provides a variety of weapons and a couple types of fighting styles. The combat and movement are fluid, fast-paced, and I certainly didn't find myself getting bored at all. The rest of the game features many other genres, ranging from shoot 'em up, to platforming, to text adventure. Despite all this, it remains a very cohesive game which is immersive not only in its gameplay, but in the way it is presented.

This is a very pretty game. No, I'm not talking about the androids themselves (maybe just a bit), but in its scenery, camera angles, and art style. The landscapes are expansive, breath-taking, mysterious, and even intimate at times. Of course, the characters themselves are those which inhabit said environments. One would think that a game having androids dressed in goth-like ninja apparel from a bunker in space fighting 60's inspired toy-robots in a post-apocalyptic world would clash stylistically, but leave it to the Japanese to make it work and think about the entire premise in the first place. It all fits in beautifully with the protagonists, enemies, and structures.

Another beautiful thing about this game is its soundtrack. I found myself constantly just sitting in my chair, listening to the music as it swept over me, and I certainly have a great sound setup to enjoy it (Drop x Sennheiser HD 6XX with a DAC-amp combo). Anyway, this game's melodies span a variety of emotions, from melancholy to dread, mystery, action, and even joy or happiness. The game's soundtrack is orchestrated wonderfully, and its vocals are simply breathtaking. The imaginary language that inhabits the lyrics made often made me feel not only familiar due to it borrowing from languages I am familiar with, but also bewildered when it made use of that which I was not versed in at all.

What really does bewilder me, however, is that Square Enix really has messed up with the PC port of this game. This is no unique case, however, as it often happens with ports of their older games; they seem to simply not care when it comes time to port their beloved titles onto a different system. Even with a 'Game of the Year' edition, it simply is inexcusable. You NEED the FAR mod in order for your game to look and perform the way you want it to, aside from the other problems that plague this game. As for playing the game itself, I would not recommend playing on keyboard, as you'll find yourself double-tapping your WASD keys in order to dash over and over again. Controller is the best way to play this game and my preferred option.

Despite the injustice that Square has done to this game and many others, it is a game that I urge people to experience. It's a wonderful tale for those who seek it, and enough philosophical themes and references to keep the average pseudo-intellectual satisfied and/or to give them a bit of existential dread. Yoko Taro has created a style of game which I certainly admire, along with many themes that have touched me, earning the right to be one of my favorite games. I recommend this game to anyone, even if you just want to stare at 2B's ass.

It's rare for me to write a review like this, but NieR: Automata is the type of game which compels one to think about the world in which you are immersed in. Indeed, this game is one that drives an existential stake into the player, and it offers little to truly cheer one up. There are few games which take such an approach as this one, mainly because of its director, Yoko Taro. Upon further research of him, it's known that his games offer little to truly be satisfying or "happy." They are, at the very core, meant to explore the darker sides of humanity, and they include topics such as why people kill each other and a variety of other philosophical topics. Speaking of philosophy, this game is filled to the brim with various philosophical references, ranging from mere names of bosses and characters (Immanuel Kant, Jean-Paul Sartre, Hegel, Blaise Pascal, and various others) to themes which convey or simply subvert the philosophy in question. There are various Youtube videos examining all this, but it goes to show that this game is very well thought out, not only with its references, but with what it conveys and is trying to make the player feel or understand. But the main points of this game are the ones that truly hit the hardest. Many games attempt to humanize the protagonist to get the player to sympathize with them, it's the point of most narratives, films, etc. But very rarely does a game attempt to humanize its enemies, as well. As a result, you must be aware that the enemies which you slay over, and over, and over again are not simply lifeless, robotic machines. They happen to have a consciousness of their own. Families of their own. Loved ones of their own. From this, what does separate an android from a machine? Is there any point to this eternal war filled with lies, death, and despair? This game explores these themes wonderfully, as both sides of this conflict have suffered tremendously and have no choice but to try and eradicate the other, only for the same tragedies to repeat themselves once again. As for the tragedies within the lore of this game, it is best to simply isolate this game as its own narrative. If you try to connect it to the previous NieR installment, and even to the Drakengard series, you'll be met with a complicated and unsatisfying timeline. You can blame Yoko Taro for that, as he purposefully makes these sort of things convoluted and messy. These games seem to have been created as their own works of art, separate in story but united by the themes they display. Taro loves being cryptic and eccentric, anyway (just like Toby Fox), it seems. Like its director, this game certainly is eccentric when it comes to gameplay. Aside from it being a jRPG, at its core, it is a hack and slash game. It provides a variety of weapons and a couple types of fighting styles. The combat and movement are fluid, fast-paced, and I certainly didn't find myself getting bored at all. The rest of the game features many other genres, ranging from shoot 'em up, to platforming, to text adventure. Despite all this, it remains a very cohesive game which is immersive not only in its gameplay, but in the way it is presented. This is a very pretty game. No, I'm not talking about the androids themselves (maybe just a bit), but in its scenery, camera angles, and art style. The landscapes are expansive, breath-taking, mysterious, and even intimate at times. Of course, the characters themselves are those which inhabit said environments. One would think that a game having androids dressed in goth-like ninja apparel from a bunker in space fighting 60's inspired toy-robots in a post-apocalyptic world would clash stylistically, but leave it to the Japanese to make it work and think about the entire premise in the first place. It all fits in beautifully with the protagonists, enemies, and structures. Another beautiful thing about this game is its soundtrack. I found myself constantly just sitting in my chair, listening to the music as it swept over me, and I certainly have a great sound setup to enjoy it (Drop x Sennheiser HD 6XX with a DAC-amp combo). Anyway, this game's melodies span a variety of emotions, from melancholy to dread, mystery, action, and even joy or happiness. The game's soundtrack is orchestrated wonderfully, and its vocals are simply breathtaking. The imaginary language that inhabits the lyrics made often made me feel not only familiar due to it borrowing from languages I am familiar with, but also bewildered when it made use of that which I was not versed in at all. What really does bewilder me, however, is that Square Enix really has messed up with the PC port of this game. This is no unique case, however, as it often happens with ports of their older games; they seem to simply not care when it comes time to port their beloved titles onto a different system. Even with a 'Game of the Year' edition, it simply is inexcusable. You NEED the FAR mod in order for your game to look and perform the way you want it to, aside from the other problems that plague this game. As for playing the game itself, I would not recommend playing on keyboard, as you'll find yourself double-tapping your WASD keys in order to dash over and over again. Controller is the best way to play this game and my preferred option. Despite the injustice that Square has done to this game and many others, it is a game that I urge people to experience. It's a wonderful tale for those who seek it, and enough philosophical themes and references to keep the average pseudo-intellectual satisfied and/or to give them a bit of existential dread. Yoko Taro has created a style of game which I certainly admire, along with many themes that have touched me, earning the right to be one of my favorite games. I recommend this game to anyone, even if you just want to stare at 2B's ass.