So, they’ve given what was formerly known as “Nier: New Project” a proper name. NieR: Automata.
With many of the original NieR team returning and new members such as Akihiko Yoshida, responsible for character design in my other favourite game (FFXII) and the Platinum Games people, this looks set to be awesome. Check out the trailer:
Although penned as a sequel to 2010’s NieR, you don’t actually have to have played that game, nor any of the Drakengard series (from which NieR was a spin-off) for it to make sense. It’s a very weird game and that’s all you need to know.
The story of Automata is set on Earth, after mankind fled to the moon during an invasion by mechanical lifeforms with superior weaponry. Now, mankind are using their own androids to take back their planet. That’s the girl you see in that trailer. Its name is YoRHa 2 Model: B – 2B for short – and it is an android, not a woman.
The original NieR story is linked to this only by location. Although some of the characters from that game may be mentioned, they are unlikely to appear. The gameplay, however, will be more similar, with a range of different play styles to keep the audience on their toes. You can almost guarantee that it will have multiple endings, the story won’t be anything like what you were expecting and there are going to be some ridiculously oversized swords in play. Oh, and the game’s producer says it will have a happy ending… just like the first NieR…
Currently, the game is only set for release on PS4, but no date has been given.
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