Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… is the remake/remaster of the original Nier game that got released back in 2010. As you might’ve already guessed from the name, this game has also been created by Yoko Taro, the creator of Nier Automata. While the game is quite similar to Nier Automata in terms of feel, the stories of the two games are not connected with each other in any way. In this Nier Replicant review, I’ll be giving you guys my honest opinion about this updated version of the game and all that it has to offer.
Story and Plot Progression:
Unlike Nier Automata, Nier Replicant focuses on a very personal story about two siblings that are just trying to survive in a strange post-apocalyptic world. We play as Nier, a boy who is trying to find a cure for his sister named Yona. Yona suffers from a strange disease known as the Black Scrawl. Along the way, Nier meets many strange allies that include a talking book called Grimoire Weiss, a foul-mouthed girl named Kaine and a cursed child named Emil.
The story of Nier Replicant starts off pretty slow and can seem somewhat boring at the start. However, as we keep on playing, the world of Nier Replicant keeps on expanding in many strange ways. Like was the case with the previous Yoko Taro game, you will have to play through the entire game multiple times in order to enjoy the complete story. There are multiple endings that can only be unlocked after you have played through the entire game more than once.
While the first playthrough of the game slowly draws you in and becomes interesting with time and the second playthrough still retains the player’s excitement thanks to some added scenes and dialogues, the third playthrough is the hardest to get through as it is mostly the same as the second one. Overall, I think that the story of Nier Replicant is more touching and emotional compared to Nier Automata, but also a little harder to enjoy because of its representation.
Characters:
The characters in this game are amazing and get you easily attached. From the funny commentary of Grimoire Weiss to Kaine’s vulgar remarks, all of these characters have something interesting to add to the story. Their character designs are also pretty unique and memorable.
Gameplay Mechanics:
The Gameplay mechanics of Nier Replicant ver.1.22474487139… are pretty different from the original game as you are now able to perform all kinds of combos by mixing different special attacks and melee attacks together. There are different types of weapons that you can equip in the game. And the effects of these weapons can be further enhanced by adding different traits to them and levelling them up.
Personally, I’d have to say that the gameplay mechanics of Nier Automata were far superior compared to Nier Replicant. While Nier Automata was challenging, in Nier Replicant, you can easily get through most fights of the game by simply mashing a few buttons. The only things that make the combat in Nier Replicant a little interesting are the amazing camera angles and unique enemies.
Another thing I’d like to complain about regarding the gameplay mechanics of Nier Automata is the lack of good side quests. The side quests in this game are not well-built at all and seem more like chores than actual adventures.
One thing that I do need to touch on is the world of Nier Replicant itself feeling a bit too bland. There is not much to do in Nier Replicant, so the game doesn’t really feel like a modern game released in the year 2021.
Visuals and World-Building:
The graphical upgrade of this game is the one thing that I’d like to truly appreciate in my Nier Replicant review. The visuals are very clean compared to the original game, as every single scene has been reworked. The character models also look better now! Being a work of Yoko Taro, the world design of Nier Replicant is also pretty nice.
Sound Design:
The music in Nier Replicant is its one aspect that is just as good as Nier Automata, if not better. The soundtracks played throughout the game are very beautiful and make your experience many times better. The game also has complete voice acting for every single character, even the unimportant NPCs. The voices behind all the major characters seem very realistic and truly resonate with their personalities.
Conclusion
Nier Replicant is awesome, but it feels more like a step backwards compared to Nier Automata. This game can be a little hard to play through, but the amazing story makes it completely worthy of your time. I’d like to end this Nier Replicant review by saying that this game is perfect for the gamers looking to enjoy a slow and beautiful story.