Nier: Automata

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Nier: Automata

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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Sun Feb 11, 2018 11:28 pm

So, I started playing this game Thursday morning. I finished the game this morning (22+ hours in a weekend, I don't make good life decisions while playing video games) and it was an amazing experience. There's something like 26 endings to the whole thing, so now I'm replaying it.

It's a fantastic game so far. Granted, I don't play video games that often (again, they tend to lead to me making poor life choices), and I usually don't buy video game consoles until they're a generation old. But my brother gave me his PS4 when he upgraded to the PS4 Pro, and I've just been using it as a Blu-ray player for a couple of years now. So, when I express my honest opinion of Nier: Automata being the best video I've playing since Portal 2, it's probably because the last "newer" game I played all the way through actually was Portal 2, back when it was already a generation old. That being said, the visuals are truly stunning. I don't mean that in the sense of the game's graphics usurping any and all potential that the PS4 has to offer for it's video rendering, but rather I'm referring to everything else about the game's visuals. The B&W of the main characters' costuming is gorgeous, and the character designs of the 2B and 9S crawled into me body and stole my heart from me. I don't know who thought that blindfolding all of the characters would be the best costuming decision ever, but it really kind of is. The layout of the world is visually striking and very fun to mess around in.

This is my first time playing a hack-and-slash game, and because of the game's diversity in play styles it's also the first time I've played a 3-D side scroller in years, as well as my first time playing a Bullet Hell game in my whole life. I never did play through any games that had any sort of "Crafting System" or whatever, so I managed to grind my way through an impressive amount of game (over half-way on Normal Mode, actually) before realizing "Oh! My character's technically an android, so I can install all of these handy enhancements and totally own these fights!" But that's highlighting my own limitations in discussing this game. This being my first time playing through a video game and thoroughly taking advantage of its upgrade systems while also hacking-and-slashing away at enemies, I can't really compare it at all to other games that utilize the same mechanics and genres. I can only state that I had a blast playing it, and, given its high praise in other online video-gaming circles, I can only assume that I'm hardly alone in this.

I can, however, opine a great deal about Nier: Automata's story. The characters are very engaging, and the game made me both giggle and cry a couple of times over the playable androids. I ended up playing it in its Japanese language with English subs because the original language version is how I experience most other foreign forms of media as a default, and didn't think it would effect the experience that much in a video game setting. In theory, I was right. But there are certainly plenty of times where villains lecture you while you're ignoring the subs and focusing on beating the living snot out of them that I wondered half-way through if I had made the wrong decision. Despite this, I still managed to get all of the important exposition while also avoiding what I find to be a weird linguistic "Uncanny Valley" of localized dialogue where the English actors attempt to fit their syllables in the exact same spot the Japanese cast did despite the fact that our language doesn't sound anywhere near the same as theirs and... AUGH! I played the demo for this game in its English language prior to playing the actual game. Despite the fact that the English cast certainly had a convincing amount of inflection and tone in their voice, their syllable placement gets weird when the characters get injured, and I decided that it just wasn't for me. (Maybe that's why I can never get used to English dubs of anime, no matter how great the voice actors are. Who knew it would take me playing a video game for me to realize this detail about the localization of other media entirely?) I'm only an hour or two into the replay at the moment, but already it's making me rethink things about the characters and reevaluate the motives of everyone involved.

Anyway, I can't wait to unlock all of the endings and explore the characters more.

Has anyone else played through this game?
Last edited by FreakyFilmFan4ever on Mon Feb 12, 2018 8:34 am, edited 4 times in total.

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Postby Stillborn » Sun Feb 11, 2018 11:40 pm

Yes. I did. I played and I cried. I fucking love those characters. Fictional or not, they deserve a hug. Also, pods are best partners ever. If i remember correctly, you can pet the pod with that big button in the middle of the controller. If you do it enough times, you will recieve very heartwarming comment from them.
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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Sun Feb 11, 2018 11:56 pm

I somehow had never done that yet.

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Postby Stillborn » Mon Feb 12, 2018 12:05 am

Tutorial don't tell you about it. I found out in the net, when I looked for suggested chip farming spots.
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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:31 am

Still playing through the game. The replay has you playing as 9S (the NPC side-kick character in the first play-through), and because he's a Scanner model and not a Soldier model, the gameplay is completely different. It's one of the first games I know of that actively encourages replays this much. I'm also seeing new cut scenes, and holy crap, 9S sees some shit hacking into machines. It's pretty amazing.

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Re: Nier: Automata

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Postby jcmoorehead » Tue Feb 13, 2018 6:53 am

View Original PostFreakyFilmFan4ever wrote:Still playing through the game. The replay has you playing as 9S (the NPC side-kick character in the first play-through), and because he's a Scanner model and not a Soldier model, the gameplay is completely different. It's one of the first games I know of that actively encourages replays this much. I'm also seeing new cut scenes, and holy crap, 9S sees some shit hacking into machines. It's pretty amazing.


Haha, oh... do you have a journey to go on my friend. :tongue:

Nier Automata was my fav game of last year, simply magnificent. I need to revisit it tbh and actually get all of the endings for it.

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Postby Stillborn » Tue Feb 13, 2018 9:36 am

Boy, you have no idea what you're about to see and learn. I strongly advise doing all side quests tough. Many of them provide fantastic hindsight.
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Postby MuscleRobo » Tue Feb 13, 2018 2:25 pm

Third Playthrough Spoilers

SPOILER: Show
So I got to the moral choice of either killing or erasing the memories of Pascal. My roommate was playing at the time and handed me the controller saying they couldn't make the choice and didn't care what I did. So I just walked out. They got pretty mad though and wanted me to choose one of the two. So I went with the memory erasing. It was past midnight at the time with work in the morning so I just rushed as 9S to the robot village and talked with the new shopkeeper Pascal and saved. It was pretty devastating my roommate is talking about not even wanting to play anymore because the robot village was all we really had left. Looking foward to playing more tonight though. I'm hoping this switch to 9S from A2 will explain what happened at the carnival as well.

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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Wed Feb 14, 2018 10:03 pm

So, much of my first play through involved a lot of un-finished side quests. I still wasn't used to these open-world games. (Much of my contribution to this thread will have a tone of "Is this how you video game?" I apologize in advance.) I've been more thoroughly combing through and finishing these side quests during the second play through, as well as just trying to hey a lot of the event markers.



Dude.



I saw the trimmings of an existential game during the first play through, but these side quests make it very unnerving. Also, 9S is simply able to interact more with the machines than 2B was able to during the first play through, and it's screwing with my head. The different ways in which even the non-mission related machines deal with their realization of the meaninglessness of their existence is terrifying. Every so often you'll see a small machine just standing atop a high precipice. If you hack into them enough and read their thoughts, they'll finally realize what they feel is the only logical and liberating solution, and jump off and die.

I love this game. Also, Pascel is the cutest characters so far, hands down. I don't know why, but I feel as though this must be said.

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Postby Stillborn » Thu Feb 15, 2018 2:53 am

Yes. Pascal is loveable. Also it's very important to do as many sidequests during 2nd playthrough as humanly possibile. 9S insight digs up huge chunks of lore, otherwise hidden. Remember, he's a scanner type. Getting intel is his forte, wheter they want him to or not :P
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Postby Stillborn » Thu Feb 15, 2018 7:06 am

Double post, but I can't express enough how important to the world building is Emil side quest.

Take a walktgrough if you must, preferably non spoiling one. And to complete it you MUST do it before 2B and 9S separate. That is before the giant sea machine boss.
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Postby MuscleRobo » Thu Feb 15, 2018 8:51 am

This game has been destroying my sleep, I've regularly been going to bed around 12:30 or 1:00AM. When I have an hour commute to my office job this has led to just a couple hours of rest every night but I'm only getting pulled away when my roommate literally drags me away at this point. I feel like I'm at the end of the third play through mostly because there's not much left to do. I've been making sure to do every sidequest but this has led me to being massively over leveled. The thing is I don't think I did that much level grinding. I was already around late 60's at end of first play through. This has led to some boss fights being rather anti climactic, heck I'm keeping them alive for dialogue and just dodging at points. If there's more paths after this I'm literally going to be max level the whole time, hope they thought of this. At least when I can finally go back for sidequests I'll be able to protect the pacifist parade side quest.

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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Mon Feb 19, 2018 2:02 am

View Original PostStillborn wrote:Double post, but I can't express enough how important to the world building is Emil side quest.

Take a walktgrough if you must, preferably non spoiling one. And to complete it you MUST do it before 2B and 9S separate. That is before the giant sea machine boss.

Can't do it. Not on the second play through, anyway. I finished the first side quest, then found out that there were two more, but Emil's second quests is difficult before you get around the fact that you simply don't want to do certain things to him.

Maybe next time I'll be at a high enough level, as well as emotionally prepared enough to complete beyond the first quest.

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Postby Stillborn » Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:06 am

Ah so you did the flower quest and opened the door in Shopping center? Ok.

Then finding Emil's house is not that important, but some fish for collection are only in that area.
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Postby KingXanaduu » Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:10 pm

I LOVE Nier: Automata thus far. The world is both beautiful and vibrant, the music is so soothing, yet profound, and the characters are so unique and complex.

I've only scratched the surface of this game (been more playing Horizon Zero Dawn, which is very similar), but from what I've scratched, it's awesome. :)
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Postby Stillborn » Mon Feb 19, 2018 10:40 pm

The game gives even more feels if you have knowledge of the previous Nier. For example when you open the door in shopping centre and find out that Emil

SPOILER: Show
build a replica of Kaine's house, in a field filled with her favourite flowers and "Kaine's Salvation" from previous game plays in the background (one of the best OST in the series IMO) you're bound to shed a nostalgic tear. Especially if you know the translated lyrics and how they contrast with what happened in previous game.
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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Tue Feb 20, 2018 3:18 pm

Started the 3rd... “play-through”? (This is gonna be a very loosely-used term here.) Holy crap, guys. This is fantastic. I need to take a break from playing for a while and simply digest what just happened. I’ll post more about it tomorrow.

I love this game. If there ever was any credence to the designation of “High Art,” this game would certainly fit the bill, and would blend in seemlessly inside of the museums of the Netherlands or Italy.

IT’S.

JUST.

SO.

GOOD.

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Postby Joseki » Fri Aug 17, 2018 5:48 am

Gonna bump this thread because I finished the games, all 5 major endings.

This game is NGE as a videogame, I loved it, it made me feel emotional like Eva did.

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Postby FreakyFilmFan4ever » Fri Aug 17, 2018 2:18 pm

I also finished all 5 major endings, and I’m gonna have to do another play through just to let them all soak in. I love this game.


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