LogFAQs > #951397773

#7 - NieR: Automata (PS4, 2017)
and
#6 - NieR (PS3, 2010)

NieR, and its sequel Automata, are both special games with some of the best storylines, characters, and music in video gaming.

Let's talk about Automata first - Automata has better action gameplay but worse characters. While 9S is great and has the best character growth, 2B is pretty much a boring character. It also has the worse backtracking, with having to play the first half of the game once following 2B and then again following 9S, which makes it a bit more annoying to play through than the repeated 2nd part in the original NieR. However, the action gameplay is much better than how clunky NieR is, given Platinum Games' work on it. It's very fun to play through and a lot of the boss fights are well designed. I still am not a fan of the bullet hell bosses that make up most of this series, but the ability to slash through the bullets makes it a nonissue for me overall. The story in Automata is one of the best of the console generation it's on and I basically marathoned the story once I got past 9S's recap section. I also ignored the trophy shop at the end of the game and played my way through every trophy on the list, wanting to do as much as I could without using it (and I did get the platinum without it.)

The original NieR may be classified as an action RPG, but it mixes up genres at different points of the game to keep things fresh. In particular, Emil's basement changes the game to a top-down perspective rather than the usual layout. Also, the forest area changes the game to a text adventure. Both are integrated very well into the core game that they feel just as good as the rest of it, which is a treat. Both games start with an opening sequence that make you want to see what the hell is going on, but I think NieR does it better with the short cutscene in the beginning and short fight scene. Also, the dialogue between Nier, Grimoire Weiss, Kaine and Emil is great for the group of four who really play off each other very well, and it's all voiced - which is why I was happy to see that all the original voice actors came back to voice their characters again for the NieR remake coming out later this year. I will always love opening up the game and hearing Kaine's rant about Weiss getting hypnotized by the Shadowlord every time. I hope that's in the remake too!

There's no talking about either of these two games without mentioning the soundtrack, and instead of talking too much about it, I will instead just post a huge amount of links near the end. Keiichi Okabe along with Emi Evans' lyrics makes up some of the great tracks below. I do like NieR's soundtrack more overall (and place it second in all OSTs in its console generation, behind only Atelier Ayesha), but both are excellent and deserve the praise they get.

There's not much I can go into here overall without dipping too much into spoiler territory and NieR is best left unspoiled as much as possible. I didn't even give a proper writeup when I ranked it back in 2017 on my top 10 list, so this is sort of a good do-over for me. I always thank Board 8 for getting me to play NieR for my 50th platinum as it is their best choice for any game that the board has recommended for me.

Soundtrack Links
Hills of Radiant Winds (NieR)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CJHppNnNZL4
Emil ~ Karma (NieR)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5ZQYURYaAs
Song of the Ancients ~ Fate (NieR)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ady--PNMsfI
Shadowlord (NieR)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqXPW0oBKgg
Kaine ~ Salvation (both games)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=viDKam_hmGM
Amusement Park (NieR: Automata)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MS0T9bRJSwU
Birth of a Wish (NieR: Automata)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQannt3efw8

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azuarc may not know the strength of songs in VGMC, but he conquered the guru in Game of the Decade 2! Congrats!