After the success of NieR: Automata, its strange predecessor finally got the treatment it deserved. Little caveats can’t take into account that this game also deserves the general public’s attention – just to know where it all comes from.
As you can already read in my preview, the NieR that came out in 2010 for the PlayStation 3 wasn’t exactly what you can expect on a PlayStation 4 today. NieR: Replicant ver.1.22474487139 is a remaster that not only makes great graphical steps but also changes a lot about the game itself. Small tweaks make the experience so much better.
Main face lift
The most important change is to speed up and smooth combat, which makes this virtually indistinguishable from NieR: Automata. Plus, it’s now possible to keep moving during attacks that need charging – making the tempo many times faster and more consistent, but above all, you get the face enhancement the game deserves, resulting in many additional drag spaces and presentation. This is not foggy at all as before. Note: The PS3 title remains and you’ll especially notice this in the villagers and other non-playable characters that seem very solid and lifeless. This isn’t to say the NieR Replicant doesn’t look good! It has a number of very beautiful views and beautifully lit environments which above all are very atmospheric. Finally, all dialogue in this converter is fully supplied with voice acting, although the quality sometimes leaves something to be desired.
Fight with the caveats
No matter how relaxed the combat was, I quickly noticed that there were very few techniques used. Yes, there are different classes of weapons such as spears, swords and two-handed weapons that can be switched effectively between them, but not much is done with them. Soon you’ll find a bunch of successful attacks and the game doesn’t try its best to get you out of your comfort zone. Making enemies weak with certain weapons has forced them to diversify, and this is a missed opportunity. There is still a lot of fighting fun in NieR: Replicant, especially since you can always combine melee attacks with the magical attacks of loyal companion Grimoire Weiss. This flying book is alternated with a volley of giant spears or a pair of huge fists with a sea of dots flying off the ground. Like the robot in Automata, you unlock Weiss skills while actually carrying out all of your special attacks – as a result of which you use loads of buttons at the same time and thus remain incredibly engaged.
Authentic world
The caveats don’t stop there, given how beautiful the environments are, they feel very empty. The vast plains are only shaken by strange features like half-rotting bridges that are the only remnants of ancient humanity that remain. This gives the world an authenticity that I truly appreciate, but other than that here you’ll find – in the long time you spend running here – a few enemies and some items to pick up here and there. It doesn’t really matter, because I’ve never had so few healing agents and most of the substances I’ve found had no idea what this was in the end. You don’t actually have to bring the enemies on the other side. I usually run past because I was on my way to a goal and milling XP is not necessary at all.
mysterious
Don’t let this criticism bother you too much, because NieR: Replicant Quality is great. The story is, as we can expect from Yoko Taro, especially and it has several layers and many twists that you wouldn’t expect quite like this. It does the things we saw later in NieR: Automata, although it’s less polished and refined. The ending definitely doesn’t mean the end and after the credits (which took me about 17.5 hours to accomplish) I found a game again – escalating more than ever from different angles. However, the fact that you never know where to turn and what all the mystery ensues makes it a unique gameplay and it’s nice to see that the qualities that made NieR: Automata so good are actually here.
The absolute highlights
Hence, the game is full of great moments, of which I definitely don’t want to give up too much. Absolute highlights included visiting The Aerie, a village made up of tiny huts built on deep cliff walls – connected by ramshackle bridges. Boss fights turned out to be really cool many times, mainly due to the emotional charge the story and characters entail. Plus, it’s of course the gameplay and the variety in it shines. In a minute you will find a third person hack ‘n slash, then the game turns into a bullet hell from top to bottom while riding in a mine cart. I found the biggest shock in a mysterious forest, where the image became increasingly blurred in a conversation with a villager, after which NieR: Replicant lived his life for a while as a true text-based adventure. The fact that this game can convey all of this seamlessly and convincingly is an extraordinary phenomenon – especially when you consider how the story is woven through it all. In addition to all the credit post actions, this version of NieR: Replicant also has the necessary challenges, skins, and an optional hard mode to change the experience even further. You don’t need this, but it can be appreciated that Toylogic and Square Enix added these additions to make this release even more special.
Whether you’ve played NieR in the past or just got winds of these pearls in NieR: Automata, you’re at the right place with NieR: Replicant. It offers the popular fighting game, which can be a little simple, but it feels very satisfying in a world in which they lived. It tells stories as if you do not see much and are not afraid to do the same for a long time, making each experience a new one. However, there is a lot of set back and you spend a lot of time jogging through the empty plains of the NieR universe. The enemies could have been a lot more varied as well, although that wasn’t really bothersome – especially when compared to fierce moments and gorgeous boss fights. NieR: Replicant is a little trickier and less accurate than NieR: Automata, but it shows very clearly where the inspiration came from. Thanks to remaster tools like improved graphics, tremendous music, and smoother gameplay, NieR: Replicant comes highly recommended.
