Board 8 > Nier vs. Nier: Automata

(+) Yeah! (+)

I just finished Automata earlier today and was curious where y'all stand
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I still have to finish Automata but I picked the first Nier. Slightly better soundtrack, characters I enjoyed more, less expected story twists. Automata, so far, is an incredibly game, however, and probably a top 15 soundtrack all time for me -- that's just how good the first soundtrack was.
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Combat / Gameplay and such: Automata

Story / Characters / Side Quests / Feels: Nier

Both are good, but Nier 1 just has a certain magic about it to me

BIG SPOILERS

Heck one of the biggest feels moments for me in Automata was a direct callback to Nier with Emil's secret area(s) and the secret boss in the desert
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for the record I don't think you can compare the games as a complete work if you haven't completed both games in their entirety

I can't think of any other series where this is true
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That boss sure loses a lot of impact when you realize it's a total rehash.
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the original NieR
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give me Automata
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I would have to say Automata
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Really tough decision. I think they both excel in different areas.

Gameplay is easily Automata even if I liked some of the magic in Nier.
OST is tough, let's call it a draw
Story/Characters is also pretty tough. I'll lean Nier here but will note that Nier Automata Route C is probably the strongest of the group.

All that said I voted Nier by the slimmest of margins because I think it's overall the strongest even if I might think Automata hits a higher peak.
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LapisLazuli posted...

That boss sure loses a lot of impact when you realize it's a total rehash.

Yeah shame they couldn't have made it a more unique fight but damn it the whole bit with Emil's Kaine Speech and the music slowly shifting to Emil Sacrifice was great

90% chance it wasn't canon though given how it ends but it was still an awesome moment

also probably one of the best tracks in the game
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One area in which the first Nier had more engaging gameplay: it was weirder. there's no extended visual novel portion in Automata!

I will agree that the games excel in different areas. Nier and Automata stand on their own
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iiicon posted...

One area in which the first Nier had more engaging gameplay: it was weirder. there's no extended visual novel portion in Automata!

I will agree that the games excel in different areas. Nier and Automata stand on their own

VN Forest was the best

Also Nier 1 had an awesome fishing side quest which Automata sorely lacked (unless I somehow completely missed it)
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Nier's dialogue is much stronger, Automata feels much more complete, with many weird quirks in both the battle system+interface smoothed out and a much better coherence between the sidequests and the main story. Hits its emotional beats much more often too, although there are fewer.

Overall, I think Automata wins out, although it's still kinda janky in some ways. Both A and B routes felt less engaging than the first half of Nier and as sci-fi it is too human-centric.

Why wouldn't that fight be canon?

The Emil we interact with in Automata is just one of the clones. We already know that at least one other Emil is around well after the events of Automata based on one of the weapon stories so it's not as though it would mean he's written out of future games.

Ending Y probably isn't canon but would be hilarious if somehow it was. >_>
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xp1337 posted...

Why wouldn't that fight be canon?

The Emil we interact with in Automata is just one of the clones. We already know that at least one other Emil is around well after the events of Automata based on one of the weapon stories so it's not as though it would mean he's written out of future games.

Ending Y probably isn't canon but would be hilarious if somehow it was. >_>

I just figured that once you win the game just sort of "ends" on the spot and brings you back to the start screen. I guess it could be canon but that was the impression I got

Wasn't there some new Automata play thing that kind of goes into stuff that happened after the ending?
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Ah, right, I forgot about that part. You might be right.
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iiicon posted...

for the record I don't think you can compare the games as a complete work if you haven't completed both games in their entirety

I can't think of any other series where this is true

i haven't beaten it myself but i know what happens. i'd still go with the first game in everything but the gameplay.
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First Nier.

Automata had better gameplay but I really wasn't into the story toward the end of it. I felt route C started strong but by the end of it it got to the point where I just didn't really care anymore.

And routes A and B were slow and kind of predictable.

Original Nier had better characters and a better plot, was more engaging throughout, even if the gameplay wasn't great.

Original Nier wasn't very good. It had some good elements, but the meh combat held it back enough to prevent it from being really great. Even the experimental gameplay sections weren't refined to the extent that Automata's alternate gameplay sections were. And there were still some visual novel-y sections, like A2 and Anemone's backstory.



Pirateking2000 posted...

Story / Characters / Side Quests / Feels: Nier

wat

Nier's sidequests were terrible. Most of them were bad fetch quests. The occasional one had some cool story twists, but I feel like side quests and combat are the two areas where Automata really distances itself from the first game.
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Mac Arrowny posted...

Original Nier wasn't very good. It had some good elements, but the meh combat held it back enough to prevent it from being really great. Even the experimental gameplay sections weren't refined to the extent that Automata's alternate gameplay sections were. And there were still some visual novel-y sections, like A2 and Anemone's backstory.



Pirateking2000 posted...

Story / Characters / Side Quests / Feels: Nier

wat

Nier's sidequests were terrible. Most of them were bad fetch quests. The occasional one had some cool story twists, but I feel like side quests and combat are the two areas where Automata really distances itself from the first game.

I just found more of em more interesting compared to Automata's (to be fair Automata had its own fair share of escort and fetch side quests). Automata had some neat ones too but I think what helps is Nier and Weiss playing off each other during them better than 2B and 9S. At least to me

Some to name off the top of my head

Lighthouse and the Letter Quests

Fishing Quest that gets you hooked on it (with Nier and Weiss kinda reflecting the player's attitude to the fishing in general)

The Twins

The Dog that was looking for the medicine
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Automata's quests in-the-moment are worse because 9S and 2B don't really talk or comment about everything and their personalities are much more bland, but the quests often recasts player interpretation of certain plot elements.

e.g. the amnesia quest foreshadows 2B's real identity, the wandering couples quest plays around with the idea of memory+identity that defines 2B's relationship to 9S's sacrifices, getting the roses for 6O makes the prologue for route C feel even worse. And these are just off the top of my head.