NieR Replicant updated release announced

[ChupathingyX]

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the NieR series, Square Enix have just announced an updated re-release of the original NieR Replicant, called Nier: Replicant ver.1.22474487139...(yes, that's the title). Replicant was the version in which you play as BroNier, and was exclusively released in Japan.

https://www.jp.square-enix.com/nierreplicantv1p2/


Supposedly it's not quite a remaster or remake, but an updated version of the original, and will be released on PS4, XBox One, and Steam.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

I remember back in the day I was contemplating importing this, not sure why I didn't, prolly too many other things in my plate as is usually the case. I'm very exciting that they're bringing it over.

Also, it's good to just see that they still remember Nier exists. It's hugely popular with fandoms but we've not heard from them for a bit too long for my taste.

 

[Worgen]

I hope the pc port works better then Automata.

 

[meiam]

So that's the version with the japans protag rather than the American one?

For those who've only played automata, the gameplay in replicant is extremely uninteresting for the most part, its a very basic button masher, even more so than automata (there's a reason they turned to platinum for the sequel). The game is full of side quest, each more boring than the previous one, to the point where people speculate that it might have been a commentary on dreadful side quest. Anyway, what I'm saying is, if you're interested in the game, just watch a let's play that cut out most of the gameplay, you'll get 99% of the experience (or just listen to the OST, that's pretty much half of the experience).

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

Anyway, what I'm saying is, if you're interested in the game, just watch a let's play that cut out most of the gameplay, you'll get 99% of the experience (or just listen to the OST, that's pretty much half of the experience).

Pretty much this, I played all of the 1st Nier and it totally wasn't worth it. The characters are the strong points, the story ends up being slightly above par anime stuff, and the gameplay is pretty weak (only the changeups keep it somewhat interesting). I had little interested in Automata because I ain't playing the game 2+ times to see the fucking story again; I know Platinum did the combat but it's dumbed-down Platinum combat (I played the demo). Also, the characters were not nearly as entertaining as the characters from the 1st Nier.

 

[Dalisclock]

So that's the version with the japans protag rather than the American one?

For those who've only played automata, the gameplay in replicant is extremely uninteresting for the most part, its a very basic button masher, even more so than automata (there's a reason they turned to platinum for the sequel). The game is full of side quest, each more boring than the previous one, to the point where people speculate that it might have been a commentary on dreadful side quest. Anyway, what I'm saying is, if you're interested in the game, just watch a let's play that cut out most of the gameplay, you'll get 99% of the experience (or just listen to the OST, that's pretty much half of the experience).

Watched a LP of the game prior to playing Automata. That's pretty much what I walked away feeling. THe gameplay looked boring as hell, honestly.

 

[ChupathingyX]

Well, my biggest hope for this is SE bringing back all the perfect English VAs from the first, and re-recording their lines to accommodate BroNier, that is providing this game gets a full localisation (which I'm sure they would).

Also, it's good to just see that they still remember Nier exists. It's hugely popular with fandoms but we've not heard from them for a bit too long for my taste.

They just announced recently the game sold 4.5 million copies, so I doubt they'll just forget the series. Plus, it took 7 years for Automata and that wait was fucking worth it so I'm happy to wait again.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

Anyway, what I'm saying is, if you're interested in the game, just watch a let's play that cut out most of the gameplay, you'll get 99% of the experience (or just listen to the OST, that's pretty much half of the experience).

Pretty much this, I played all of the 1st Nier and it totally wasn't worth it. The characters are the strong points, the story ends up being slightly above par anime stuff, and the gameplay is pretty weak (only the changeups keep it somewhat interesting). I had little interested in Automata because I ain't playing the game 2+ times to see the fucking story again; I know Platinum did the combat but it's dumbed-down Platinum combat (I played the demo). Also, the characters were not nearly as entertaining as the characters from the 1st Nier.

You really don't "beat it twice" in the sense of games with new game + where most of the stuff is the same and you may get like a super boss or a higher difficulty mode or something minor like that. You play through the same time span but with a different character and see things from a different perspective and learn new aspects of the events that transpired, ones you didn't know happened. Some of the events take place when the first character was doing other things away, so you find out what your new character was doing in the meantime, stuff like that.

It's a completely fresh experience and definitely worth it.

 

[Dalisclock]

Anyway, what I'm saying is, if you're interested in the game, just watch a let's play that cut out most of the gameplay, you'll get 99% of the experience (or just listen to the OST, that's pretty much half of the experience).

Pretty much this, I played all of the 1st Nier and it totally wasn't worth it. The characters are the strong points, the story ends up being slightly above par anime stuff, and the gameplay is pretty weak (only the changeups keep it somewhat interesting). I had little interested in Automata because I ain't playing the game 2+ times to see the fucking story again; I know Platinum did the combat but it's dumbed-down Platinum combat (I played the demo). Also, the characters were not nearly as entertaining as the characters from the 1st Nier.

Automata is one of the few games I've bothered with NG+ at all(the others being Chrono Trigger and Undertale) because you actually see new things(as opposed to just buffing everything).

Route B(NG+) is probably the worst because it's much like Route A but with a different combat motif(hacking instead of direct combat) and only some of the parts are different. The bright side is that the enemies(and most of the bosses) don't actually scale with you in Route B and you already know where to go, so it tends to go much faster then Route A. That and the side quests you completed in Route A stay completed, so you don't have to redo everything.

And Route C(NG++) is pretty much the 2nd half of the story with a new character. Route D is basically the final boss fight from a different perspective(and picks up from right before the fight). Route E is....basically the Coda.

I honestly wish more games would put as much effort into their NG+. I normally don't bother because after beating a game(unless it's a short one), I'm not usually up for replaying all the same content but HARDER!

 

[PsychedelicDiamond]

I was hoping for an opportunity to play the first Nier at some point. Seems like the general consensus is that it has worse gameplay, but better writing than Nier Automata. Which I sure hope, because I found Nier Automatas writing extremely underwhelming.

Though I will say: it still amuses me that they replaced the protagonist of the first Nier for western releases because they assumed Americans wouldn't be able to identify with an attractive person.

 

[Phoenixmgs_v1legacy]

You really don't "beat it twice" in the sense of games with new game + where most of the stuff is the same and you may get like a super boss or a higher difficulty mode or something minor like that. You play through the same time span but with a different character and see things from a different perspective and learn new aspects of the events that transpired, ones you didn't know happened. Some of the events take place when the first character was doing other things away, so you find out what your new character was doing in the meantime, stuff like that.

It's a completely fresh experience and definitely worth it.

I 'get' to a decent extent how the NG+ works with the Niers, I played the 1st one. Maybe the 2nd one has less repeated content but there's still repeated content as I read about it when it came out along with Dalisclock's post as well.

Automata is one of the few games I've bothered with NG+ at all(the others being Chrono Trigger and Undertale) because you actually see new things(as opposed to just buffing everything).

Route B(NG+) is probably the worst because it's much like Route A but with a different combat motif(hacking instead of direct combat) and only some of the parts are different. The bright side is that the enemies(and most of the bosses) don't actually scale with you in Route B and you already know where to go, so it tends to go much faster then Route A. That and the side quests you completed in Route A stay completed, so you don't have to redo everything.

And Route C(NG++) is pretty much the 2nd half of the story with a new character. Route D is basically the final boss fight from a different perspective(and picks up from right before the fight). Route E is....basically the Coda.

I honestly wish more games would put as much effort into their NG+. I normally don't bother because after beating a game(unless it's a short one), I'm not usually up for replaying all the same content but HARDER!

Like I said, I played the 1st Nier, and I know NG+ is kinda a misnomer as you really haven't played through the game yet and it's referred to as NG+. I do know you replay through content you already played as you mentioned especially with Route B. The demo really didn't sell me on the game because A) the gameplay was watered-down Platinum combat and B) the one driving force of the 1st game was the characters and I couldn't care less about the characters in demo (they weren't close to say Kaine or Grimoire Weiss).

I was hoping for an opportunity to play the first Nier at some point. Seems like the general consensus is that it has worse gameplay, but better writing than Nier Automata. Which I sure hope, because I found Nier Automatas writing extremely underwhelming.

Though I will say: it still amuses me that they replaced the protagonist of the first Nier for western releases because they assumed Americans wouldn't be able to identify with an attractive person.

The characters were definitely better (from my time with playing all the 1st game and only the demo of Automata). I'm not sure how good the overall writing equates to as you have interesting characters but a story that's really just OK and definitely didn't need the convoluted "multiple" playthroughs to tell. I found the 1st Nier underwhelming too because people that did like it, over-hyped it so much saying it's the best story ever in video gaming at the time.

I always heard the opposite that the Western release was the protagonist that was originally intended but the Japanese wouldn't like playing as an older dad. Not that it matters much, the protagonist, Nier, has very little "character" anyway.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

I'll just say, I generally am not a fan of NG+ in anything (takes me years to replay a persona game for example, I generally don't replay most things) but in Automata it just doesn't feel like you're playing NG+ at all. If you care about the story you'll be instantly hooked and want to find out what happens next.

 

[meiam]

I'll just say, I generally am not a fan of NG+ in anything (takes me years to replay a persona game for example, I generally don't replay most things) but in Automata it just doesn't feel like you're playing NG+ at all. If you care about the story you'll be instantly hooked and want to find out what happens next.

Maybe, but the gameplay just wasn't good enough to justify more of it, especially when it's teh same environment all over again. Plus the story definitely ends of a weak note, so it's not like I was dying to dive back in it.

 

[Dalisclock]

I'll just say, I generally am not a fan of NG+ in anything (takes me years to replay a persona game for example, I generally don't replay most things) but in Automata it just doesn't feel like you're playing NG+ at all. If you care about the story you'll be instantly hooked and want to find out what happens next.

Maybe, but the gameplay just wasn't good enough to justify more of it, especially when it's teh same environment all over again. Plus the story definitely ends of a weak note, so it's not like I was dying to dive back in it.

If the gameplay and the environments aren't doing it for you, its unlikely Route B/C will change your mind. There are some more plot twists(and you probably already figured out or heard about the BIG Twist) along the way but it's still very anime with some existentialism.

 

[Dreiko_v1legacy]

See, not liking the first playthrough and not playing the other two is comprehensible.


What I don't get is liking it (or at the very least being excited to play it) and not caring about the other two or finding them tiresome or what have you.

If someone's not into the game enough I would take stopping at the first ending as being equivalent to dropping a game about 30% of the way in, which is understandable and you gave it a fair shot.

Not playing past that point when you liked it that far, similarly, is just like playing up to a third of the way in a game you are enjoying and just...stopping for no reason. It doesn't make sense.


I think it's just some type of weird labeling issue, since it's really not replaying the same game in any sense. Defining it as "replaying" would be counting the loops in a time travel story "the same story over and over" (since each replay has a different ending, it doesn't all turn out the same, just in case that wasn't clear). Just doesn't make sense at all.



I think the best way to describe Automata replays is as though they're different routes in a visual novel. Depending on choices you make in a visual novel the story goes in completely different directions so you have the very early bits be shared but depending on the game you get a sooner or later point of divergence and past that it's all totally new stuff. That's the closest thing it feels like. First playthrough is basic route, second playthrough is alternate route, final playthrough is "true ending" route.